Nannypalooza '08 Official Sponsor Announcement (Hint, it's Us ;)

NANC's 3rd annual
Nannypalooza! ˜08
October 4th and 5th, 2007 at the Hilton Philadelphia Airport

Sponsored by Parents With Nannies, Inc. owners of:
NannyClassifieds. com, 4EverythingNanny. com and NannyIsland. com

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS AUGUST 8th!
Nannies can register for as low as $75 including meals!

Join us at a conference designed especially for you.

Nannypalooza! offers, learn today, use tomorrow workshops, each
session time slot offers 3 workshops to choose from. You'll find
great topics like:

• Home schooling Techniques for the Nanny

• Presenting Yourself as an Expert

• Recognizing the difference between challenging behaviors and
special needs

• Creating Your Professional Nanny Portfolio

• Understanding Different Personalities and
How to Work with People more Effectively

• Keeping Your Kids Safe-- An Expert's Guide

• Using Baby Signs Program to Enhance Language Development

• "Niche" Nanny Panel

• Working with the Children who Challenge Us

• Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Contracts But Didn't Know
to Ask

• Financial Planning for Nannies

• Increasing Your Internet Presence

• Great Ideas for Low Cost Publicity!

• Increasing Your Bottom Line with Auxiliary Services

*Extras:
~ Lunchtime roundtable discussions.

~Lots of networking time.

~Raffle prizes and a great goodie bag.

~Vendor tables to visit with some of the most exciting businesses
around.

Convenient schedule, all Nannypalooza! events are scheduled over a
weekend so you don't have to take off work to attend.

Budget-friendly registration fee ( early bird starts at just $75 for
nannies) that includes: all conference activities, Saturday breakfast
and lunch and Sunday breakfast buffet as well as a Sat evening
reception with snacks and a cash bar!

Welcoming atmosphere, whether you come alone or with a group, you'll
find a fun and friendly environment.

For more information visit www.NannyCredential .org
or call 202 318-9156.

PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ALONG TO ALL THE NANNIES AND AGENCIES YOU KNOW.

Thanks!

Nannies are not Independent Contractors, Congress wants to make that very clear.

The following "Legal Alert" was sent to us by Bob King, of Legally Nanny.

As part of Legally Nanny’s continuing Legal Alert series, I wanted to let you know about H.R. 5804, the Taxpayer Responsibility, Accountability and Consistency Act of 2008. This bill, recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, could directly affect you as a household employer.

H.R. 5804 would significantly increase penalties for employers who misclassify workers as independent contractors instead of correctly classifying them as employees. Additionally, the bill places the burden of proof on the taxpayer to demonstrate that the worker was properly classified. Finally, in addition to increasing the penalties for failing to properly pay employees and provide correct payroll information such as W-2 forms, the legislation also imposes increased penalties for intentionally disregarding the worker’s proper classification.

What does this bill mean to you? Nothing, if you’re doing everything correctly and treating your nanny as your employee. However, some clients insist on mischaracterizing nannies and other domestic workers as independent contractors – or just paying their nanny under the table – in an effort to avoid paying household employment taxes. H.R. 5804 could make this an even more expensive mistake.

Under both federal and state law, nannies and other household staff are almost always employees; they are not independent contractors. H.R. 5804 would heighten the already stiff penalties to families mischaracterizing such workers.

Robert E. King, Esq. is the Founder of Legally Nanny, the leading law firm representing household employers and domestic employment agencies. Legally Nanny assists clients in hiring, employing, and paying nannies, elder care providers, and other household employees legally. For more information, feel free to contact the firm at (714) 336-8864 or at info@legallynanny.com for a free initial consultation.

© Copyright 2008 Legally Nanny. All rights reserved. This article is for informational purposes only; it is not legal advice. This material is not intended to seek employment in any jurisdiction in which Legally Nanny is not allowed to provide professional services.

Nanny Conference in Philadelphia. Here's the scoop!

Do any of your or your nannies/au pairs attend nanny conferences?

There is a great one coming up, pleae see the info. below.

*************************************

Are you ready to CATCH THE WAVE??
NANNYPALOOZA 08
Sponsored by National Association for Nanny Care
www.nannycredential .org

Oct 4 & 5th (Sat. & Sun.)
Philadelphia Airport Hilton Hotel
Philadelphia, PA

The National Association for Nanny Care is proud to once again
sponsor NANNYPALOOZA! This is a one and a half day conference full of
useful workshops, networking opportunities and FUN!
Visit this link for more details:
http://www.nannycre dential.citymax. com/page/ page/5684076. htm

The conference is inclusive, casual but packed with information you
can use to be the best professional out there.
Here's a link for FAQ's about the Conference:
http://www.nannycre dential.citymax. com/page/ page/5658922. htm

Early Bird registration starts at just $75 for nannies.
Here's a link:
http://www.nannycre dential.citymax. com/page/ page/5461199. htm

Don't miss out on all the updates! Visit our website at
www.nannycredential .org and click on the Nannypalooza page.
Sign up for Nannypalooza Updates and stay informed on all the
exciting events!

Please feel free to forward this message to any other nannies or
agencies you know! Everyone is welcome!

America’s Top Nannies

Overcoming obstacles. Making an impact in a family that really needed help. We know you're out there, Nanny Superstars, and Nanny Net News wants to hear your story. Follow the link below and tell us why you're a real-life super nanny.

Here's what we want to know...

Your stats:

Name E-mail City and State How long have you been a nanny?

What made you decide to become a nanny? Education level? CPR/First Aid Certified?

Your story:

Are you a member of local or national nanny association? Are you active in the community as a volunteer or part of an organization? Tell us a little about yourself and your life as a Nanny!

Photos are encouraged, but not required. Each month, we'll publish our favorite story in the newsletter – and if we print your story in an issue of Nanny Net News, we'll send you a free nanny sweatshirt or tee-shirt of your choice!

Submit your story now

Nanny Interviews, tell us about them

We're looking for your input.

Nanny Interviews: What’s the Hardest or Craziest Question You’ve Asked or Been Asked? Just click on the Comment link below to submit yours.

Introducing BestNannyCam.com

Homesight Monitoring Systems Make Safeguarding Your Child Easy

When families need to choose a home monitoring system, the choices can be overwhelming. According to Deborah Smith, President of Parents with Nannies Inc , the decision doesn’t have to be difficult. In the past, families often relied on home-taping systems. Instead, Smith encourages real-time viewing technology, such as the Homesight system from Xanboo.

“We’ve never endorsed a video-taping situation because we don’t believe that children should be put in harm’s way until Mom or Dad get home,” says Smith. In other words, the goal shouldn’t be to catch a nanny in the act.


Instead, Smith urges the use of real-time systems that are out in the open. Just like professionals in other industries, she notes, most nannies are comfortable with being monitored -- as long as they know about it. As one nanny remarked, “By being open to nanny candidates about the home monitoring system, it will freak out the bad apples and please the professionals.”


The easy-to-install Homesight system provides users with real-time video feeds from their computer, cell phone, or PDA. In addition to helping parents monitor a childcare provider, the Homesight system helps users keep an eye on pets or teens. “It’s also a great way for families to stay connected while Mom or Dad is away on business,” Smith says.

Homesight video feeds are 100% secure. While most wireless video cameras send signals to a nearby base station, making them vulnerable to interception, the Homesight system sends its feeds via power lines directly around the home.

Visit BestNannyCam.com to learn more about this terrific new product for nanny employers.

AZ Nanny “Dream Team” donates time to Parents of Sextuplets

Phoenix, AZ – For parents Jenny and Bryan Masche, having six babies─Bailey, Blake, Cole, Grant, Molly and Savannah, aka the Masche Miracles─born 10 weeks premature on June 11, was a dream come true. Little did they know that another dream was about to enter their lives in the form of four career nannies and newborn care specialists--the self described “Baby Dream Team.”

“When a family of multiples needs extra help and can’t afford the expense of professional child care, we like to step in and donate our services,” said Tonya Sakowicz, newborn care specialist and long-time nanny to triplets. When Sakowicz of Phoenix, Arizona heard about the Masche Miracles, she gathered her Baby Dream Team of newborn care specialists─Lisa Stipe of Arkansas, Cortney Gibson of Indiana, and Clelie Bourne of Kentucky─and the ladies flew to Arizona to meet with the family and grandparents. The ladies are all members of the International Nanny Association, an educational resource association dedicated to promoting quality in-home child care.
To ensure voluntary efforts are coordinated, the dream team is creating a Masche Miracles Volunteer’s Handbook for families and friends who will time to care for the babies. The handbook will cover issues such as hygiene, sleep techniques, maintaining family confidentiality, and more. The team will also create a daily log book to keep track of the babies’ eating, medication, diapers, and sleeping patterns. “Our goal is to have one of the newborn specialist at the house when the babies come home, which should be by the first week of August,” offered Sakowicz. There are several Arizona-based newborn care specialists with experience caring for twins who will work with the Baby Dream Team. Sakowicz believes this opportunity will not only help the family, it will also provide a great learning experience for the local newborn care specialists.

Sakowicz and her team members have contacted the vendors they use and asked them to donate products for the babies. “We’ve had such a great response. These babies are going to get some of the best baby products on the market.” Some of the donors include: Miracle Blankets, Babysense 5 Monitor, Aden and Anais Swaddling Blankets, Doctor Brown Bottles, sound machines from HomeMedics, and Inch Bug, “bumpy name labels.”

For more information on the Mashe Miracles and how to donate, visit www.maschemiracles.com.

INA is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1985. It is an educational association for nannies and those who educate, place, employ, and support professional in-home child care providers. Membership is open to those who are directly involved with the in-home child care profession including nannies, nanny employers, nanny placement agency owners, nanny educators, and providers of special services related to the nanny profession.

Attn: Nannies, Nanny / Employer Communication Survey

My name is Liz Ramus and I am a current nanny and junior at Carroll College in Waukesha Wisconsin. This summer under a undergraduate research program entitled, The Pioneer Scholar, I have chosen to look into the communication between child care providers and adults. Since this area of communication has not been researched I have chosen to start with the nanny population of the US. For this study we are focusing on the nanny's perspective of the communication between themselves and their employers/family.

Nannies, please visit the website at www.nannyparentcommunication.com to take the online survey. The survey will take a maximum 10-15min to complete and is only available until June 30. The information submitted is 100% confidential and anonymous and will not be shared with your agency or current family.

Those who participate in the survey are eligible for one of five $30 Visa Gift Cards. Information to submit contact information is available at the end of the survey and will not in any way be attached to your survey responses. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at elizabeth@nannyparentcommunication.com.

INA Names Mother of Four “Nanny of the Year”

Arlington, VA – Christy Ochs is not your typical nanny. She is the mother of four who took an unusual path to becoming a nanny, a professional caregiver who is a genuine advocate for children, and she represents a positive role model for the in-home child care industry and the International Nanny Association (INA). On May 18, INA awarded Christy its highest honor, The 2007 Nanny of the Year (NOTY) Award during its 22nd Annual Conference held in Alexandria, Virginia.
When Christy turned 49, she decided her child rearing days were not easily left behind—even though she had already reared four children, one with downs syndrome, and two step children. “I chose to be a nanny because the idea of doing for the parents what I would have loved to have had done for me as a young parent was very appealing. I loved the idea of not only providing a secure and loving environment for their children, but also taking some of the daily pressure off of their shoulders by doing their laundry, straightening up the house and helping the children with their school assignment.”

Christy is now working with her third family and cares for three-year-old Hawk who attended the conference with his mother. During the award ceremony, he presented flowers to Christy. “My boss, Jill, nominated me for the NOTY. I was so honored and touched to have been nominated, especially by my employer. Lot’s of people go through their entire working lives without feeling appreciated. I can't tell you how much this nomination meant to me. Every time my little charges say "I love you Nana!" I feel like Nanny of the Year.”

What does it take to be INA’s Nanny of the Year? Officially, it takes at least five years of professional nanny experience; an education in the field of child care; a nomination from a nanny recruiting agency or employer; and several references. Unofficially, it takes a lot of love and patience.

Christy is the founder/moderator of the Denver Area Nanny Association. She has been a member of INA since 2001, and is also a member of NANC (spell out) and Nanny Support Group Leaders. She was inspired to start the Denver Area Nanny Association in 2003 after attending her first INA conference. Now with 28 local members, the group arranges play dates, nanny dinners and coffee gatherings, and organizes and participates in CPR/First Aid training for nannies.

INA is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1985. It is an educational association for nannies and those who educate, place, employ, and support professional in-home child care providers. Membership is open to those who are directly involved with the in-home child care profession including nannies, nanny employers, nanny placement agency owners, nanny educators, and providers of special services related to the nanny profession.

How to Lose a Nanny in 10 Days

Loved this article on Parents.com. Learn what not to do and what to expect as a nanny employer. All the nannies will cheer when they read this one.

http://www.parents.com/parents/story.jhtml;jsessionid=JOVIJOB30FKYFQFIBQNSCAQ?storyid=/templatedata/parents/story/data/1176930890630.xml&categoryid=/templatedata/parents/category/data/1131027588419.xml&page=4

Should I bring something for the kids on my interview for a new nanny position?

Q: I am going to meet a potential family next week. As a possible nanny I was hoping to bring a small gift for the children 2 boys (7 and 13 mo.) and 2 girls (5 and 3). I don't want anything too overboard bu I want them to know I am excited to work with them. Any ideas on what I could get them?
Thanks- :)

A: I think it's a lovely gesture to want to take a gift to the children, but I don't really think it's a great idea.
I think maybe you could consider taking your favorite children's book to read with them and then ask them what their favorite is, or maybe you could take a small art project that you could do with them, but in my opinion it is not necessary to take them a gift.

If you have made up your mind to take a gift, then I suggest a book, perhaps one of your favorites.
Good Luck!
Glenda Propst
Nanny / Employer Expert

What's the nanny buzz?

The nanny buzz is....we've got a new blog. We will be using the blog to let you know about exciting updates to this website, industry news and anything else that we think you'd like to know about. This is also where you will find answers to questions submitted to our panel of nanny experts. If you have questions about working as a nanny or finding and hiring a nanny, we've got a great panel of experts with years of experience in the industry to help. Sorry, we can't take questions directly through the blog, but all you have to do is visit our "Ask the Experts" forum and submit your question. You'll find a link to the forum in the list of suggested links on this blog.

So, to get things started, one of the upgrades happening on 4EverythingNanny involves the Nanny Agency Locator. The Locator, after many years of faithful service, is in desperate need of a face lift. So, she's getting one. You'll notice that many of the states already have a shiny new look. This process should only take a week or so to complete so we thank you for your patience.

I also want to remind everyone that the International Nanny Association's annual conference is coming up in May. Deadline for early bird registration is April 15th. Go to INA's website at www.nanny.org for more info and to register.

That's it for my first post. I hope you'll check in regularly for updates.