How To Teach Your Minis House Chores and Enjoy It!

The word “chore” tends to have a negative connotation. I can think of a million other things that are more fun than washing the dishes, folding laundry, or cleaning out the fridge—but it has to get done.

Teaching the value of chores to your kids can be a positive experience. It will require lots of patience, encouragement, and open communication. Household chores are about giving your kids the opportunity to participate in something greater than themselves which will foster a sense of life purpose.

Having your children participate in chores also teaches them responsibilities, basic household skills, and the value of hard work that they will take with them into adulthood.

Start as early as possible

Children are capable of doing a lot more than we realise. We need to give them the opportunity to show us.

You can teach basic chores to your child as young as 2 years old. Have your toddler put away their toys, toss rubbish in the bin, and fetch their own diapers and wipes.

Have patience

Your child’s “assistance” might take twice as long to complete than you doing it yourself, but resist the urge to shoo your toddler away when they volunteer to help you with chores.

Accept your child’s enthusiasm. If they’re younger, their work probably won’t be the best or the most efficient way to complete the job, but at least they’re eager to help you!

Demonstrate gratitude

This ties into teaching your children gratitude which extends above good manners. It’s a matter of perspective. Demonstrating gratitude to your children for their thoughtfulness and efforts is the best way to instil gratitude into their daily lives.

Practising gratitude teaches that the toys, food, and comforts in the home don’t manifest out of thin air. Everything takes effort and work— when children realise that, they’re less likely to have that sense of spoiled entitlement and can begin to develop a healthy understanding of how interdependent we are.

Create a routine

If you want these lessons to stick with your kids, make a routine out of it. Take the nagging out of chores and make some chores a non-negotiable action.

For example: Get your children to automatically used to picking up after themselves once they’re done playing; have everyone in the family assemble to the dinner table and clear it away after meals, or emptying the trash bin if they’re the last to fill it up.

You can also schedule a family cooking night on Sundays where the kids help prepare the meal, teach your kids to maintain the garden, or take the dog on the evening walk together after homework.

Give more responsibility and autonomy

Chipping into household chores teaches your children how to work, be accountable, and earn a sense of pride for their efforts.

The more accustomed they’ve become to doing simple chores, the better they’ll be at learning new complex tasks. Like taking on extra jobs to earn spending money, teaching family budgeting, and cooking meals.

Avoid nagging

Practice makes better! Sometimes we can’t help but nag when frustration builds, but learning to use our words effectively will have a better effect on your children’s willingness to participate in chores.

Clearly communicate your expectations to your children ahead of time. You can also opt for one-word reminders instead of lengthy nags to prompt your kids to complete a task.

Set a good example

Motivation and emotion play a huge factor in getting your children to participate in chores. Children have a natural drive to be productive and are drawn to ask with clearly set goals.

If you show your children how to do your chores around the house in a timely manner without complaints, they are likely to model these behaviours after you. Let them know what tasks you’re working on and why it’s important to the family.

---

Having your children participate in chores also teaches them responsibilities, basic household skills, and the value of hard work that they will take with them into adulthood.

---

Conclusion

Manual tasks and learning to go hand in hand. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, equip your children with the skills they’ll need to function as an independent adult. These are skills that aren’t taught in school but are taught in the real world and in your home.

Download our Free Family Planner and place it on your fridge to help establish a family routine with chores. 

---

---

Recent Blog Posts:

Protect Yourself With Nanny Insurance: How to get covered and why it’s important

Child care regulations for nannies and babysitters are not always clear because every household situation is unique, and every family has different requirements to support their child’s routines.

No one likes to entertain thoughts of worst-case scenarios, let alone have them become a reality. In a split-second, lives can change, and when it does you want to have the piece of mind that you are protected from shelling out significant expenses. We’re here to point you in the direction of getting the right information regarding your nanny and employer insurance.

---

For Nannies

Should I take out nanny insurance coverage?

If you are a self-employed nanny with an ABN number, nanny insurance is a must but not a legal requirement. As a childcare professional, you understand that nannies wear many hats. Your job encompasses everything from chef, chauffeur, educator, cheerleader, confidant, and entertainer.

Even if you’re a natural Mary Poppins, the fact remains that accidents can occur even when you and the family are cautious of any potential danger. When the child is under your watch, as the paid childcare professional, you could be held responsible if something were to go awry. Insurance is key to protecting yourself and your livelihood should an accident occur.

What kind of insurance should I have as a nanny?

Public Liability Insurance

Public liability insurance typically covers your legal costs and expenses in the event you are found negligent for personal injury or property damage to another party. Most insurance plans offer millions of dollars in coverage for Public Insurance at an affordable premium.

For example:
Administering the wrong doses of medication that leads to injury
Damaging property while cleaning or starting a cooking fire

Personal Accident Insurance

This insurance is popular among those who work in accident-prone environments, but as a nanny running errands for the family, working the before school and after school drop-offs and pick-ups, and extracurricular activities, this coverage is something you should carefully consider.

---

Personal Injury Insurance gives you peace of mind should anything happen to you while at work. You and your family won't have to worry about the medical or living expenses in the event of an accident.

---

Where do I go to find a nanny insurance plan?

Our go-to nanny insurance provider is nannysure by finura. You can find their insurance coverages and their premium pricing guide for child care professionals here. Nannysure has packages that cover both Public and Personal insurance, and if you are a member of the Australian Nanny Association, you are eligible to receive up to 30% off the insurance plans.

---

For Families

If I hire a nanny do I need employer insurance?

If you employ a household worker, it is required by law that you take out a Household Workers’ Insurance Policy to protect against potential compensation costs in the scenario your employee is injured while working in your home. The employees include nannies, babysitters, cleaners, gardeners, tradespeople, and other in-home care providers.

Among many the things that should be fleshed out in the early stages of interviewing and negotiating the employer agreement, insurance should definitely be a top priority. When you decide on employing a nanny, you must meet the obligations of employment.

Read our guide to navigating nanny employment obligations here.

Household Workers Insurance policies are governed by the state. So to learn more about employing a household worker please visit these websites:

WorkSafe Queensland
WorkCover New South Wales

If you have any other questions or concerns about nanny insurance or employment insurance, please don’t hesitate to contact the team. We’re happy to answer or refer you to the right people.

---

---

Recent Blog Posts:

The Single Dad's Guide To Navigating the Challenges of Parenting

Written by: Daniel Sherwin

Parenting is one of the most amazing experiences in life, and yet it’s also incredibly challenging. As a single dad, those challenges are multiplied, but the rewards often are too. The trick is to find balance in everything from work to childcare and having a life of your own. That’s certainly easier said than done, but it is possible when you face these challenges head-on.

Challenge: Work/Life Balance

When you’re parenting solo, you may feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. You have to work and provide for your kids, be there when your kids need you, and then still find time for yourself. The key to making it all work is flexibility. With telecommuting easier than ever, more employers are offering options where you can work from home. If working from home isn’t an option, ask employers if they can be flexible with your hours so you can work around your children’s schedules.

Flexibility also means being willing to ask for and accept help. Team up with other parents, especially other single parents, to help each other out. Chances are they can use the help just as much as you can. Create a carpool for school/activity drop-offs and pick-ups or swap childcare on a regular basis so parents can have scheduled times for childcare, freeing up a little time for themselves. Leaning on help from others and connecting with other single parents is beneficial to your mental health by keeping you from feeling isolated.

 

Challenge: You’re Stretched Too Thin
 

Work/life balance is about more than just making sure you support your family. It’s about making sure your own needs are met, too. The way we eat, drink, love, and cope with stress, depression, and anxiety all play a big role in the state our mental health. Sometimes, it’s necessary to take a step back and ask yourself if you’re doing the right thing for you, and not the easiest thing.

It’s clear that many single dads struggle to prioritize self-care. A 2016 study found that single dads were twice as likely to report poor physical and mental health compared to dads with partners.Sometimes doing something simple and easy to care for yourself is all you need for a mental health boost.

Physical fitness is the ultimate in self-care because you’re taking care of your body, lowering stress, and boosting your mood all at the same time. To squeeze in some fitness, look for a gym that provides childcare or get active together with your kids. The Good Men Project recommends setting goals for yourself. Whether for fitness, simple daily self-care, or larger life goals, setting goals and working toward them keeps you focused on improving your own life.

 

Challenge: Do-It-All Parenting
 

In two-parent families, each person often takes on different roles in parenting responsibilities. As a single parent, you have to do it all, including being sensitive to kids’ emotional needs while still maintaining discipline. While this may not always be the case, many men are not raised to be nurturing caregivers, so you may not know how to handle this role.

One single dad at the National Fatherhood Initiative recommends letting go of your expectations for parenthood. If the sensitive side of parenthood doesn’t come naturally to you, accept that and be willing to learn from your children as much as they do from you. The thing to keep in mind is that as you learn to be nurturing, sensitive, and strong all in one, you are showing your daughters and sons that men can do all of these things.

Being a balanced role model for your kids is just one example of how being a single dad can actually make you a better parent. It still isn’t easy, but going through these highs and lows together will make your relationship with your kids stronger, too. Just remember to care for yourself because you can’t be the parent you need to be if you’re running on empty.

How mini Makes the Perfect Nanny Match

Finding the perfect nanny match begins with you. We encourage families to get tactical when it comes to hiring a nanny and we want to help you make an informed decision. After all, childcare solution is an important matter considering your future nanny will also be partially responsible for raising your children. Weigh your options carefully and make sure it’s a decision your family feels good about.

Every client-family has a different idea of their perfect nanny, and it’s our mission as a nanny agency to uncover both the family and nanny’s values to make that perfect match. You can rest-assured that every nanny we represent has gone through the mini Nanny Agency screening process. We curate your nanny candidate shortlist based on your values and mini's high standards. 

Mini Nanny Agencies Nanny Requirements:

1. Love for Children

We only entertain the candidates that share our love for children. These people are inherently kind, nurturing, and creative. mini Nanny Agency employs a psychometric test that determines how suitable candidates are to the nannying field. This gives us a better idea of who the candidate is beyond their resume. 
 

2. Responsible

It’s essential for all nannies to have the right skills to make good judgment calls and know how to communicate with their employers. This includes being reliable and taking ownership of their actions. It’s the understanding that nannying is not a glorified babysitter and it’s certainly not a ‘slacker’ job.
 

3. Experience

All of our nannies will come to your short list with First Aid and Blue Card certifications, as required by the state of Queensland. They will also have previous experience working with children although the extensiveness every candidate's experiences vary. 

Preparation from the Family:

Communication 

Every family will have a different version of their perfect nanny. Communication with both your nanny recruiter and your candidates is essential. Tell us everything we need to know about your household and expectations to provide us with insight into what you’re looking for in a nanny. Think about your family’s routines and where you can use an extra pair of helping hands when it comes to supporting your children. 

Values

Consider what your values are. This is mini’s starting point for matching the perfect nanny for our clients. Values are inherently learned in the household and are passed on from generation to generation. These values might look like a family’s structure, function, roles, beliefs, attitudes, and ideals. Values create the foundation of how you want to live your family life and can solidify the bond your family has. We believe the key to a successful match is finding a nanny who shares your values.

Age vs. Experience

Both younger and older nannies have their advantages and disadvantages. Younger nannies tend to be livelier and much more energetic which is great if you have active kids. Since younger nannies are looking to gain more experience, they also tend to be the most cost effective option. 
 
The downside to hiring a younger nanny is that they may lack the maturity and experience for dealing with discipline and difficult situations. The university students and traveler candidates might have taken on nannying as a way to make extra cash so their level of dedication and availability might be limiting for your requirements, so keep all of this mind. 
 
While older candidates might lack in energy and relatability to your kids, they make up for in experience, especially moms who have dealt with the same matters as yourself first hand and tend to be much more understanding and can offer a different kind of support to you as parents. 

Budget 

Your budget can oftentimes determine the candidates available to you. The more experienced nannies have made a career out of caring for children and come at a higher cost for their services. While we can guide you on how much you should compensate your nannies, it’s really a conversation to be had between you and your nanny. 
 
mini Guide: Nanny Employment Agreement

Trial Period

Once you think you’ve met the perfect nanny for your family, you’ll still need see how you work as a team. It may take 2 weeks to see if you’ve made the right decision with your nanny. Remember to be fair, and give them a chance. After all, it is a new job and new routine for the nanny, children, and you, as parents, to adjust to. Use your instincts to determine if you’ve hired someone whose values don’t quite line up with yours. We will always respect your decision. Our nanny recruitment services include a satisfaction period; we’re determined to get that perfect match. 

The information you need to tell your nanny recruiters:

• When and how many hours will you be requiring nanny services? 
• What area will you be required a nanny in and what are their expected duties? 
• Will the nanny need a driver’s license and their own vehicle? 
• How many children and what ages? 
• Do your children have special medical requirements, allergies, dietary restrictions that your nanny needs to know about? 
• Do you have household pets?
• What is a day in the life like with your family? 
• Do you require your nannies to have special skills or additional qualifications? Ie. Tutor, child care development courses, speak additional languages, etc.. 

What you need to inform your nanny:

• Be clear on your expectations and scope of work
• Does your child have any health issues, allergies, or dietary requirements? 
• Give your nanny a tour of your home and where they can find medicine, first-aid kit, and important contacts
•  Write down all the children’s habits from everything they like to eat, temperaments, and daily schedule

 Try to keep an open mind. Everyone has something unique to offer to the role. We are Brisbane’s favourite boutique nanny agency and finding the right solution to your childcare needs is our specialty. Your nanny is a decision we ultimately want to make sure you feel good about. To ensure the most streamlined process, try to keep these tips in mind when embarking on your nanny search. 
 

Recent Blog Posts:

Tag Cloud:

Tag Cloud Block

This is an example. Double-click here and select a page to create a cloud of its tags or categories. Learn more

• Art
• Cats
• Love
• Playlist
• Studio
• Yummy

mini Guide: Nanny Employment Agreement

We believe hiring a nanny should have a similar process, (if not more important) to hiring any other employee for your business. We recommend you take a professional approach for your nanny search.

Upon finding the perfect nanny for your family, as with any hiring situation, an employment agreement should be established. This is a formal letter that will be signed by both parties in agreement to the clear expectations for role from the employer and the employee.

Let us help you iron out the key points that should be included in an nanny employment agreement.

How much do we pay our nanny?

In Australia on average, nannies earn $25/ hour + superannuation. This rate, of course, can fluctuate depending on how much experience your nanny has, their qualifications, and how many children they will be caring for. The casual rate currently is set at $22.86/ hour and the permanent rate currently stands at
$18.29 /hour. Nannies are award free and don't incur any penalities, although they are covered by the  National Employment Standard.

One of the  benefits of hiring a nanny over a babysitter or daycare is that nannies make their schedules more available to your family and are more willing to accommodate for extra hours. Sometimes life can get extra busy for your family. If you require your nanny to work outside of the set schedule or longer hours, include an agreed upon overtime rate or appropriate renumeration.

Car allowance

Will your nanny need to pick your kids up from school? Or drive your kids to their extra-curricular activities? Consider how much petrol your nanny will be using for the role and how you will reimburse for fuel / kilometers. The current kilometer rate stands at 0.66 cents. If it makes it easier, will your nanny have access to a family car and will you need to get additional insurance?

Superannuation

Superannuation, if you pay an employee $450 or more (before tax) in a calendar month, you have to pay super - 9.5% on top of their wages. You pay super no matter whether the employee is full time, part time or casual. You have to pay super for some contractors, even if they quote an Australian business number (ABN).

Superannuation is calculated at 9.5% of your nanny’s gross wage and is to be paid out quarterly. 

Income Tax

As the employer, you are required to register for a Pay As You Go Withholding (PAYGW) with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Once registered with the ATO, you will be required to withhold the necessary tax from you Nanny’s wage and forward the withholding amounts to the ATO on a quarterly basis.

Applications for PAYGW.

Insurances

•Domestic Workers Compensation or household workers insurance, is essential if you employ someone in your home environment; it can be obtained at an estimated cost of $40 per year from most insurance companies and covers you in the unfortunate case of the employee injuring themselves whilst in your home. Contact WorkCover QLD.

•Public Liability Insurance cover accidents in your home. You should check your Homes and Contents insurance policy to ensure your Nanny is covered. Alternatively you may arrange public liability insurance with an insurer such as NannySure.

•Motor Vehicle Insurance if your Nanny is going to be using your car.

•Nanny Insurance all nannies should have their own public liability/insurance. Nannysure – is a company that we recommend.

Behavioural Expectations

The Early Childhood Code of Ethics is a set of statements about appropriate and expected behaviour of childcare professionals. Your nanny will be spending a lot of time with your children and the code of ethics reiterates that acting ethical involves thinking about everyday actions and decision making and responding with respect to all concerned.

Behavioural expectations can also include policies on social media and matters of family privacy.

Other points to be considered in an employment agreement:

•Days and hours worked (including start and finishing time)

•When and how your nanny will be paid

•Specific duties and any additional duties (will housekeeping be a part of the role?)

•Annual recreation leave, sick leave, special leave, pay on public holidays etc

•Conditions of salary review

•Conditions of termination

According to the Queensland Government, as the employer, it is your responsibility to ensure that your nanny has a valid Blue Card for childcare or you will need to support your nanny’s application for one.

The mini team handles the preliminary screening process that comes with running the advertisement campaign in search of your nanny. The screening includes reference checks and qualifications (Blue Card, CPR certifications, Driver’s license, police checks) before we introduce you to your short list of nanny candidates.

We are also available to help you along the employing direct process should you have any questions concerning your nanny and your role as an employer.

Let us know if you had any comments or concerns regarding creating an employment agreement, and we will be happy to help you out.