First Class Care, Inc.

"What benefits must I provide to my part time employee?"

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:11:00 +0000

When hiring a part-time household employee, employers are only obligated to provide those benefits they agree by contract to provide OR those benefits the law obligates them to provide. In Illinois, most legal benefits involve unpaid time off for events such as voting, jury duty, Family and Medical Leave Act leave (if they have worked more than 1250 hours in the past 12 months) or other specified circumstances. And, of course, you are obligated to pay not less than the minimum wage (which, in Illinois, is presently $8.00) and to pay not less than 1 1/2 times their regular rate for any hours they work in excess of 40 hours in a week.

However, your goal is to provide a total package of paid and unpaid benefits that increases your ability to attract and keep the most qualified employee. And for a part-time employee, you may be competing with their other employer or against other job offers.

Based on our experience with part-time employees, here are some of the "basics" we suggest:

Holidays: For the major holidays (Labor Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Years Day) we suggest the day off with pay IF the holiday falls on a day when they would otherwise have been scheduled to work. If they do work on the holiday, we suggest one days' pay as holiday pay, in addition to pay for the hours they work. If they are required to work on a holiday, consider providing them an alternate day off.

Vacation: We suggest at least one week of paid time off per year (one week being the number of days they normally work during a week). Many families increase vacation to two weeks after the employee has been with you for three or four years. Paid time off can often be a very attractive benefit.

Pay for 52 Weeks: Whether full time or part-time, employees depend on a regular paycheck. If your family travels without the employee or doesn't need the employee for a short period, most families continue to pay for the period of their absence. Otherwise, your absence can cause a financial hardship to the employee, whose bills do not "take a vacation."

Of course, any other benefit you choose to provide can have significant value to the employee. One way to provide a benefit that has real value to the employee is to ask them what they would value most. Often, the overall cost of these benefits is minimal, but it is the things you are not required by law to do that will increase the chance of attracting and keeping a high quality employee.

"BEHAVIOR 911 TO THE RESCUE" Interactive Workshop

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:29:00 +0000

WHEN: Friday, February 19th, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: North Shore Pediatric Therapy Glenview Clinic - 1308 Waukegan Road, Suite 103 Glenview, IL 60025

WORKSHOP FEE: $50.00 per person

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 20 (Hurry, spaces are limited!)

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP: Come meet the entire Behavior Analysis team at North Shore Pediatric Therapy and get some one on one attention. You will experience a brief overview of the foundation of applied behavior analysis, an assessment tool that can be applied to your family/students for years to come, and specific intervention techniques to help increase and decrease behaviors.

During the course of the workshop, you will break up into groups and receive targeted instruction by one of our highly qualified behavior analysts. You will leave the workshop with your child's individualized assessment and plan to implement as soon as you get home!

This workshop is an outstanding opportunity to meet other parents and teachers that understand your needs! Be prepared to discuss your child's behavioral concerns and help other families/teachers develop their individualized plans.

REGISTER TODAY!
http://www.nspt4kids.com/Public/Events/index.cfm

Do You Reimburse your Employee for Gas?

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 20:46:00 +0000

IRS Decreases Business Mileage Rate to 50 Cents for 2010

The IRS has announced that the business standard mileage rate for transportation expenses paid or incurred beginning January 1, 2010, will be 50 cents per mile, down from the 55 cents per mile rate in effect during 2009 [Rev. Proc. 2009-54, released 12-3-09; http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rp-09-54.pdf].

The mileage rate may be used to compute the deductible cost of operating a passenger car (also vans, pickups, or panel trucks) for business purposes. It may also be used by employers that elect to use the "cents-per-mile" valuation method for purposes of determining the amount that needs to be imputed to an employee's income for personal use of certain company-owned or leased nonluxury vehicles.

"What do I give my Domestic Employee for the Holidays?"

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:00:00 +0000

The holidays are a perfect time to let your household employee know how much you appreciate them. Remember how hard they work for you all year and how greatly they contribute to the happiness of your family.
There is no "one size fits all" solution; there are many creative ways to compensate your employee for their hard work.

A cash bonus is by far the most popular solution. The average year end bonus is one - two weeks of pay. Long-term staff bonuses may be as high as one month's pay. For newer employees, many families calculate one day's pay for each month of employment, up to the maximum they would consider. All bonus payments are ALWAYS at the discretion of the employer, and the employee's length of employment, overall performance, and the means of the employer are all factors in this decision.

Additional ideas for gifts of gratitude which can be done throughout the year are:

- A personal hand made gift from your children like a picture frame.

- Gift cards to popular restaurants or day spas

- Airfare for a trip home

- Full or partial payment for Health Insurance

- Membership to an Organization
International Nanny Association - $35 a year
Domestic Estate Managers Association - FREE (say First Class Care sent you)

Please remember it is always good to give a review of your employee at their year anniversary and a holiday bonus is not in lieu of a raise.

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By: Erin Krex
Owner of First Class Care, Inc.
Working Mother

To submit your Domestic Employee questions email info@firstclasscare.com

To "Friend" or Not to "Friend"

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:02:00 +0000

To "Friend" or Not to "Friend"

Networking With Your Nanny
By Erin Mantz
Like almost every day, an e-mail from Facebook popped in to my AOL inbox, announcing I had a “friend request.” Since joining Facebook last fall, I had grown used to connecting and reconnecting with people from the past and present. I almost always recognized the faces (if not the names) and reacted with some emotion (Excitement: My long-lost best friend from seventh grade! Dread: The coworker from my first job who followed me around every day for a year. Curiosity: My friend’s uncle in California. Rapid heartbeat: My high-school boyfriend.) But, this time, when I opened the e-mail, I was shocked. It was from my new, 20-year-old nanny!

Immediately, the shock turned to panic, confusion, fear--and even anger. I felt invaded. I was scared to let her into the personal life of my Facebook page and terrified I would find something questionable if I peeked into hers. The average Facebook user has 120 friends on her site. What if one of her friends looked like some shady character? Would I worry that he’ll pop by my house for a visit and steal my rings? What if I find pictures of her partying the night before or hear a song with lyrics unfit for my 4-year-old’s ears? Will I wonder if she’s playing that tune when my son’s in her car?

I accepted the invitation to connect but didn’t look at her Facebook page … until a few weeks later. I quickly popped onto her page, looking over my shoulder and feeling sneaky, and all I saw was her status update from earlier that morning: “Have to be up in six hours!” she’d posted. No wonder she looked so tired this morning! She was up at midnight the night before. Unsure whether she had been up studying for her college course or hitting the clubs with her friends, I couldn’t really be mad. I couldn’t really be mad, anyway, since how she spent her personal time outside of babysitting hours wasn’t really my business. Or was it?

As George Costanza on Seinfeld said, “My worlds are colliding.” Welcome to the world of Generation Y nannies and technology.

Blurring the Lines of Personal Boundaries
Navigating the perks and pitfalls of Generation Y babysitters/nannies and their technologies can be tough. Also known as the “Net Generation” and “First Digitals,” Generation Y (those born between 1979 and 1994) accounts for 70 million people in the United States--and one may likely be taking care of your child.

In so many ways, having young sitters and nannies armed with cell phones and lifestyles where texting is second nature does make parent/nanny logistics much easier. You can text her to stop and get milk while she’s leaving the carpool line or notify her your kid’s soccer practice is running late. She may use her cell phone camera to send you a snapshot of your son hitting a home run while you’re stuck at the office, offering you an unexpected smile. She’s always reachable. But she’s always connected, making it awfully easy for her to mix workday tasks with time for socializing. What if she’s using that cell phone to text her friends instead of playing with your kids? And how would you even know?

Social networking sites, such as Facebook, pose even deeper questions. Who is to say what’s too close for comfort or where the boundaries of privacy borders blur? Like many moms, I am feeling my way through and figuring it out as I go along. So are professionals like nanny agency owners, who find themselves rethinking their roles and responsibilities around educating nannies on tech etiquette and calming parents who call with concerns.

Nanny Agencies Address the Issue

Alexandra Afari is director of Five Star Nannies, an agency serving Maryland, D.C. and Northern Virginia. She prides herself on taking an educational approach to child care and recently recognized a need to at least address the technology issue. “We are cognizant and mindful of the convenience and distraction technology may pose. That’s why we take steps to ensure that our nannies refrain from the personal use of all electronic communication devices during working hours.” Afari communicates this expectation to her nannies and offers a level of reassurance to parents.

Jaclyn Gobuluk, owner of Metropolitan Nannies based in Herndon, understands the nannies of yesterday and today. She worked as a nanny for 15 years before opening her agency in 2002. Back then, Facebook wasn’t even a thought. But today, she does Facebook searches as part of her screening of nanny candidates. They will be role models for children, so she wants to learn more about their lifestyles. “Technology is tied to a nanny’s identity,” Gobuluk says. “People should have common sense about what they post. Anyone coming out of college should know not to use Facebook to let their crazy side out.”

Gobuluk embraces the good sides of technology and even launched an agency Facebook page. She thinks technology is mostly just an extra tool for parent/nanny communication, and it won’t totally replace in-person dialogue. “There will always be times when parents still want to sit down [with their nanny] face-to-face and know what’s going on with their kids,” she says.
Some parents do visit nanny candidates’ Facebook pages, but Gobuluk hasn’t heard of any crisis as a result. And as for technology taking time away from the kids, such as a child telling Mom that Nanny was texting for hours while he just watched TV, there have only been a few complaints in recent years.

Trusting Your Instincts in the Social Media World--Mother Knows Best
With moms’ use of social media up 462 percent over the past three years, according to BabyCenter’s June 2009 “21st Century Mom Report,” I wondered how some area moms felt about becoming friends with their nannies on Facebook. In an informal poll, none were friends, only one had gotten a request from a former nanny, and all of them said if their current nanny did send them a friend request, they would not accept it. “I think it’s best to keep some lines of separation to maintain privacy,” said one Potomac mom, whose policy is to friend only former nannies. As for visiting her current nanny’s Facebook page? “I would be a very curious fly on the wall and would be very interested to find out what someone so close to my family really thinks about us and what she shares publicly.”

Moms who feel worried or guilty about denying friend requests shouldn’t be so hard on themselves. It is human nature for a mom to not want to accept a friend request from her nanny, according to Jennifer Kogan, LICSW, who works with many moms at her parent counseling and support center in Northwest D.C. “A mom may feel she doesn’t want to share her life with her employee, and boundaries can be tough to uphold with a public setting like Facebook,” she says. She acknowledges it’s also natural for a mom to be very curious about her nanny’s Facebook page, since she could learn a lot about the type of person she has watching her child. Still, the moms I spoke with said they would never peek at their nanny’s Facebook page. “Too much information,” summed up one insightful mom.

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Erin Mantz (erinmantz.com) is a writer and communications professional based in Potomac, where she lives with her two sons, 4 and 8, and a Pug named Rizzo.

Regular Reviews with Domestic Employees Puts Everyone At Ease

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:38:00 +0000

When hiring someone to work in your home, establish ground rules early to inform new hires that regular reviews will be done to assess how things are going. Whether you have a nanny, housekeeper, personal chef or other domestic employee, regular reviews help everyone understand what is expected and what should be changed.

Let new employees know there will be a three-month, six-month, nine-month, and twelve-month review and that raises can be discussed during those reviews. Having an understanding from the beginning lets new employees know that there will be opportunities to discuss their issues and concerns. Let them know you are open to hearing those concerns so they feel comfortable discussing them with you.

Before each review, have your employee complete a self-evaluation form to bring with them on the day of the review. This is a great way for employees to see how they can improve on their performance, allowing for a more open dialogue. As an employer, have your own evaluation report that you can compare with your employee's. Point out the positive before discussing the negative so your employees do not feel they need to be on the defensive, but don't "sugar coat" the negative comments or the areas needing improvement. Go over the original work agreement to ensure that all duties and expectations are being met.
(Get First Class Care Self Evaluation Form)
(Get First Class Care Family/Employee Evaluation Form)

THE SIX-MONTH REVIEW
Again, this is a good time for both parties to discuss any concerns and to discuss the possibility of a raise. If there are any changes on the horizon, let your employee know well in advance so they are not caught off guard. Discuss the day to day routines and whether you would like to see things done differently so they are aware of any shortcomings and have an opportunity to correct any problems. If appropriate, offer suggestions or specific things they can do to improve in the areas. Use the evaluation forms from the previous reviews and compare them to see what changes have been made.

THE NINE-MONTH REVIEW
Again using the evaluation process, the nine-month review offers an opportunity to encourage employees to take more initiative for improvements as sometimes they can become too comfortable in their routines and may not be performing up to your expectations. Remind them of their duties and what you would like to see improved over the coming months. Use the evaluation forms from all the previous reviews and compare them to see what changes have been made.

THE TWELVE-MONTH REVIEW
By now, you and your employee have a well-established working relationship. Both parties should discuss what is expected in the coming year. It's also appropriate to discuss a raise and when it will go into effect, taking into account cost of living increases. Talk about changes you'd like to see and don't forget to give praise where it's due. If you've agreed to a one year contract, find out if your employee is happy and whether they intend to continue working for you.

A LASTING RELATIONSHIP
By using your own evaluations and self-evaluations for employees during each review, both parties can talk about issues and improvements in a constructive and positive manner.

After the first year, annual reviews should be sufficient and will be a good platform for discussing raises. Keeping the lines of communication open at all times is key to a positive and lasting working relationship. By establishing trust and a pleasant working environment, your domestic employee can feel appreciated and comfortable. An unhappy worker is more likely to quit suddenly and without notice, leaving you scrambling for a help.

Once you've found the right domestic employee, be sure you are clear about what you expect from them. If everyone is on the same page and both parties feel comfortable enough talking with one another, it can result in a long and happy alliance to keep your family happy and your home running smoothly.

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To view the entire October Newsletter Visit: First Class Care Archive

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First Class Care Celebrates National Nanny Recognition Week

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:25:00 +0000

National Nanny Recognition Week Northbrook, Illinois - In honor of National Nanny Recognition Week, First Class Care hosted an entertaining day-long event for Illinois nannies and their charges.

This year's National Nanny Recognition Week (NNRW) event was held at Nibbles Play Café in Wheeling, IL. Nannies and their charges were invited to come out to this free event to enjoy some fun while meeting with other nannies. Festivities included great food, arts and crafts activities, balloon animals, live music and more. The event was met with great success, and 15 lucky nannies in attendance walked away with raffle prizes in the form of gift cards to Starbucks, iTunes, Lena's Skin Care, Old Navy, Massage Envy and CPRclass.org to name a few.

The Chicagoland based domestic placement agency is known in the area for not only providing quality nannies to the community but also housekeepers, house managers, babysitters, personal chefs, and elder care companions.

"Giving back to the community is something we strive to do on a daily basis, but we figured National Nanny Recognition Week would be the best time to throw this event for all our hard-working nannies," said Erin Krex from First Class Care.

NNRW is a week during which families are encouraged to focus on the positive aspects of the care giving profession. First Class Care believes that while their nannies and caregivers are highly trained specialists, they also are very loving, and play a pivotal role in families by being able to positively influence children and parents.

Sponsors of the NNRW event included local business like Nibbles Play Café, Handpicked Pumpkin, Lena’s Skin Care, GTM, Massage Envy, Lindsey Markus, attorney with Chuhak & Tecson, P.C. and CPRclass.org.

National Nanny Recognition Week begins September 20th, and lasts till September 26th. NNRW is celebrated nationally by nannies, families, educators, and supporters of caregivers.

For more information on NNRW, please see the Association for Professional Nannies at http://www.nannyassociation.com/

For more information on First Class Care, please visit http://www.firstclasscare.com/

AS SEEN ON TRIBLOCAL.COM

http://www.triblocal.com/Northbrook/Detail_View/view.html?type=stories&action=detail&sub_id=102454

2009 First Class Care Nanny of the Year Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:35:00 +0000

First Class Care had its first annual Nanny of the Year contest to honor its hard working, exceptional nannies. Families were asked to submit a brief essay on why they love their First Class Care Nanny. We picked the top 4 to win an INA (International Nanny Association) Membership.

Meet the four 2009 First Class Care Nannies of the Year!

Mariola
Her Family wrote:
Our nanny is Mariola and she has been a wonderful addition to our family for over a year now. My daughter Samie, who is 2 1/2, absolutely adores her and when Mariola arrives in the morning she jumps up and runs to give her a big hug and kiss. They attend My Gym together and art class and in addition Mariola takes her to the park, the water park in the summer, and for walks. They spend time outside when it is nice and go to the library when the weather is not as good. She reads and sings to her everyday and works with her on manners, numbers and colors. They have tea parties and play with play-doh or paint when at home. My daughter is the type that likes to stay busy and Mariola accommodates her incredibly well with her never-ending energy and patience. They are two peas in a pod and I appreciate more than anything the love, attention and care she has provided my daughter. She has encouraged her creativity and optimism and nurtured her naturally happy attitude. Mariola truly is a wonderful person, as well as nanny, and surely deserves nanny of the year!
Sincerely,Karen, JJ and Samie

Susan
Her family wrote:
I would love to nominate Sue as "Nanny of the Year". She has carried our family through my pregnancy-induced bed rest; the arrival of my 3rd daughter-helping our whole family/toddlers adjust; and has managed to develop well-earned love by my not-easy-to-open-up daughters. Sue adds security, stability, love and comfort to our home life. Since she began, she has adjusted to our many needs by slowly adapting with ease. We hold Sue dear to our hearts; she has made a mark on our family and we know that she will always be a part of our lives. Sue is the most hard-working and best nanny there could be. Please consider her for this well-deserved recognition.
Thank you.
Most sincerely,
Lauren

Melissa
Her Family Wrote:
We love our first class care nanny Melissa. My 3 year old son lights up with joy when I tell him that it's a Melissa day. Melissa comes prepared with an array of creative games and art projects for my kids. She creates fun adventures whether it's an outing or at home. Most importantly she lovingly and warmly cares for them. I love watching her interact with them and I've learned many things about child care from her! She is a special gem and we consider ourselves so lucky to work with her.

Thank you, Debbie

Elena

Her Family Wrote:
Every time they hear the front door creaking open, our three boys start clapping and yelling, "EH-NA, EH-NA, EH-NA!" This word is our one--year-old twins' name for our amazing nanny, Elena, who brings sunshine, laughter, and a restored calm every time she walks through the door. In the year that "EH-NA" has been our modern-day Mary Poppins, she has changed the lives of our entire family - right on down to our dog. Elena joined our household after several difficult years for our family, and she jumped right into the chaos with her quiet, flexible, and cheerful manner. My children know how much she genuinely cares for them, and she always treats them with love and kindness - even at times when others probably would lose patience! She completes well beyond the amount of work expected of most nannies, and she does it w/ jokes and laughter - even in the kind of challenging circumstances created by three little boys. Elena has done everything from wipe away tears and bandage skinned knees to change hundreds of dirty diapers, spend the night, fold endless piles of laundry, cook authentic Romanian meals, research child development, plan fun activities, give discipline advice, and even clean up dog throw-up."She always helps me," says our 4-year-old, Jack. "I love her because she's so friendly and nice to me."Our family knows we are privileged not only to know Elena as our nanny, but also just to have such a wonderful person in our lives.

-Darren and Kristy

Tips to Get Organized for School!

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:42:00 +0000

Many families have trouble staying organized in today's busy lifestyle. When parents work and multiple people are in charge of running a house, it is essential to be HIGHLY organized. An organized family helps children concentrate and spend time on school rather than where they left the other shoe.

1. Prepare for changes. When families are in a laid back schedule from summer it is hard to one day just wake up and be ready for the first day of school. Instead, try waking up on the new schedule 1-2 weeks prior to school starting to get into the new routine.

2. Clean out your closets. When school starts it is hard to find time to do much. So before school starts clean out your closets of any outgrown or worn out clothes. This will make it easier for your kids to pick out their own outfits for the next day.

3. Create a calendar with space for each family member to list appointments, activities, homework assignments and reminders. Keep it in an open area like the kitchen.

4. Preparing what your kids will need for the next day is crucial. Lay out clothes, pack lunches, and have backpacks packed the night before.

5. Color Coordinate so each child has a specific color for all binders, backpacks and supplies.

6. Keep a dry erase board so all family members can write down items needed from the grocery store, dry cleaners, or school supply store and then one person can get everything in one trip.

7. Designate a study space. It is best to have a study location that is neat, has all the necessary supplies, and will allow children to concentrate on homework.

8. Keep important phone numbers in a binder. If you have numbers for doctor's, workers, teachers, etc. in one place, everyone can find what they need quickly.

9. Open communication. Make sure everyone knows what is expected of them and what needs to get done each day. If you have a last minute request, have a place where you know everyone will look. Leave them a note and they will be able to complete the task.

If you use even a few of these tips to stay organized your family will have more time to play and have fun together. More fun means less stress.
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By: Erin Krex
Owner of First Class Care
Article was published in NPN magazine

My Child's Sensory Needs

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:53:00 +0000

All children perceive and process sensory information in different ways. Some children find loud noises scary, while others like to bang objects and search for interesting ways to create noise. Similarly, some children may only tolerate certain fabrics or textures for clothing, while others may enjoy rolling around in the grass, sand, or on the carpet. While most adults have learned to adapt to their specific needs, some children need guidance in processing sensory information to blossom and reach their full potential at school, at home, and while playing with peers.

How do I know my child's sensory need?
· Can your child focus on an activity even if there's background noise?
· Does your child jump from one activity to another, never fully being able to complete a task?
· Does your child respond negatively to loud noises, or often covers their ears?
· Is your child always seeking high movement activities, but often appears clumsy and falls a lot? · Does your child show a strong preference for certain foods or smells?
· Is your child irritated by shoes and socks, or different textures?

Children with sensory difficulties are either over-responsive or under-responsive to things they experience in their daily lives. Your child may be oversensitive to strange noises, but may also be under-sensitive to high movement activities or enjoy being dizzy. While each child is a unique individual, their sensory needs are as well.

What are some fun activities I could try?
1) Tug of war
2) Plastic Bag Kite - cut a string about 3 yards long and attach it to the handles of the bag. Staple colored streamers for decoration on the bottom. Run against the wind to keep the bag afloat.
3) Simon Says - this is a classic but teaches children spatial awareness and body positioning. Try to incorporate words like 'on top', 'underneath', 'behind'. For example, "Simon says put your right hand under a couch cushion."

How do I know if my child needs more help?
Children displaying in of the following characteristics would benefit from support provided by an occupational therapists.
· Under- or Over-sensitivity to touch, movement, sights, or sounds
· Tendency to be easily distracted
· Social and/or emotional problems
· Activity level is unusually high or low
· Physical clumsiness or apparent carelessness
· Poor fine motor coordination
· Impulsivity, lack of self-control
· Difficulty in making transitions
· Inability to unwind or calm self
· Poor self concept
· Delays in speech, language, motor skills
· Delays in daily skill performance (dressing, feeding)
· Delays in academic achievement

Suzanne Jacobs, OTD, OTR/L; holds Doctorate of Occupational Therapy and treats children at North Shore Pediatric Therapy.

NSPT specializes in Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Social Work, Behavior 911, Nutritional Counseling, Tutoring, Reading and Neuropsychology Diagnostics and Support. NSPT's three locations include: Highland Park, Glenview and Buck-town.

To receive more information on your child's development please call (877)486-4140.
www.NSPT4kids.com

Nominate your nanny for 2009 First Class Care Nanny of the Year

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:37:00 +0000

First Class Care is accepting submissions for 2009 First Class Care Nanny of the Year. First Class Care nannies are top notch and to show them we appreciate them we are offering the 4 top nannies of 2009 a FREE INA (International Nanny Association) Membership.

Send us a brief email on why you love your First Class Care nanny and how he/she has enhanced you and your children's lives.

Deadline: July 25, 2009

Email us: erin@firstclasscare.com

We will post nominations as we get them for everyone to see!

Amazing Product that will help your family get MORE SLEEP!

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:59:00 +0000

My 5 year old son loves to wake me up at 5am. As soon as the sun comes up he is calling for me. We have tried everything from blackout shades to tin foil on the windows (yes - we actually did it). Nothing worked. I finally found an amazing product that has given me my sleep back! Every family should have one of these clocks and I hope it can help you as much as it has me:)

Teach Me Time! by American Innovative
Teach Me Time! is an adorable child's bedside alarm clock, time-teaching tool and dual-color nightlight all in one. The collective features of this educational toy are designed to grow with your child from the day they are first out of the crib.

"Ok to Wake!" Dual-Color Nightlight TimerFor children just out of the crib, Teach Me Time! features a dual-color nightlight that turns green when it's "Ok to wake!"

This convenient (for parents, that is) feature was inspired by homegrown solutions to the problem of young children bounding out of bed at very early hours. If you've ever taped over the minutes digits of an old digital alarm and instructed your son or daughter to not get up until "this number is a six", then you're one of many (sleep deprived?) parents who understands the need for the dual-color nightlight.

Teach Me Time's! nightlight has flexible timer settings. You define the time that it turns on (soft yellow glow), the time that it changes color from yellow to green ("Ok to wake!") and the time that it turns off. If desired, the color-changing option is easily disabled.

Let's Learn To Tell Time!Teach Me Time! features an interactive, talking time-teaching game designed to help school-aged kids learn to tell time on both analog and digital clocks. The large, bright LCD display is capable of displaying the time in either format or both at once.

Nanny Share 101

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Thu, 28 May 2009 17:42:00 +0000

Definition: A nanny share is when two families engage the services of a single nanny to care for both families' children.

Nanny sharing is a creative way to save money and still have a professional in home childcare provider. With child care often being the second largest monthly expense, your mortgage being the first, families find sharing a nanny to be a great solution. It is a common misconception that having a full time professional nanny is out of a family's budget, but sharing lowers the average costs to $300-450 a week per family. Although this sounds great, it is easier said than done! Nanny Shares have many pros and cons, and only you can determine if it is the right choice for your family.

First step: Finding the right family to work with! Just like having to interview nannies you will have to interview families first. Things you need to consider:

1. Age of the children - It is probably better to have children close in age so they can play together and become friends, but think about the pros and cons of having multiple children the same or similar age or the opposite.

2. Values - How much is the other family looking to spend on a nanny? What benefits are they willing to offer? You would be surprised at how families differ on the subject.

3. Parenting Philosophy - How do you want the children disciplined? What does your child like to eat and what does their child like to eat? Does one of the children have a food allergy? What are your rules regarding television? The families must agree on these items - different rules for children being cared for together is not possible.

4. Scheduling - How often do either of the families require a nanny? If your schedules do not coordinate, how is this going to impact you? How often does each family go on vacation? How is the nanny compensated when only one family is using her? Timing is everything.

5. Activities - Do both families allow the nanny to take their children on outings to the zoo or parks? You would be surprised at how many families do not want the nanny to take the child out. You must consider how this will affect your day.

Second Step: Once you have found a possible family you would like to share a nanny with you still need to think about the following:

1. The Nanny Search - Both families should get together and write a job description, work agreement and qualities they are looking for in a nanny. They should agree on how the nanny search will be executed and determine responsibilities for each step of the way. If an agency is used: the fee amount, who pays it, and any fee-splitting arrangements should be in writing. If an agency is not being used, make sure you agree on a process for screening, background checking and reference checking. During the interview process, the nanny should have the opportunity to meet all parties before accepting the position.

2. Where will the care be given? - some families rotate; others use only one home. If care will not be given in each family's home, consideration should be given to the wear and tear which will occur in the home where the care is given.

* Is that home maintained and clean to the satisfaction of both families?

* Is the home child proofed?

* Are there pets in the home? What care must be taken to protect all children?

* Who will be responsible for supplying the toys and replacing broken ones?

* What about meals which the children and caregiver will be eating during the day - who will provide the food and pay for it?

3. Salary - When a nanny is hired by 2 families her salary is usually higher due to the more complex situation, but when split between two families will still result in a big cost savings. Consider what happens if there are days where one family's children are not being cared for - is the same salary to be paid or is a lower hourly rate ok? The same salary is recommended, but this must be worked out ahead of time. Families and the nanny should coordinate the withholding of payroll taxes and consult a payroll company (www.gtm.com) or accountant to find out how to handle this appropriately.

4. Benefits - What benefits will you offer your nanny? How do you plan to coordinate vacations? If the host family is vacationing, will the nanny be required to go to the other family's home? Full time nannies expect to receive weekly pay for every week of the year, even if a family does not need her care on any particular day or week. Typical benefits include paid federal holidays and 1-2 weeks of paid vacation.

5. Illnesses - It is important to work out what happens when the children are sick. It will be possible that the sick child will be living at the home where the care is being provided that day. Will the care be given at the other home that particular day?

6. Communication - Open lines of communication are very important. Both families and the nanny should be comfortable in bringing up any issues that might arise. Make it a point to check in once a month and give regular reviews to your nanny.

7. Contracts - Both families should have a contract not only with the nanny but each other. This should cover all the details like salary, benefits etc, but also what happens if one family wants out of the share. Always discuss an exit strategy, including what the rights and obligations of each family are, when the relationship ends.

Pros:
* More personalized attention than a day care and for less money

* Additional duties can be done like light housekeeping and laundry

Cons:

* It is very difficult for two families to find a nanny they agree on

* There is the risk of being left with a nanny who was hired for a certain salary

Sharing a nanny can be the best of both worlds or more trouble than it is worth. Evaluate your personal goals and what you want to get out of your childcare provider. Can your provider meet your goals while caring for other children? After weighing the pros and cons you will be able to determine if this is the right avenue for you

First Class Care helps families find the perfect Nanny for their nanny share. We request you find your family partner first. Contact us today at 847-733-2700.

Mom4Profit Presents: An Evening of Enrichment for your life and your work.

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:45:00 +0000

Wednesday May 27th, 2009 - 7PM - 10PM
Starland - 710 Robert York Avenue #D
Deerfield, IL
RSVP: mom4profit@comcast.net

Speakers:
Dr. Jeannie Aschkenasy - Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Discusses Humanizing Infertility

Natalie Harel-Yakov - Financial Advisor
Discusses: Financially Empowering Women

Riv Lynch - Professional Organizer
Discusses: It's not about the Stuff

Rachel Rosenberg - Health and Wellness Consultant
Discusses: A pure Approach to a Healthy Lifestyle

EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

** Mom4Profit is a network of working mothers who run their own businesses. We share ideas and help promote each other.

First Class Care Goes to Dallas for INA

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Every year First Class Care attends the INA (International Nanny Association - http://www.nanny.org/) conference. We love learning how to continually improve our business plus networking with old and new friends. THINK BIG was 2009's conference theme and it was held in Dallas, Texas. Steve and I took workshops on such things as Marketing to Moms, How to Grow your Business, Networking sites as a tool and more. Conference is always an inspiration to think of new and creative ideas on how to make our clients LOVE us even more. A major part of conference is networking. We meet agency owners from around the country to share ideas, strategies, tools and experiences. The common goal is to make everyone in the industry be the best they can be. Just being an INA member is not enough, you must be involved to make it work for you. First Class Care is an active member, Board Member and recruiter for the INA. We are proud to be the only Chicago Nanny Agency that can say this!

Support us in the 2009 StartupNation Leading Moms in Business Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 01:47:00 +0000

Support us in the 2009 StartupNation Leading Moms in Business Competition

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NEXT FAMILY VACATION--PACK YOUR SUN TAN LOTION--AND YOUR NANNY

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Whether it's for a ski trip to Colorado or building sand castles on the beach in Mexico, having a nanny along to help with the children means that parents can relax and enjoy the trip as a family and as a couple. Taking your nanny on vacation is well worth the investment in that extra set of hands, eyes, and ears when travelling with small children.

Any trip with young children can be stressful. Extra work and extra responsibilities can cut into the limited time available to do "fun" things. But with the right kind of planning, you can still have the best of both worlds--fun with the whole family plus some relaxing together time. There can be time for a romantic dinner, a late night stroll, or time for a quiet "adult" conversation--just what a couple needs.

SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN TRAVELLING WITH YOUR NANNY

PREPARATION: Ask your nanny well ahead of time. Although you may be going to a wonderful place, not all nannies like to travel with their families. Give them adequate time to prepare AND give yourself plenty of time to get a replacement if they decline.

DISCUSS THE DETAILS: Do discuss the details of the trip. Discuss when you will leave and return. Discuss the nanny's duties while away. Discuss the compensation and accommodations. This is YOUR vacation, not the nanny's. In fact, travelling with the family requires extra work by the nanny. Keeping kids occupied on the plane or in the car and in strange places is harder than at home. Explain what the schedule is likely to be--travel, activities, time off, hours, extra demands. The schedule is likely to be very different than at home. Parents sleeping late, family activities during the day, special activities at night--all may require that the nanny start earlier, end later, and/or take time off in the middle of the day. Additional compensation should be discussed for the extra duties and longer days. Most nannies receive between $200 and $275 per day to compensate them for the extra duties, different hours, and disruption of their own lives. Ideally, the nanny should have her own room but if that's not possible, that should also be discussed in advance.

ADDITIONAL COSTS: When the nanny travels with the family, the family is responsible for the nanny's travel expenses--airfare, hotel, meals, tickets to special attractions like amusement parks, movies, concerts, or other admission fees.

There are several "pros and cons" of taking your nanny on your trip. But the added expense usually means a much more enjoyable, less stressful trip for everyone. Those families who have taken their nanny's along, often say that they will "never again leave home without her."

**If your nanny is not able to travel with you, call First Class Care and arrange for a TRAVELING NANNY. We have many terrific nannies who are experienced at traveling with families, know what to expect, and know just how to make your trip a memorable, positive experience.

What is a Nanny?

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:14:00 +0000

The word Nanny is defined in the dictionary as: a person, usually with special training, employed to care for children in a household.
In our everyday lives this word is used in many ways and thought of as many different things. A typical nanny is responsible for everything pertaining to the children. A nanny should be willing to do any and all household activities related to his/her charges, including cleaning their rooms, doing their laundry, entertaining them, disciplining them, teaching them proper manners and caring for them when they are sick. A nanny is a partner with the parents to help raise their charges to be responsible, competent young men and women. A nanny must want to be a child's best friend and encourage them to do their best.
Many nannies are willing to do other household duties, including family laundry and light housework, but their priority will always be to care for the children. If they do accept these responsibilities they will be expecting to be compensated accordingly. Parents should understand that children are the most important part of the job. If the nanny is engaging the children with fun activities, then maybe the laundry waits to get folded until the next day. Families are cautioned to be realistic in the amount of additional work they ask the nanny to perform. When you are searching for a nanny you should create a duty list that has every possible duty you would want your nanny to perform. This will make sure you and your nanny are on the same page from the start and no surprises occur. You always want to be open and honest about your expectations.

Six Secrets to retaining your great household employee

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:06:00 +0000

Make no mistake about it: when employees start searching for greener pastures, it's a bona fide disaster.

1. Figure out what motivates your employees. You may be surprised to know that for most employees money is not always the main issue. Good communication, Respect, fulfillment and recognition are key. Just saying "thank you" or "good job" will go a long way.

2. Encourage activities that make your employee feel good. Many people get energized when working out, dancing or swimming. Let your employee use your home gym, swimming pool, or other available facilities.

3. Incentives are nice and they also don't have to cost a lot. A small surprise gift certificate will generate positive feelings without breaking the bank. Movie tickets, a manicure or a dinner goes a very long way.

4. Flexible Hours: All families are different and your schedule might not allow for this, but simply making any effort can have positive results. Employees have lives outside the workplace, and sometimes issues with children come up, family emergencies, or simply needing a long weekend. Allowing employees to have some flexibility is a great way to keep them happy.

5. Consider other benefits: Reimburse for CPR / First Aid classes, Childcare related classes, Professional organizations like the International Nanny Association or Consider health insurance reimbursement after 1 year of service

6. Know your weaknesses: If someone else offered your employee a chance to move by focusing on what they don't get currently, what would that be? Beat the competition to the punch by anticipating your vulnerability.

A happy employee will work harder, be more willing, and will simply be better for the household. While raising wages is a quick and easy fix, in the long term, it's better to focus on a variety of elements to help make employees happier and enjoy their work more. If you take even just one of these suggestions I am sure you will see immediate results.

Get Organized for the New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Firstclasscare) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:44:00 +0000

Many families have trouble staying organized in today's busy lifestyle. When parents work and multiple people are in charge of running a house, it is best to be HIGHLY organized.

1. Create a calendar with space for each family member to list appointments, activities, and reminders. Keep it in an open area like the kitchen.

2. Keep a dry erase board so all family members can write down items needed from the grocery store, dry cleaners, or school supply store and then 1 person can get everything in 1 trip.

3. Keep important phone numbers in a binder. If you have numbers for Dr.'s, workmen, teachers, etc. in 1 place, everyone can get what they need done quickly.

4. Preparing what your kids will need for the next day is crucial. Layout clothes, pack lunches, and have backpacks packed the night before.

5. Open communication. Make sure everyone knows what is expected of them and what needs to get done each day. If you have a last minute request, have a place where you know your employee will look, leave them a note and they will be able to complete the task.

These five small things will make a world of difference and make everyone's lives easier on a day to day basis.