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10 Signs Your Child Could Become President of the U.S.

Posted on March 24, 2012 by admin

So you’re sitting in your living room, watching the Presidential primaries on TV. You glance over at your child in her playpen, who is too preoccupied with her Baby Einstein’s see-sawing pandas to be bothered with balancing the national budget. Just as you gaze back at the tube, it occurs to you: Hmm. What could possibly be worse than this bunch? Is your little one potential presidential timber? How can you know for sure? Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a handy ten-point checklist for your testing pleasure. No thanks necessary:

  1. She waves reflexively at perfect strangers.  You may be in the possession of a professional vote-getter if she likes to acknowledge large crowds and smile broadly as they pass by. Bonus points if she’s got the victory ‘V’ sign figured out.
  2. She’s a speech maker. Your little girl likes to stand up on a chair or stool, shaking her  fist demonstratively in the air, as she babbles incoherently at passersby. This is a good sign (particularly the babbling part) that she’s got a fiery little politician in her just itching to hit the campaign trail.
  3. Thinks on her feet. Is she adept at changing the subject when you question her about some wall scribblings or how the dog managed to get drenched in apple juice? She may be a future Chief Executive alright.
  4. Knows how to work a room. She’s a social butterfly at play dates, and tends to press the flesh with the hoi polloi. That is, she likes to make sure she talks to everyone else in a group of other kids. She’s a diplomat in training.
  5. Shows compassion and empathy toward others. Any public servant in the making is bound to be nurturing and caring. If your child is the one who hugs, strokes or otherwise comforts other kids when they cry, this too is a positive indicator.
  6. A people watcher.  A keen observer of those around her; she will watch how others interact, and perhaps mimic their mannerisms. A mini-pollster is definitely a student of human behavior.
  7. A peacemaker.  A child with White House credentials might tend to keep everyone around her happy, and intervene when there’s a disruption to the status quo. Whether it’s toy sharing or settling disputes, she’s the one smoothing out the wrinkles.
  8. She stirs the melting pot. Watch when children get together, and observe how they respond to others of different ethnicity or race. Anyone with aspirations to leadership will relate to others easily, and equally.
  9. Shows interest in political issues. As your child grows into young adulthood, if her attributes lead her to take an interest in public service, then you may just have a future candidate in your home. She may become an activist for a cause or run for office at her school.
  10. Political Studies If you’ve determined that your child is indeed interested in a career in politics, then she will want to pursue an academic course which will prepare her for that goal. Political science, social science, constitutional law will be that next step from her play house to the White House.

One of the best ways to teach our kids is through studying our past Presidents and fore fathers in general.  We put together a whole series on how kids can learn from each of the U.S. Presidents and we encourage you to check that out as well.

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10 Places We Shouldn’t Mention Our Kids’ Names

Posted on March 20, 2012 by admin

Statistics show that every 40 seconds a child goes missing.  Think about that.  In the time that it takes you to read this article several children will have gone missing.  Fortunately many of these children are found within hours.  However, 260,000 children fall victim to abductions each year.  Only 1.4 % of all abductions are stranger abductions and 76% of those occur within a quarter mile from home.  Those that do happen tend to occur outside the home are perpetrated by people that know the child’s name; that’s how they get them.  Check out 10 places we shouldn’t mention our kids’ names.

  1. Youth athletic events: Kids are involved in many different kinds of sporting activities now and as a family you probably spend many a weekend at tournaments and games.  It’s only natural to yell out your child’s name during a game, but predators can be around and they will take note of your child’s name and jersey number.  They will note what team they play for and may show up at practice.  You don’t want to give them any information to use.
  2. Professional sporting events: Sporting events for professional or semi-professional teams are held at very large arenas or stadiums.  There are tens of thousands of people there.  If a predator hears you call your child by name or shout out to them if they are walking too far in front of you or behind you.  Then they have personal information that they can use when they follow your child into the restroom.  Things can happen.
  3. The mall: The mall is a kid magnet.  They meet their friends there and hang out, but they tend to get into trouble there too.  That’s why predators hang out at malls.  Hoping to get a kid alone.  If you call out to your child in the mall everyone now knows what your child’s name is and can use that information to get cozy with your child.
  4. Facebook: While different than a physical place, a lot of people are on Facebook and can put together your information and your child’s information.  If you have pictures of where you hang out or events that your child has been in then it’s possible for a predator to put all of that information together and figure out where your child goes to school and how old they are and what their name is.  It’s just as important for you to be safe with your child’s information online as it is for them to be.
  5. Amusement parks: Where do a lot of kids go?  Amusement parks.  If you call out for your child or yell your child’s name there may be undesirable people listening.  Predators hang out where there are children.  They will watch and listen for any advantage.  Maybe you let your child ride a ride by themselves because you didn’t want to go.  Now that predator can meet them at the end and call them by name.  Give them some story about being a friend of their parents.
  6. Grocery store: Kids tend to misbehave in grocery stores for some reason.  Maybe it’s because they want something that they aren’t going to get or maybe they are just bored.  Whatever the reason is this is a really common place to hear a parent yelling at their child.  Most times the child’s full name including middle name is often sternly expressed at the child.  Now any stranger listening knows your child’s full name and where you grocery shop.  Maybe they will go back there every day and watch to see when you shop there.  They might be able to lure the kid away from you and then snatch them.
  7. Restaurants: Diners are another really common place for families to go.  Kids get bored and mom and dad may call out their name.  Now anyone within hearing distance knows your child’s name.
  8. Big Discount store: There’s something about big discount stores and the toy aisle that attracts kids.  Adults may loiter in the toy aisle hoping to strike up a conversation with a child.  Maybe they will ask them what toy they would suggest for the stranger’s niece.  If the stranger knows their name because mom or dad has mentioned it earlier then they can get that much closer to them.
  9. Park: A large percentage of stranger abductions take place in parks or nearby wooded areas.  Many parents will call their children by name to warn them about being careful or to stop throwing sand or whatever it is.  Predators will hang out at parks in order to learn this information.
  10. Sports practice: Many parents will go to their child’s practice and call out to them to pay attention or try harder.  If you use their name anyone standing around listening will now know a little information about your child.  What team they play for, maybe what school they go to and now they know their name.  Maybe a nickname would be better.

No matter what activities your child is involved in or where you go as a family, keep an eye out for predators and don’t let your children go anywhere without adequate supervision. You can even set up a code word so that kids can know if someone is really giving them a message from you.  Finally, please do not put up window decals on your vehicle with the names of everyone in the family (even consider whether or not you should put up an elementary school, junior high school, or other school mascot or logo).  All these things can help keep your children safe.

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10 Recent Crimes Committed by Nannies

Posted on March 15, 2012 by admin

For parents that employ a nanny, few things are as upsetting as getting word that the person entrusted with the care and protection of their children has been arrested. Whether the crime is childcare-related or not, families invariably feel shocked and violated in the event of legal action being taken against their nanny. Here are ten nannies whose actions led to an arrest and the complete loss of their employers’ trust.

  1. Blanca Pineda – Greenwich, Connecticut nanny Blanca Pineda was arrested in February of 2012 for allegedly stealing $500 worth of flatware from her employers. She later returned to her place of work to return the items and admit to the theft; she was charged with sixth degree larceny and awaits her court appearance.
  2. Anneliese Brucato – Long Island nanny Anneliese Brucato was arrested in February of 2011 for allegedly drugging a four-month-old infant with a generic Benadryl equivalent, despite a warning label clearly stating that the medication is not safe for children under the age of four years. The medication was administered in order to keep the infant asleep throughout the day; Brucato’s actions were discovered when the baby’s mother became worried about her restlessness and difficulty sleeping at night.
  3. Stephanie Fox – When a Boston area nanny was arrested for writing cold checks to various people in her community, she had her charge in her care. The little girl was released into her parents’ custody, who stated that she wasn’t harmed. Upon her arrest, her employers also learned that she was caught by security cameras making purchases with credit cards stolen from local businesses in 2007.
  4. Rachel Robison – Allegedly working with her employers, Arizona nanny Rachel Robison was arrested in March of 2011 and charged with sexual conduct with a minor and luring a minor for exploitation. The parents she worked for were also arrested on dozens of charges, including sexual assault, child molestation and furnishing obscene material to a minor.
  5. Daniel Cortopassi – After advertising on Craigslist offering his services as a nanny, twenty-one-year-old Daniel Cortopassi was arrested on five counts of child pornography for having videos of children performing sexual acts in his possession. A search of his personal computer showed 278 pornographic videos involving children.
  6. Beatrice Rios – Forty-six-year-old Queens, NY nanny Beatrice Rios was arrested in November of 2011 for endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful imprisonment and failure to exercise control of a minor after allegedly disappearing with her seventeen-month-old charge Annabelle. The child was returned to her parents in what was described as “good condition” by Manhattan police.
  7. Colin Hotard – Boulder, Colorado nanny Colin Hotard was arrested in late 2010 after allegedly using her employer’s credit card to make over $15,000 worth of unauthorized, personal purchases. According to the police report, Hotard used the card to purchase clothes, movie tickets and hair stylist appointments; she plead guilty and was sentenced to four years of probation, two years in a work release program and community service of 100 hours.
  8. Lidia Zuradzka – Wheeling, Illinois nanny Lidia Zuradzka was arrested in June of 2011 for driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and three counts of endangering the life of a child after a minor car accident. Three children were in her vehicle when the alcohol-fueled fender-bender occurred; Zuradska was also arrested in 2006 for criminal trespassing after breaking into a neighbor’s home to steal a bottle of alcohol.
  9. Louise Anne Perry – Truckee, California nanny Louise Anne Perry was arrested on Christmas Eve of 2010 after allegedly stealing a pair of diamond earrings worth $17,000 and various prescription drugs from her employer. She admitted to drinking and consuming the pills while she was the primary caregiver for a nine-month-old baby. The parents of the child apparently returned to find the nanny in the bathroom of their master suite, “totally out of it to the point of being unable to function.”
  10. Fernanda Bender-Puhl – After showing up to a local daycare to pick up a child formerly in her care, despite having been fired, a crime spree that included stealing checks from her employers and cashing forged checks worth $16,000 came to an abrupt halt. Police believe that her intentions for picking up the child may have been part of a kidnapping-for-ransom plot.

If you’re debating over the necessity of running criminal background checks before hiring your nanny, this list of former nannies may reinforce your opinion of their value.

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10 Signs Your New Nanny Lied to Get the Job

Posted on March 8, 2012 by admin

Most job-seeking nannies spruce up their resume with creative wording in order to paint themselves in the most flattering light possible, while staying within the bounds of the truth. On occasion, a nanny candidate may stretch those boundaries into outright untruths. Here are ten signs that your nanny may not have been completely honest during the interview process.

  1. Her Skills Seem Less Developed Than Stated – If your nanny claimed to speak three languages fluently, but avoids the subject after completing the interview process, she may not have been completely honest about her skills. Keeping an eye out for ineptitude in areas she claimed to have mastered can help you spot a nanny that lied to get the job.
  2. She Seems Nervous When Questioned – When casual questioning sends your nanny into defensive mode, it’s a huge red-flag that she’s hiding something. While direct and abrasive questions that clearly indicate doubt on your part will understandably make her react defensively, conversational inquiries that get such a reaction should be considered suspect.
  3. Her Behavior is Awkward With Charges – Nannies who falsely claim to have experience with children will often be awkward or even downright uncomfortable in the presence of their charges, especially infants and toddlers. Observing her level of comfort when interacting with your children is a great way to determine whether or not she has experience working with other kids.
  4. She’s Easily Flustered or Upset – Working with children can be nerve-wracking, but an experienced nanny will take the small stuff in stride. A nanny that becomes hysterical at the first sign of trouble is almost certainly quite inexperienced.
  5. Stories Seem Inconsistent – Over the course of several weeks, your nanny is likely to open up and speak more with you during the times that you’re both in the home. If it seems that stories aren’t matching up with what she told you in the interview, it’s very likely that she’s lost track of her own tales, at least momentarily. Even a small slip of the tongue can bring an elaborate tale to the ground.
  6. Results Are Not What She Promised – If your nanny was hired because of specialized skills, such as problematic behavior or special needs, and your children don’t seem to be benefiting from the skills she claimed she had, she might have embellished her qualifications a bit.
  7. Questioning Kids Indicates Her Lack of Skill – Asking your kids about their day and the things that nanny did with them is another way to investigate your nanny’s claims without appearing overly suspicious. If she promised to teach your children certain skills or to perform certain activities that never come to pass, she may not have been entirely honest in the beginning.
  8. She Makes Rookie Mistakes – Everyone makes the occasional mistake, even the most seasoned of nanny veterans. When your nanny regularly makes beginner-style blunders, however, it might be a good idea to look into her actual skill set as opposed to the one she claimed to have during the interview process.
  9. Children Are Frequently Injured – Bumps and bruises are par for the childhood course, and are almost impossible to completely prevent. However, kids that are constantly hurting themselves may indicate an inexperienced or inattentive nanny.
  10. You Return to Chaos at the End of Every Day – Coming home to find that your house is a war zone filled with screaming children, a frantic nanny and a living room that looks like a bomb went off is a sure sign that your nanny can not handle the demands of childcare, and might not have been honest. Unless your children are exceptionally difficult, this inability to maintain control indicates inexperience.

A family should never hesitate to verify the claims of all nanny applicants through background checks and interviews with previous employers and references. Skipping this important step in the hiring process could turn into issues that could have been avoided by some simple verification.

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10 Trends Concerning Sexual Predators

Posted on February 13, 2012 by admin

Sex abuse crimes are in the headlines with alarming regularity, raising questions in the public’s mind such as how to spot potential offenders. Sexual predators come from all walks of life and don’t fit   neatly into any specific profile, but there are some interesting trends worth noting. Below are 10 trends concerning sexual predators:

  1. Don’t Bother Hiding – Most online predators are known to their target victims and do not hide their age when corresponding with them. They instead gain their victim’s trust through online chats and emails before arranging to meet in person.
  2. Willing Victims – As many as 80% of sexual assault cases committed by someone that the victim met online, resulted from their having voluntarily agreed to meet with the attacker.
  3. Relative Risk – Studies such as those conducted by the Vera Institute of Justice indicate that children are more at risk of being sexually abused by a family member than by a stranger.
  4. Twice the Risk – According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number of registered sex offenders in the United States doubled between the years 1994 and 2004, and is continuing to increase at a comparable rate.
  5. High Tech Tracking –  Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is increasingly being used to monitor convicted sex offenders. At least 35 states are presently making use of the technology.
  6. Moral Panic – Because of the nature of the crime and the age of many of the victims, high profile sexual assault cases induce strong public reaction. The result has been much more severe penalties in many states, but also some significant misconceptions about sex offense crimes, such as recidivism rates and the percentage of perpetrators who were themselves victims of sexual abuse.
  7. Public Notification – Some states have begun offering their constituents the option of receiving email or telephone notification from their local sex offender registry whenever a registered offender moves into their area.
  8. Forced to the Fringe – More stringent residency restrictions are making it increasingly difficult for registered offenders to find a place to live, driving many of them underground. One such example, the 2,000-ft restriction imposed in the state of California, has been demonstrated to make nearly the entire city of San Francisco out of bounds for a registered offender.
  9. Age Difference and Venue – During the past decade, more arrests have been made of online predators than those who stalked their victims offline. Most of those offenders were between the ages of 18 and 25, whose victims were adolescents, and who had been openly discussing sex with their victims for some time before committing their crimes.
  10. More Female Offenders – Over the past ten years, the percentage of convicted female sexual predators in the U.S. has risen from about 1% to currently around 8%.
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10 Ways a Nanny Could Violate Your Trust

Posted on January 16, 2012 by admin

If you’ve followed our recommendations and screened candidates carefully, preferably with the aid of a reputable agency, then chances are you’ll never have to concern yourself with today’s topic. But we’d be remiss if we ignored the possibility, so consider the following a serviceable framework for use when searching for the right nanny. We give you 10 ways in which a nanny could violate your trust.

  1. Child Abuse – First and foremost in every parent’s mind is their children’s welfare. As such, an employer should scrutinize a candidate’s background carefully, checking state sex offender registries, also contacting and verifying references.
  2. Theft – Your nanny will have complete access to your home and property. If it isn’t locked away, then you are trusting your nanny with its security. She’ll have security codes, a set of keys, even credit cards for shopping. So it’s OK to work gradually on giving her 100% access, until you’re 100% at ease with it.
  3. Negligence – Nanny cams are great and all, but you can’t have your nanny on camera 24/7, nor would you want to. You’ll be trusting her to be mindful of your children at all times, to not fall asleep on the job, to drive carefully.
  4. Unauthorized Guests – In most cases, parents would prefer that a nanny not have visitors in their home without prior approval. In fact, by bringing a guest into their home, a nanny is now asking her employers to entrust their children and home to someone else, whom they may not even know.
  5. Hours Worked – A working agreement between the employer and nanny may provide for the nanny to document her work hours in a logbook or computer spreadsheet. In those cases, the employer is trusting the nanny to keep an accurate record of actual hours worked.
  6. Overtime – Call it sand-bagging. Since overtime is premium pay, there’s incentive in working longer hours, which is the whole idea. Except that it’s also tempting to strrr-etch the work week in order to make some extra cash. A nanny needs to make an honest effort to complete her assigned responsibilities within her normal work hours.
  7. False Information – Providing misleading, inaccurate or fraudulent information or personal data in order to secure employment,  or avoid consequences. This is one area where enlisting the help of a nanny agency really pays off.
  8. Confidentiality – A nanny is essentially a part of the family she works for, and as such is privy to much of the family’s personal business. Particularly in the case of high profile employers, a violation of trust such as disclosing privileged information is a serious matter.
  9. Working Agreements –  Breaking the agreement without due cause, such as quitting prior to the agreed term in order to take a higher paying job, is another trust issue. Employer and nanny should make it a point to periodically evaluate the job together.
  10. Hanky-Panky – Let’s face it, there’s a fairly well-established history of, shall we say, extracurricular activity between nanny and  certain family member. This is definitely a violation of trust, not to mention vows.
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10 Reasons You Should Run a Background Check on Yourself

Posted on December 18, 2011 by admin

Most people live in blissful ignorance of what kind of information is available to anyone who wants to run a background check on them. It’s absolutely amazing and little bit scary how much data has been compiled on each individual that can be accessed by anyone for any reason. Information that seems fairly insignificant when it’s about someone else gains new importance when it becomes personal. Even if you have no particular reason to do so, here are 10 reasons you should run a background check on yourself.

  1. Peace of mind – Once you start to think about it you begin to wonder just what information is out there and how accurate it is. Just to satisfy your curiosity and for your own peace of mind, you should run a background check on yourself. Don’t wait until you find out from another source.
  2. Check for accuracy – Common human error can result in any number of inaccuracies in your public record. Running your own background check gives you an opportunity to find out if there’s any misinformation out there and correct the record.
  3. Clear up mistakes – Once you discover mistakes on your own, you have an opportunity to resolve any discrepancies before they become a problem. It’s much easier to set the record straight when you aren’t pressed for time or upset. Trying to convince a police officer that an outstanding parking ticket is just a mistake isn’t going to go well.
  4. Be proactive – You’ll never know when something on your record will come back to haunt you, so have a proactive approach to your public information. Know what others see so that you have an opportunity to explain any anomalies if they ever come up. You don’t want to be the last person to know what others can easily find out about you.
  5. Future employment – Potential employers are likely to run background checks on any job applicants, so you definitely want to know what they’re looking at and that it’s accurate. Problems on your public record can cost you the job even if you’re the most qualified person for the position.
  6. Credit history – If you’re applying for a loan, you want to know ahead of time if there’s a problem with your credit history. Run a background check so you can clear up any mistakes and be able to explain any information that looks dicey.
  7. Identity theft – People can be totally unaware that they’ve been a victim of identity theft until they run a background check on themselves. Even if your credit cards haven’t been compromised, someone else could be using your social security number for employment without your knowledge.
  8. Power of information – Knowledge is a very powerful tool to have at your disposal. Anyone who has run their own background check has the upper hand in any situation. Once you know how to check your own record and what kind of information is available, you can find out anything you want to know about anyone else as well.
  9. Potential renter – Landlords are likely to run background checks on any potential renters before they sign a lease. You don’t want problems from your past to prevent you from renting an apartment or home.
  10. Running for office – Anyone who is even considering a run for public office, whether it’s city council or congress, needs to run a preemptive background check for themselves. If not, you know quite well that any opponent will do it for you. Make sure your candidacy isn’t sabotaged by leaks to the press of easily explained problems from your past.

Anything you’ve ever purchased, any license you’ve had, previous employment, you’re address, neighbors and friends is all documented on a vast database and available to pretty much anyone who wants to know. All this information has even been used to develop technology that uses your past history to predict your future activity. All this is pretty scary stuff to the average person who is just minding their own business. Take the time to run your own background check so you have the power of your own information. A proactive approach can save you many headaches down the road.

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10 Things to Watch for on Your Driving Record

Posted on November 25, 2011 by admin

A drivers license is a treasure trove of valuable information, and the license represents a drivers record that can hold the keys that allow or bar many personal and business activities. People that you do business with or want to do business with may utilize information available on your driving record to assess your suitability for a job or contract. An un-addressed teen-age speeding ticket that you got four-states away can come back years later to haunt you in a very expensive fashion. Sometimes a driving record can contain incorrect or misleading information, but that is what any inquiring employer will find there. It would be prudent to check your own record occasionally to ensure that the record is correct. Here are a few items you may need to address or be aware of.

  1. Correct DOB – Make sure that the information that shows on your physical license is correct, including such things as date-of-birth, Social Security Number (many states have stopped showing the SSN) and license number.
  2. Tickets – Traffic tickets can wreak havoc on your driving record. If offenses aren’t dealt with, drivers can have their licenses suspended or revoked. Sometimes classes are offered where violators can attend and get some incidents removed from their record.
  3. Out-of-State Tickets – It can be easy to forget about a parking ticket if you got one thousands of miles from home. Unfortunately, almost every jurisdiction in the country is short on funds, and collecting on fines is one way to garner some of that revenue.
  4. Donor – If you are an organ donor, most states will put a red heart on the license to designate the status. There are some things you need to be aware of when you decide to become an organ donor, so check with your licensing agency regarding local policies.
  5. Deadlines – Don’t lose track of expiration dates, and keep tabs on any legal changes in DMV that might affect your license.
  6. Insurance – Drivers need to have insurance, and insurance companies need access to accurate driving records in order to determine coverage and rates.
  7. Identity Theft – There is a lot of information on a drivers license, and it is important for people to keep track of its whereabouts. Identity thieves don’t need any extra help to perpetrate their crimes.
  8. Brownie Points – Sometimes a good driving record can translate into lower insurance rates. If your insurance carrier rewards good drivers, make sure they are aware of your record.
  9. Endorsements – Make sure that any endorsements, such as commercial licenses, licenses to haul hazardous materials and the like do show up on the license, and at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
  10. Restrictions – If you have restrictions, such as needing prescription glasses to drive, or not being able to drive at night, these items should be noted on the license and on your driving record.

Your driving record is something that can stick to you like Gorilla glue. You have to take care that what becomes attached to you is what should be attached to you.

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10 Justifications for Your Nanny Having a Criminal Record

Posted on November 22, 2011 by admin

Hiring a nanny requires a lot of time, research and screening to arrive at the best candidate for the job. No secret there, of course, but what happens when you’ve found someone who’s a great fit for your family, is an otherwise ideal candidate, but who also has a less-than-perfect criminal record? Clearly, prudence and responsibility are top priorities here;  but no one is really perfect, right? So then just how much imperfection should the right candidate be allowed? Here are ten justifications for your nanny having a criminal record:

  1. The nature of the crime – A thorough criminal background investigation will provide a lot of information, including misdemeanors, court warrants and arrests. If there’s nothing there that would make a candidate unsafe to work as a nanny, then it may be disregarded.
  2. The date of the crime – If the infraction wasn’t particularly serious and occurred a long time ago, it may not necessarily have any bearing on the trustworthiness of the individual today.
  3. Her age at the time of the crime – With age comes maturity for most of us, even those who have made mistakes in the past. Again, this is about who the person is right now, the person sitting across from you. She may not bear any resemblance now to the youthful foolishness that led to that blemish on her record.
  4. The location of the crime – The applicant may have been living in another country when she was convicted, for an offense that isn’t regarded as a crime where she is seeking employment.
  5. The accuracy of the record – Criminal records, much like credit reports, can contain erroneous data, which often goes unverified. Unlike credit reports, however, that data stays there indefinitely, unless updated manually. It’s possible that a background check will bring back inaccurate results if the subject has not had it updated to reflect the correct information.
  6. The record isn’t exactly criminal – By this we mean that a criminal record is going to include non-criminal data as well, such as judgments and tax liens. These are penalties, but they aren’t crimes for which the person was convicted; so discretion is needed in interpreting what “having a record” really means.
  7. Sufficient References –  Any concerns stemming from the presence of a criminal record can be offset by testimonials as to the person’s character by credible and authoritative sources. These can include previous employers, law enforcement and judicial personnel, clergy members.
  8. Political Activism – If her criminal record is comprised of an arrest and conviction resulting from, say, peaceful protest, it more than likely isn’t going to impede your nanny’s ability to care for your children. Just so long as her involvement wasn’t militant by nature, that is to the point of violence being advocated, you should be OK.
  9. Rehabilitation – For crimes such as DUI’s or substance abuse: an applicant can demonstrate that they have been successfully rehabilitated for any addiction, along with pertinent references (doctors, case workers, etc.).
  10. Trial Employment – Pun only partly intended, there is always the alternative of hiring your nanny on a trial basis. If there is no other potentially disqualifying consideration, it may just be time to let her past remain in the past.
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10 Concerns About a Nanny Caught Drinking and Driving

Posted on November 10, 2011 by admin

Whether you’re in the hiring process and found an old DUI conviction on your favorite candidates record or weighing your options due to the recent arrest of your current nanny, here are some of the things that you should consider when faced with this dilemma.

  1. Youthful Mistake or Something More Serious – The background check is usually the final step in the hiring process, so finding a blemish on the record of a candidate that you love can be rattling. A nanny who’s forthcoming about a years-old conviction without any other signs of criminal behavior may still be a great fit for your family, so it might be prudent to give her the benefit of the doubt.
  2. Loss of Driver’s License – A DUI conviction almost always means at least the temporary suspension of the offender’s driver’s license. If you’re considering a second chance for a current nanny with a recent arrest, keep in mind that the repercussions from the loss of license alone may prevent her from fulfilling job responsibilities. Even if running errands or ferrying the children to and from activities isn’t part of her job description, a live-out nanny may have trouble finding reliable transportation while her license is suspended.
  3. May Indicate Poor Judgment – DUI laws across the United States are getting tougher all the time, making it easy for a small slip to cause a lifetime of difficulty. One factor to consider when making your decision is the severity of the situation; just barely over the limit can be an innocent mistake in calculation, while a high level of alcohol in the system is usually a sign of very poor judgment. This lack of judgment can spill over into other areas, leaving the decision making skills of your nanny in question.
  4. Possible Sign of Substance Abuse Problems – While certainly not always the case, a DUI arrest can be one of the signs of a possible substance abuse problem. It’s important to take all factors into account when evaluating the situation, but any other indications of addiction or abuse problems should be a cause for grave concern.
  5. Sentence Interfering With Work Responsibilities – Jail time isn’t always required for first offense DUI cases, but some drug and alcohol counseling or community service may be part of the sentencing. If so, the scheduling of these events may be in opposition to the schedule previously agreed upon.
  6. Car Insurance Rates – Most standard nanny agreements include the use of a family vehicle for work-related travel. If you’re considering a candidate with a previous conviction, adding her as an approved driver on your insurance policy may cause a hike in the rates. If your budget is going to be stretched to accommodate her wages, this increase in expenses may be a concern as well.
  7. Can Be Indicative of Larger Issues – An extra glass of wine with dinner on a night off can be chalked up to an honest mistake, but a episode of belligerent drunkenness that culminates with a night in jail might be an indication that your nanny is under too much stress and lacks the ability to cope with it in a safe and healthy manner.
  8. Increased Financial Burden – The fines and attorney fees for a DUI case can add up to thousands of dollars. A conviction may place your nanny in a tight financial spot, causing her to need a second job or other work to make ends meet. Again, the repercussions of her poor choice can be far reaching, affecting your schedule as well as her own.
  9. Damaged Trust – Understandably, your trust in a nanny who is convicted of a crime may be damaged, sometimes irreparably. Before making a decision, it’s important to be certain about your ability to move on from the situation. If you aren’t sure that you can, keeping her on the payroll (or hiring her in the first place) may be the cause of stress for both of you later.
  10. Setting a Poor Example – Children, especially those who aren’t yet in school, spend the bulk of their day with the nanny. If your nanny is arrested while she’s working for you and the  children are old enough to understand the situation, there should be some concern about the example that’s being set for them. If you choose to continue her employment, it may offer the opportunity to explain the importance of forgiveness and second chances. Still, it should be stressed to them that the choice to drink and drive was a terrible one, and that your nanny regrets it very much.

While firing (or passing on) a great nanny can be devastating, you may find that your concerns are simply too great. Remember that choosing the person who looks after your children is one of the most important choices you will ever make, and that it’s acceptable to err on the side of cautiousness.

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