Please Help-- Hiring a helper--What to ask?

[BigMomma]

So I am due March 12 with my second. I have decided to stay open and hire a helper to help with the kids before and after I have the baby. I have found over the past year that it gets a little lonely at times with just the kids..

I love it, but I also like the idea of having an extra pair of hands and another adult to converse with at times. And doing this it's not so much about the money as me being able to stay at home with my munchkins, so I don't mind taking a cut in pay.

Anyways I was hoping you ladies could help me come up with things to ask in an interview. I will be looking to hire another stay at home mom.

So far I have

-qualifications
-certificates
-CPR
-how many children she us home with now
-personnel reference
-past employer reference
-Criminal record check ect.


If there anything else I could ask.

[Daisy123]

Sounds like you got it pretty covered but if it was me I'd also want to make sure that you're on the same page regarding child care practices! Maybe you could ask "what if and what is" questions. ie "what would you do if a child doesn't listen to you". "What would you do if a child won't eat". I'd want someone around that I feel I could trust to handle situations in a similar way that I would.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I agree...sounds like you got it covered, add in some of the what if's and it should be good!

Unless you already have this determined, I would ask what they expect for pay, holiday pay, time off etc. Do you need insurance on them in case something happens to them at your home?

(hiring help is not very common here to my knowledge so I don't know if any of that would even apply?)

[Other Mummy]

I'm following this thread, because I'm going to need help with my daycare. I will also be taking a major pay cut. I need a helper/assistant to cover for the next few months as my dad's health is severely declining. His prognosis is not good at all. I want to be with him and spend a few hours a day with him.

I thought of a stay-at-home mum as well, but if she has children then that would put me over my limits as I already have 5 daycare children, and two of my own under 6.

[torontokids]

Other Mummy, I have been wondering the same thing as my mom is in the diagnostic stages of what they worry is cancer (the area of concern is her sinus'). I figured I would take advantage of EI's dependent care program but then remembered "duh, I am not eligible for any of that anymore."

I hired a dance teacher to come once a week to teach a class and she and I had been in talks of having her help out more during the week. The problem I found once I thought about it some more is that her bringing her son throws off my numbers and I couldn't get her to even do the things I needed e.g. clean, craft prep because I would have to watch her kid!