Working Mom's 411 is your one-stop resource guide for navigating through the often choppy waters of managing kids, career and home. With extensive experience as a credentialed nanny, household manager and as a working mom herself, Michelle is sure to make you laugh out loud as she shares her expert take on the common dilemmas that working mothers face.
At your fingertips, you will find expert advice, up to date information and tried-and-true tips on everything from choosing childcare to streamlining housework, homework and more. You'll discover super solutions to problems big and small from learning how to let go of that all-too-familiar working moms guilt to dealing with family and friends who have different ideas about home moms and careers should mix.
Buy Now!
|
New!
Grocery lists. Checklists. To-do lists. Lots of people love--and live by--lists. And parents are no exception. Today's families are busier than ever, and moms don't have the time or energy to search and scramble for the parenting information they are desperately seeking. This handy, practical reference guide will save time, money, and sanity for today's busy women.
A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists is your one-stop resource for more than 100 lists to live by, including: When to Call the Doctor Questions to Ask before Choosing a Pediatrician Sleep Training Your Baby Top Toys for the First Year Terrific Activities Toddlers Love Easy Steps for Taming Tantrums Feeding a Picky Eater Signs of a Family-Friendly Restaurant Common Childhood Allergies and Illnesses Instant Pick-Me-Ups and so much more Start saving your time, money, and sanity today!
To learn more, visit
www.michellelarowe.com
.
|
|
|
Nanny to the Rescue
America's nanny offers a large dose of healthy parenting advice with secrets for raising happy, secure, and well-balanced babies and toddlers.
Babies don't come with instructions. And since today's parents are so overwhelmed with schedules and demands, they have little time to bone up on their parenting skills. Often removed from grandparents and relatives who in times past lived next door or just down the street, they have no one to guide them through the disorienting world of raising children. Enter Nanny to the Rescue! Michelle LaRowe, 2004 International Nanny Association "Nanny of the Year," gives her tried and true solutions to childcare. Her expertise with chapters titled "Who's the boss?" and "Discipline is not a four letter word" gives confidence to parents who need specific ideas for real day-to-day problems. A proud member of Christian Nannies, Michelle offers foundational truths sure to help encourge moms and dads.
|
|
Faced with multiple choices regarding school, friends, and activities coupled with the ever-widening influence of the outside world, parents of 6-12 year olds need help. America's nanny is back to offer a large dose of healthy parenting advice with secrets for raising happy, secure, and well-balanced children.
|
|
How to Hire a Babysitter
 You've finally decided to plan for that long overdue night out with your spouse. In the days before parenthood, picking the restaurant was the most challenging part of the evening. Now you are left with the daunting task of finding a provider that is practically perfect in everyway.
Whether you hear about a childcare provider by word or mouth, through a babysitting service, or even by placing your ad on the internet, one thing is for sure - if you want to know who is caring for your kids your going to have to do your homework.
However you decide to advertise your position, be sure to communicate your criteria to potential providers.
Your basic list of criteria may look something like this:
- Over 18
- Previous childcare experience
- Able to provide three verifiable references
- English speaking
- Non smoker
- CPR/ First Aid certified
Chances are, once the word gets out that you are looking for a sitter, you'll get plenty of responses to your request.
Be prepared when the calls come in by having a list of questionnaires printed out, along with a pen left handy by the phone.
When potential caregivers call, ask these important questions:
- Can I have your contact information?
- Are you CPR and First Aid Certified?
- Tell me about yourself and your interests.
- Have you worked with children before? In what capacity?
- What was your best childcare experience?
- What was your worst childcare experience? How did you handle it?
- Do you have three references for me to contact?
- What is your rate and availability?
You can save lots of time screening calls by setting up your answering machine greeting to say something like this: "Thanks for calling. If you are calling about our childcare position, please leave a detailed message including your name and phone number, overview of your childcare experience, and the title of your favorite children's book. Please only leave a message if you have three verifiable references. Thanks." From the responses that you get, you'll be able to tell if the candidates meet your basic criteria and if they are able to follow instructions.
With this method, you also have the luxury of returning calls at your convenience and can choose which applicants that you want to spend the most time with getting to know.
If you are satisfied with the phone interview, call the references provided. The most important questions you can ask a reference is "Do you have any hesitations about leaving your child with the caregiver?" and "Would you hire this provider again?"
If you have made it this far in the interview process, it's time to set up a visit. Choose a time of day where your child is usually awake and in a playful mood.
Be sure to observe the following:
- Is their appearance neat?
- Do they make eye contact when they talk?
- Are they comfortable around your kids?
- Do they wash their hands before handing an infant?
- Do they seem interested in the children?
- Do they get on the floor to interact with your toddler?
- Do they ask get to know you questions, like "Can you tell me about your favorite toy?" to an older child?
- Does their cell phone go off without ceasing?
If you are happy with what you've observed, you have gotten stellar references, and your mothers' instinct says "yes," you are in a position to offer the candidate a trial run.
Set up a time frame of about four hours during the day and see how it goes. Run some errands and be sure to pop in and out unexpectedly.
If everything goes as you hoped, you are ready to offer her the position.
Last Month's Article -
Sepration Anxiety
|
About America's Nanny:
Michelle LaRowe is the 2004 International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year. A career nanny specializing in caring for twins, Michelle has over a decade of nanny experience. Although she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, she has found her true calling, working as a professional nanny.
Michelle is an active member of the nanny community. She is the founder and president of Boston Area Nannies, Inc., a local non profit educational organization and has served on the International Nanny Association Board of Directors for the past five years. During that time she has also served as the associations 1st Vice President. Michelle is also a proud member of Christian Nannies.
She is called on by the media as a nanny and parenting expert, and has been affectionately dubbed America's Nanny. Michelle has appeared on television and has been featured in print. She is the author of the new parenting series, Nanny to the Rescue!, a contributing writer in the Experts' Guide to the Baby Years and a regular columnist in several parenting publications, including Twins Magazine.
To learn more about Michelle and to get your parenting tip of the day, please visit
www.michellelarowe.com
.
Article Archive
Separation Anxiety
Toddler Temper Tantrums
|
Anthony G. Alessi, MD
Charles Glassman, MD
Dale Peterson, MD
Mache Seibel, MD
Peter Weiss, MD
Mitchell Yass, DPT
Dr. Howard Peiper
Dr. Mary Riggin
