mini Guide: to Hiring a Nanny & 12 Questions You Need to Ask in an Interview

The team at mini Nanny Agency are the nanny recruitment experts. Our job is to take the legwork out of job postings, preliminary interviews, reference and certification checks to save our clients time and extra resources. We present our clients with a short list of only the ideal candidates to best match your family's nanny needs and values. 

We've put together some points to consider when hiring a nanny for your household as well as 12 key interview questions you might want to ask to get a better idea of how this nanny will fit into your family's routines.

The hours of work

When will your nanny be required to work? Do you need an extra set of hands to help the kids prepare for school in the morning? Do you need them for after-school pickups, entertainment, and dinner until you get home for the evening? Or will they be staying with your young bub for a full-time role? 

Bear in mind, the more hours you can provide a nanny, the easier it will be to find someone who can commit more of their time for your children. 

If you are looking to fill in a part-time position say, twice a week for three hours, your candidates might be looking for more options to fill in work hours or will most likely be a uni student. 

Nanny Duties

Clarify the nanny duties ahead of time so your nanny better understands the offered role and your expectations. What do you consider “light house cleaning” Does this mean general tidying after the children or full on cleaning? Nannies don’t generally like to be full house cleaners but are happy to clean up after the children. Please let the mini team know in advance what you're after so we can find you a nanny to suit your household needs. 

This includes any pet duties: feeding, walking the dogs, changing the turtle cages. Some nannies are happy to do all, just let us know in advance for a heads up for any pet allergies a candidate might have. 

Special requirements: 

Do your children have any special requirements? Would you prefer a nanny who has experience in similar situations or are you willing to educate your nanny about any additional care requirements for your children? 

Interviews

The mini team will set up your interviews to meet with your potential nannies to best convenience your schedule, and we will provide support throughout the process. After all, hiring a nanny is a very important decision for your family and should be treated with the utmost professionalism. 

In the childcare industry, behavioural type questions are a common interviewing style. Behavioural type questions ask your candidates about their past actions and behaviours in specific situations to give you an idea on how they will succeed in future roles.

Read our mini Guide here on behavioural interviewing for nannies. 

12 Questions You Need To Ask

When we send you your shortlist of nannies and prepare for the nanny-family interview, we will provide you the copies of their reference checks, as well as our honest first impressions of the candidates and their overall nanny story. Here are some question to get a better idea of your nanny and clarify some expectations on your first meet and greet. 

1. What are you looking for in an employer? /What are you expecting from me as your potential employer? 

2.Why do you enjoy nannying?

3. Can you recall a specific time you had trouble communicating with a child or parent and what did you do to overcome the situation?

4. Are you willing to travel with us for family vacations? 

5. Can you tell me about the most difficult child/ parent you've worked with and how you handled the situation?

6. Have you ever had to handle an emergency? How did you react?

7. Can you give me some examples of unexpected issues that have come up in your previous jobs and how you and your former employer worked around it?

8. Are you willing to do overnight stays with the children? 

9. What additional responsibilities are you willing to take on as a nanny? (Family PA, house cleaning, tutoring, pet care etc...)

10. What is your child caring and discipline philosophy? 

11. What is your outlook on nutrition for children?

12. Are you willing to sign a confidentiality clause? 

Once you've found your perfect nanny, we will guide you through setting up an employment contract. Here's a quick read on our blog on Nanny-Employer agreements to give you an idea of what is expected from you as a nanny employer from how to pay your nanny, superannuation, insurances,  social media policies, and more.

We're offering peace of mind throughout the hiring process at mini Nanny Agency. So please let us know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns throughout any stage of the employment process. We're happy to help. 

mini Guide: How To Nail A Nanny Interview

Congratulations! Your crisp resume with stellar experience, impeccably written cover letter, and admirable references have gotten you to the interview stage of the hiring process. 

We don’t need to tell you that first impressions are everything when it comes to the job hunt. As a nanny, it’s even more important to present your very best as nannies care for the most important people in the parents’ lives in the intimacy of the family’s own home. Parents aren’t just going to let anyone into their private life, so coming across nurturing, trustworthy, and dependable is essential to nailing your nanny interview. 

Behavioural type questions are the most common interviewing style in the childcare industry. Behavioural interviewing is based on the philosophy that your past actions and behaviours will be a good indicator of your future actions. Therefore, how you handled certain circumstances in your previous roles will be used as an indicator of how you might perform in your new job. 

What are behavioural type questions? 

 Behavioural questions differ from standard interview questions as they focus more on emotional intelligence and social management from specific past experiences. For the interviewer, it will reveal whether you have the appropriate skills to fulfil the role successfully. 

How to answer behavioural type questions:

The best method to answering behavioural type questions is with the STAR method.

Situation: The interviewer wants you to present a recent challenge. 

Task: What did you have to achieve in this situation. 

Action: How did you behave in that difficult situation. The interviewer will be looking for information on what you did, why you did it, and what the alternatives were for your actions. 

Results: What were the outcomes of your actions? What did you achieve through your actions and did you meet your objectives? What did you learn from this experience and have you used this learning since? Are these results going to help with your role with the family as a nanny?

Pre-Interview Exercise using STAR method: 

Write down between 5- 10 examples of your education, professional experience, community work, volunteering, etc. where you added value to the team in a positive way. 

Now using the STAR format write out the Situation, Task, Action, and Result

Here’s a list of some behavioural style questions that you might want to read over and think about ways you can answer them:

•What have you done in the past to prevent a situation from becoming too stressful for you to handle?

• Describe a situation that required you to do a number of tasks at the same time. How did you prioritise? 

•Tell me about a situation in which you have had to adjust to changes over which you had no control. How did you handle it?

•What obstacles or difficulties have you ever faced in communicating your ideas or concerns to parents/children?

•When was the last time you thought “outside the box” and how did you do it? Why?

•Give me an example of a time when you had to be quick in coming to a decision. What made it difficult for you?

•What, in your opinion, are the key ingredients in maintaining a work-personal life balance?

It’s important that you’re prepared to answer these types of questions with concrete answers and confidence. Your interviewer will be looking to see that you are quick with an intelligent answer and are capable of coming up with a relevant solution to their problems. 

Body language

Body language is a form of nonverbal communication that oftentimes tell your interviewer more than your words can communicate. Your energy comes off from how you carry yourself, so make sure your energy exudes radiance, positivity, and confidence. 

There are subtleties you can practice that are known to psychologically help you genuinely bring out that beautiful positive energy from your body language. 

Posture: 

If you're sitting like this, you're doing it wrong!

Keep your core contained and engaged, your ribcage turned inward, and your shoulders rolled back gently. Carrying your body with good posture in an interview lets your interviewer know that you are interested, alert, put-together, and confident. 

Here’s a Huffington Post article on posture tips and tricks to work great posture into your everyday life. 

Eye Contact: 

Eyes can convey so much expression.

There are moments your close friends and loved ones can tell what’s on your mind by just a look. Locking eyes is a genuine form of communication as our eyes have so much to say. Eye contact with your interviewer demonstrates you are engaged with what they have to communicate. 

Mirroring: 

Mirroring is a non-verbal form of flatter.

The key here is in the subtleties-- you don’t want to come off looking crazy. Mirroring is a nonverbal form of flattery. It communicates that you and the interviewer are on the same page. It can make first impressions more comfortable for both of you. Mirroring posture, seating position, and facial expressions, and tone of voice are subtle forms of practice. 

Body Spacing: 

Don't be afraid to own up to some space. It will make you look more inviting and self-assured 

As a general context, this has a lot to do with how much space your body is physically occupying. Taking up as much space as possible with arms wide and relaxed on a backrest of a sofa, legs stretched out and sprawling is an obnoxious way of carrying yourself as it portrays arrogance and laziness. 

Taking as little space as possible: bad posture and crossed arms and legs will give off the impression that you are nervous, defensive, or have something to hide.

Try to be more conscious of how much space your body takes in your next social interactions and take note of others. 

Follow up quickly

Keep it professional. These families are busy. Which is the reason they are looking to hire a nanny in the first place. Send them a handwritten thank you or at the very least, an e-mail expressing appreciation for their time to meet with you and send it promptly after the meeting. 

Good luck on your interviews, nannies! Let us know if you have any nanny interview questions or tips that we can share in the nanny community. 

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.

Tips to Get Your Family Back into Routines

By: Katrina Lubiano

Summer holidays are coming to an end and kids are back in school. Here's some advice to help families get back on track.

Getting back into a routine from the holidays isn’t always the easiest, especially when you’re trying to get kids into their back-to-school mode as well w. Here are some helpful tips from the web for helping kids, parents, and nannies into early morning, hustle and grind routines-- hopefully without driving the household crazy.

Getting Up Early

Properly winding down is a key start to an early morning. This will help you and your kids destress from the day with some quiet time. Consistency is important in any routine. Getting your body ready for rest at least 30 minutes before bed will help you feel energised the next morning.

• Drink water before bedtime to stay hydrated for the night,  but make sure the kids use the toilet before bed.

• Create spaces with purpose. Keep your bedroom clear of work related things. This will help you get in the mental head space needed for a good night’s rest.

Inspire your kids to fall in love with reading

• Read a book in bed to your kids. This is great quality time and a sweet way to get some quality time in.

• When you’re ready to wind down from your kids, read a book that inspires you to be your best.

• Take a bath. It’s an overlooked, but really beneficial way to destress. Use epsom salts for sore muscles, or add lavender, german camomile, rose, or jasmine essential oils to the water for some aromatherapy.

Take in that sunshine to get you feeling more alert for the day! 

• Get sun as soon as possible. Let natural sunlight be apart of your morning routine. Open the curtains/blinds or better yet, eat your breakfast outside. Sunlight shuts of your melatonin production, making you more alert and primes your body to produce it again later that night.

Create Better Health Habits

We don’t need to tell you the extensive benefits of exercise and nutrition. Make it a family goal to create healthier habits than the year before, and make the goals fun and attainable.

Get kids involved in creating healthier health habits! 

• Ease into it. There’s no need to jump straight into fad diets, or begin an intense fitness regimen from the get go. Keep track of your family water intake, opt for fresh Queensland mangoes or in-season lychee after dinner instead of a processed sugary dessert.

Or a plate of colourful berries for dessert-- Nature's candy. 

• Don’t eat before bedtime. Eating before bedtime causes blood sugar spikes. This can keep you away because your body is focusing on digestion which makes it harder for you to enter deep sleep.

• Begin your morning with exercise. At home yoga, or a jog will help you feel energised and confident to take on the day.

Kids can practice yoga and meditation too! 

• Take the dog out for a walk as a family. A walk after a meal will aid in circulation, thus helping with blood sugar spikes in digestion and is a great way to begin winding down for the day.

Visual Planners

Writing down to-do and goals for the week is beneficial for keeping the family on track and is an excellent motivator to cross tasks off the list. Display the family planner in the kitchen. This will help the household prepare for upcoming events, appointments, and tasks that need attending to.

• Daily chores. Everyone in the household should pitch in on chores. Creating a visual chore board for kids will give them a sense of responsibility and pride in a well run household.

• Communication. Open and clear communication will help everyone achieve their goals getting back into a good routine. This way, everyone will know where everyone is supposed to be and when. This will save time and reduce stressful situations for those busy weeks.

• Download our free printable meal planners, and nanny-parent communication logs here to help your family stay on top of your routines.

Have a Nanny Help You Prepare for the Holiday

By: Katrina Lubiano

It’s that time of year again, the days are longer, the sun is even hotter and the children rejoice as it’s finally the last stretch of this school year, and Christmas is only around the corner. The kids may be done with school work for the year, but for many households, the holidays might be the busiest season. Don’t fret, mini Majer is here to help you find solutions to your family's schedule.

We can help you arrange childcare within only 48 hours so you can go to your company’s Christmas party. Or let us match your family with a nanny to help you get ready to entertain for the holidays.

Get your home into the Christmas spirit!

If you love to entertain during the holidays, here are some crafts to deck your halls get your kids engaged and into the festive spirit.

• Try these modern wreaths from Honestly WTF with your children. The best part about this project is that they are intended to be simple, yet this is what gives the wreaths their elegant, natural feel. Most of these examples simply involve collecting flowers, and foliage from your local florist or check out the selection at your local Cafe 63.

  • Just remember to keep it simple and have fun! These decorations look good in nearly any combination.

up-cycle your wine bottles for the holidays instead of buying decorations this season

• Get your recyclables out and create one of these 12 Amazing Wine Bottle Christmas Crafts. This is a good way to put those empty wine bottle to use.

• Who doesn't love a good mason jar project? These 12 DIY Christmas Mason Jar Lighting Craft Ideas are stunning. If you can't find pinecones don't worry! You can always buy them from a craft shop like this, or substitute the contents with orange peels, cinnamon sticks and cloves. The jars are both fun and easy for children and not to mention adds a beautiful, Christmas scent to your home or office, and even makes a great gift. 

Love this shade of Green! 

• We love these cute Christmas kisses as a fun way to keep your kids occupied and add some Christmas flavor to your home, but we wouldn't be surprised if those kisses disappear from the decor over the next few days!

etting your home ready for entertaining this holiday season shouldn't be stressful. Try keeping your kids entertained and excited during the holidays with these simple yet beautiful craft ideas.

Be sure to tag @mininannyagency on Instagram so we can see your beautiful creations! 

December not only means getting your home ready and into the Christmas spirit, it also means planning for all of those Christmas events and parties too! Don’t get caught without a nanny when you need to go to a corporate party, or attend a dinner with your friends and colleagues. Plan ahead this holiday season and keep mini Nanny Agency in mind when you need a nanny.

mini Nanny Agency is offering discount codes to subscribers for the whole month of December. Don’t wait until last minute before planing your Christmas get-togethers and company Christmas parties. Finding a nanny is easy with mini Nanny Agency Sign up with your email below!

Mini Goes to The Australian Nanny Association Convention

By: Michelle Moloney & Katrina Lubiano

The Australian Nanny Association (ANA) is a nonprofit professional association and the national peak body representing the Australian nanny community. The ANA has created an amazing support network for the nanny community and provides peace of mind for families, nannies, and nanny agencies in creating professional standards in the field of childcare.

The team at mini were very fortunate to have been invited by the ANA to attend their sold-out networking event, Growing Together down at the Gold Coast. What an exciting and busy day it was networking with other professionals in the field of childcare! Growing Together showcased the important elements in the nanny industry; namely, how isolated the industry is, yet such a rewarding industry to be a part of! The event came to life on the beautiful Gold Coast with the most inspiring guest speakers, innovative workshops, and some singing and dancing.

Needless to say, we had an overall ball at this event! Growing Together made us feel like we walked away with invaluable knowledge about the nanny sector and well informed about new regulated laws coming into effect in Australia. Thank goodness we have Ann Marie, the President of the ANA, for supporting what we do and for bringing the most engaged community of nannies together to support each other.

💕💥Agency owner gal pals! @thenannycollective #ANAConv16 #thenannycollective #minimajer #girlboss #sydney #brisbane

A photo posted by mini Majer (@minimajer) on Nov 4, 2016 at 3:52pm PDT

Michelle, our Director of mini had the privilege to have met the lovely, and gorgeous Daria, from The Nanny Collective-- talk about girl boss! Daria exudes authenticity and motivation. The Nanny Collective is a boutique referral nanny agency based out of Sydney, and we can’t speak highly enough of their team and how they conduct business. 

The future is only bright and exciting for our nannies and the girls at mini Nanny Agency. Take it from us and our personal experiences, the ANA committee are extremely supportive and are an encyclopedia of nanny industry knowledge, tips, and advice.

What Can a Nanny Do For Your Family?

By: Michelle Moloney & Katrina Lubiano

Choosing the right child care for your child is an important decision. For most families, becoming a stay-at-home parent is not an option. If you're living in a city, finding a day care center that is not over crowded can be a challenge, and of course, we all want what is best for our children. Nannies give your child that one-on-one attention and support in the comfort of your own home. The convenience of having child-care provided for your family at your home solves the pick-up and drop-off situation, especially if you live in the city and have to deal with rush-hour traffic. 

Less Germ Exposure

Your child won't be exposed to as many germs at home compared to a day care center. This means significantly less sick days for everyone, allowing you to focus more on your day job and quality time with your children. Some children find it difficult to settle into unfamiliar environments. Hiring a Nanny to care for your children in your home will ensure your child is settled in their familiar and safe environment and stay on track with a regular home routine.

More Help Around The House

Nannies also go the extra mile in helping out around the house with light household duties- now, isn't that a bonus!? It will be such a great feeling to know that your home will be tidy, and your children will be well taken care of when you come home from a long day of hard work.

Create A Sense Of Harmony In The Household

It's a nanny's duties to support your family. This means ensuring the minute you get home, everyone is feeling settled with the sense of peace and harmony. Let's face it, who wouldn't want that every day? Arriving home never sounded so exciting! Nannies not only love, but enjoy making families feel at ease the moment they step into their household.

A photo posted by mini majer (@minimajer) on Sep 3, 2016 at 2:25pm PDT

Extracurricular Activity Support

Most nannies will have access to their own vehicle and are available for work purposes. This may include picking up the kids to and from school, or their extracurricular activities. However, it is usual for the family to provide a suitable car seat and may prefer the nanny to use the family car. This is something that can be discussed at interview. It's also advisable to discuss a petrol allowance – some nannies will want to be reimbursed but not all!

More Flexibility

The beauty of hiring a nanny is that they offer the flexibility when required because they understand that work can be busy and that sometimes, you need to put in those extra hours at work to meet that deadline. When you feel like there aren't enough hours in the day, your nanny will be there to lend a helping hand with as much notice as possible!

The most important benefit of hiring a nanny for your child is the fun! 

That’s a given! Nannies love to have fun with children and ensure they are provided with access to their activities of interests, going to the library, parks and museums. Hiring a Nanny allows your children to be outdoors more often, rather than kept indoors and who wouldn’t want that? We all would love to play more outdoors. Not only is it a great way to learn about nature but it's FUN!!

So, how long does it take to find a Nanny?

Finding the right nanny for your family can be a challenge, however, working with an agency can eliminate the stress and hassle that goes along with interviewing, background checking, and creating ads online. 

Mini Nanny Agency is a reputable brand and has an excellent pool of network channels to source nannies quickly. We understand that each family situation is different, and it's all about timing. At Mini, we're all about efficiency, responsiveness, and personalization! We recommend you call Mini Nanny Agency with your vacancy as soon as you can to allow us plenty of time to interview.

What is the cost of hiring a nanny?

Care for Kids recommends, "When comparing costs it is also important to think about peripheral expenses such as the price of traveling to and from the child care service in terms of petrol, public transport, and/or convenience. These factors can have a considerable effect on the total price you end up paying for your child care." Care for Kids also created a chart on their site depicting the average costs of different types of childcare in Australia. 

We can give you guidance on pricing, but we generally recommend somewhere between $24-28 per hour depending on the nanny's level of experience and the number of children being cared for. This is something you discuss with the nanny directly as to hourly rate, superannuation, method of payment etc. mini Nanny Agency can provide you with extra informational support along the way. 

If you have any other questions about the hiring process of our nannies and the services we provide, please don't hesitate to give us a call or an e-mail!

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The Importance of a Balanced Diet for Your Children

By: Katrina Lubiano

The human brain undergoes significant growth and development up until 21 years of age. In the early years of development, it is crucial to ensure that your child is taking in enough vitamins, minerals, and protein in their diet. Good nutrition is essential in helping our bodies perform optimally. Establishing healthy habits at a young age, and incorporating a wide variety of different foods in your child's diet will help make a happier and healthier child. 

Getting in all of the essential nutrients your child needs is easier said than done, especially if your family is prone to a busy lifestyle. Planning your meals ahead of time, and ensuring parents, nannies, and children are on the same page, will simplify your lives.

Meal prepping snacks and meals will save you time in the week, and you'll be less likely to opt for fast-food meals. Subscribe to mini blog to receive our fortnightly newsletter, and we’ll send you our printable pdf Weekly Family Meal Planner. 

Growing Children Need Protein

Proteins are amino acid chains, the building blocks of life. The human body is basically a chain reaction of amino acids. Not having enough protein in a child's diet can affect growth and development. Great protein sources includes:

• Meat products
• Egg
• Dairy
• Legumes like peanuts and soy
• Algae
• Avocado

Vitamin C Supports Immune Function

Vitamin C supports the immune system and is needed to form collagen. Collagen is a protein that is used to hold your cells together, making it essential for the development of your child’s strong and healthy bones, cartilage, and blood vessels. Vitamin C also aids in iron absorption in the gut. It’s common knowledge that citrus fruits are excellent sources of vitamin C. Non citrus sources of vitamin C includes:

• Strawberries
• Papaya
• Bell peppers
• Broccoli
• Brussel sprouts

Keeping easily accessible fruit around the house for after-school snacks may help your child reach for these healthier options when a sugar craving strikes. Mandarin oranges are easy to pack into backpacks and lunch boxes making them an ideal, kid-friendly, vitamin C snack. 

The B Vitamins Drive Growth In Children

There are 13 B vitamins needed in your body. B vitamins help the body convert the food we eat into energy. This is essential for a child’s active lifestyle. Vitamin B12 and B6 are well known to aid in healthy brain development. 

Vitamin B deficiencies are common, yet not easily diagnosed. It can affect a variety of organ systems and produce a range of symptoms including forgetfulness, moodiness, nausea, vomiting, and skin irritation.

Dr. Schwontkowski from The Recommended Daily says, “most nutritionists could tell you that the mass of worldwide studies that looks at children’s nutritional status often find some type of nutrient deficiency; B vitamin deficiencies are usually at the top of the list.” 

B vitamins are crucial for the development of mental health and help regulates mental functions. B vitamins occur naturally in animal products such as:

•  Fish
• Poultry
• Beef
• Eggs
• Dairy
• Algae

If your child is on a vegetarian diet, you can find vitamin B from these sources: fortified vitamin B cereals, nutritional yeast, whole grains, almonds, spirulina, and avocados. 

Multivitamins Are A Great Option For The MIcronutrients

One Green Planet is a great online resource to help you find what foods contain high amounts of specific B vitamins. A good multivitamin will help supplement your child’s diet. This is especially helpful if your child is a picky eater. Kid’s multivitamins even come in gummy form, which can make practicing a healthier lifestyle fun for your children. Healthy does not always need to "taste healthy”. 

Zinc Build Blood

Zinc is an essential co-factor in a lot of your body’s enzymatic processes, some of the most notable, being the immune system and blood-cell production. Pumpkin and flax seeds are great sources of zinc. For meat sources, beef and shrimp are excellent. 

You can sprinkle seeds into cereal, oatmeal, salads, baked goods and even smoothies for added zinc to your child's diet.

It’s important to maintain healthy gut flora with probiotic sources such as fermented foods like: 

• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Fermented applesauce
• Natto (fermented soy beans)

Homemade Mommy has a great article on kid-friendly probiotic rich foods. While probiotic supplements seem like an easy fix, the truth is that most of the supplements available on the shelf are simply not as effectiveand can be quite expensive. 

Making frozen yogurt with your kids is an easy activity and makes a delicious dessert! For a great summer treat, you can mix in their favourite fruits and maybe sprinkle in some chia seeds.

A photo posted by mini majer (@minimajer) on Jun 28, 2016 at 2:52pm PDT

You can modify this recipe by dipping your bananas in yogurt, and freezing them. 

Expose your Children To A Wide Range Of Foods

Exposing your children to a range of different foods as young as possible might prevent your child from becoming a picky eater. Think about it like this, Australians grow up on Vegemite. It’s a pretty strange-tasting spread if you're not used to it. Vegemite has a salty, yeasty taste, with a slightly off-putting colour. If you haven’t grown up on the stuff, your first experience of it might not be so pleasant. This same concept of training your palette at a young age applies when introducing children to healthier food options. 

Make Your Own Babyfood!

Instead of purchasing pre-packaged, jarred baby food off the shelf, (who knows how long they’ve been on the shelf for) mash up the food you regularly incorporate into your healthy diet like eggs, avocados or fruit. You can mash it up yourself with a fork, or use a food processor. Not only are you more aware of what is in the food that your kid is eating, you are teaching them love healthy food! 

Be Patient With Your Children

When it comes to introducing new foods to your kids, be patient. Children are usually apprehensive when it comes to new smells, sights, textures on their plates. They might not like it the first time, but if you reintroduce foods to them and let them try it again, and again, in different forms, it encourages a more adventurous palette. It’s also a good idea to serve new foods with their favourite meals and start small. They might be more prone to giving the new food a try if you make it a positive experience.

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How to Introduce Your Pets to Your Baby

By: Katrina Lubiano

I think most pet owners (myself included) consider their cats and dogs their fur-babies. You fall into this category if your pets are spoiled with attention and can often be seen spammed throughout your social media feed (of which I am also guilty). Increasing your family size with two little feet will undoubtedly be a stressful transition. Making sure your pet is ready for the baby will help with this transition go much smoother.

For happier pets and less stressed out parents, it’s best to begin integrating new routines and training for your pet gradually and as early as possible.

It's going to be challenging for your pets to understand that they'll no longer be the centre of your world. To avoid jealous pets, you can begin making changes around the household during pregnancy. Early preparation will help reduce the anxiety animals can experience when drastic changes happen. Consider how your routine will change when the baby arrives and moderately begin to alter your pet's routine.

1. Setup Your babies Digs As Soon As Possible

Baby gear will introduce new sights and smells to your pet; set up the baby’s digs as soon as possible so your family can adapt to the new space.  Remember, dogs and cats are much more sensitive to scents and the energy surrounding them-- keep it a positive one! When you have fashioned the baby's new space, you can begin to establish boundaries by keeping the baby's belongings and room off-limits.

2. Ensure Your Pets Understand basic Obedience

Teaching your pet some basic obedience skills seems like the obvious, but it’s crucial to ensure your pet has the control and behavioural skills to be around the baby. Being confident that your pet will not bring any harm to your baby, will reduce your anxiety for when your baby comes home. Your pet needs to know that it is not okay for them to jump into the crib, or chew on the baby’s new things.  

3. Consider Crate Training your Dog

The ASPCA suggests that you crate train your dog: “If you crate train your dog, you’ll know that she’s safe when you can’t supervise her, and she’ll have a cozy place of her own to relax when things get hectic.” Command your dog with the word “crate” or “bed” (hand signals may be helpful) and show your dog to their crate. Once in the crate, reward your dog with a treat and praise them. When beginning the training, leave your dog in the crate for 10-15 minutes, and as training progress, and they begin to feel comfortable with their space, you can leave them alone for longer periods.

3. Prep Your Pet For Your Babies Touch

It’s also recommended that you prepare your pet for the baby’s touch and movements. When your child is old enough, teach them to handle the household pet gently. In the meantime, you can help your furry friend anticipate the clumsy touch of a young child by introducing your pet to these sensations yourself. Infants will pinch, poke, pull, and push your furry friend-- it’s an inevitability. Teaching your pet to tolerate these new sensations with a reward, will help your pet tolerate it when your pet and infant begin to play together.

You can also invite your friends’ infants over to introduce your pets to children. It also would be great if your little helpers are experienced around animals, so they’ll know how to be gentle. It's all about imprinting the positive experiences for your pet, and rewarding good behaviour and immediately rooting out the bad.

4. Tire-Out Your pup Before The First Encounter

Upon the first encounter between dog and baby, if possible, ask a friend or family member to take your dog out for a long walk to exercise off some energy and have the baby in the house for when your dog returns home. Animals are very perceptive to the emotions and energy of their owners so be mindful of your body language and feelings. If you’re jumpy around your dog in anticipation of your dog harming your baby, your dog may feel your anxiety. The ASPCA suggests, “[You] choose a quiet room, and sit down with the baby in your arms. Have a helper leash your dog and bring her into the room. Again, avoid any nervous or agitated behaviour. Talk to your dog in a calm, happy voice as you invite her to approach. Convince her that meeting and interacting with her new friend is fun, not stressful.”

5. "Claim Your Babies Scent"

Caesar Milan encourages parents to “claim” their baby's scent. The practice maintains your alpha status to the dog and establishes boundaries. Milan recommends you do this before you introduce your baby to meet your pet. The idea is that you are giving your dog permission to sniff an item with the baby’s scent to demonstrate that its importance to you: “this [scent] belongs to me, you will need to follow my rules when around it." This helps start the process of creating respect for the baby.”

6. Give Your Pets Enough Attention

The new baby will take up a lot of your attention, but try your best to not cut out on the quality time with your fur babies. You may be tempted to catch up on the cuddles with your pets while your baby is asleep or away, but try to avoid exclusively giving your pet attention during these times. Your pets may begin to recognize the pattern of their cuddle sessions with you and that of the baby’s presence and develop jealousy. Give your pet a lot of attention while the baby is around by talking to your pet or tossing them a toy. You can keep rewarding your pet’s good behaviour as well as positively affecting your pet’s experience with the baby. Interacting with your pet around the baby will help teach your pet to love the new baby.

7. Don't Leave Them Alone

I think this next piece of advice is common sense, but please don't leave your babies alone with your pet! Life will no doubt, be chaotic upon the arrival of your baby, but remember to give to give your fur-babies some love too!

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