IN THIS ISSUE:
Message from Kathy | Announcements | Calendar
Ask the Expert | Tax Tips from Breedlove & Associates | MBF in the News
MBF Superstars | Craft Activity | Job Openings at MBF |
Serving the Community
Welcome to our winter newsletter!
We're getting into the thick of the holiday season and it appears, as usual, that the real craziness is set to begin. It's never supposed to be this way. You vow at the beginning of each new year that you're going to do things differently-you'll finish your Christmas shopping by June, have holiday cards stamped and sealed in their envelopes by August, make this year's Thanksgiving dinner a 30-minute meal. You may have done everything right coming into the season. So why are you still feeling its stress?
 I know first hand that no matter how proactive one tries to be about the holidays, it's very hard to make sure everything is taken care of in advance. Still, our client employers expect us to be as proactive as possible, especially when they find themselves dealing with all of the season's demands. What to do, then? Well, it helps to make a task list of all the things that need to be done for the holidays (or any time of year, really) and to plan for them well in advance. Making timelines and keeping a close eye on holiday calenders can also help take some of the stress off our client employers by ensuring that we know exactly what to do to support them through this all-too-stressful time of the year.
No matter the pressures you feel in your home or the home of your employers, though, we are here to offer you support and helpful suggestions during the holiday season. In addition, be sure to join us as we celebrate the season on December 6 at our annual holiday party!
And, as always, never hesitate to let us know how we can support you.
Happy Holidays!
Kathy Dupuy, Owner and Founder
Nanny Agencies Add an Extra Level of Safety for Nannies
When a Minnesota woman’s recent death was linked to an online nanny job posting, we received a number of calls from nannies that appreciated the extra level  of screening that our agency provides. We collect a great deal of information from each family, including their address, contact information, and a valid credit card. We also are fully aware of when our nannies are interviewing with the families and we follow up after each interview. We recommend that nannies seeking employment use Mom's Best Friend not only because we have the best families and the most quality jobs, but because we provide an extra level of security. A full statement on this subject, and the recently publicized Craigslist nanny situation, is available from the Alliance of Premier Nanny Agencies, of which Mom's Best Friend is a member.
Buddy Bonus
All of you are by far our best referral sources for the highest quality nannies! From now until the end of 2007,
when you get a friend to register with Mom's Best Friend, both of you will receive a bonus! Please let us know when you refer someone so that we can be sure to compensate you both. Nanny Recognition Lunch
We held our first Nanny Recognition Week Celebration in Houston on October 17th  at Lupe Tortilla. Unfortunately, there was a bit of a miscommunication on the time of the event, so many of the attendees that signed up were not in attendance. For the intimate group that made it, we had a great time getting to put faces with names and getting to know you all! Thank you for all that you do!
November 21-23: Most schools are off for Thanksgiving Holiday, so you may have extra siblings in your care December 21-January 4: School holidays -- plan some fun activities! December 31: New Year's Eve -- let us know if you're available for sitting jobs
Q: This is the first holiday season I will be working with my family. What can I do to make the season go smoothly? A: This time of year is always a busy time for families and nannies alike. A great way to keep from becoming overwhelmed is to have a good line of communication with your employers. Now is the time to talk about expectations for the next couple of months! If you plan on traveling for the holidays and using your well earned vacation days, make sure your employer knows this and has the dates that you will be gone written down somewhere. Also, be sure to mention to your employers that they can call Mom's Best Friend's temporary sitter service to line up a sitter to cover for you while you are gone. Schools aren’t open throughout the holidays so you might have children to watch that are normally in school. Talk to your employer about how best to work the older kids into the/her schedule. Don’t let the thought of more children scare you. This is a  good time to reconnect with older kids who have been busy with school most of the fall, and having an extra set of hands around can come in handy when you’re trying to keep toddlers away from seasonal things like Christmas ornaments! Most nannies I know have more work available to them this time of year than they actually have time for. Be sure to remind your clients to book babysitting early! Having babysitting dates set early for things like Office holiday parties or the Nutcracker will ensure that your employers won’t be left without a sitter because you are booked somewhere else. Finally, flexibility is the most important thing that will help you get through the holidays in one piece. Families have a lot going on the next couple of months and sometimes things don’t go as planned. It always seems like this time of year traffic is worst, there are more errands to be run, something is always forgotten or needing to be taken down from storage, and of course, children are a little wilder. This is a great time to show your boss what a wonderful asset you are to the family by helping out where needed even if the task is not part of your usual duties and being patient with everyone. Your family will appreciate you and surely be thankful for all you do. Thanks and Happy Holidays!
Cecelia Zapalac, Nanny Professional Development Instructor
 Q: I’m a caregiver for several different families on a part-time basis. Do I need to provide the families or the agency with my social security number? A: As an employee of the families you work for, you are required by law to provide each family with a social security number. You can either provide it to the families directly or provide it to MBF and let them disseminate it to the appropriate families upon their request. Here's how it works.
How To Hire A Babysitter
Metroplex Baby, November 6, 2007 Press Release: Mom's Best Friend Adopts BabbleSoft Software
October 15, 2007
Houston Supernanny Winner: Stacey Green
Congratulations to Stacey Green for being voted our 2007 Houston Supernanny. Stacey has years of nanny experience, and she cares for the children she watches as if they were her own.  She is loving, understanding and caring. Her current family raves, "Not only does she truly care about our daughter, she goes above and beyond daily! She is attentive, caring, nice and professional. She has brought a gread deal of joy to our lives and we are very thankful to have her." One of her past employer families agreed, "Stacey truly has a gift when it comes to children. My husband and I have had Stacey in our family for 12 years and I am amazed at how much our family has grown since she has been with us. Stacey is energetic, intelligent, caring, determined, dependable, and persistent."
Thankful Wreath of Leaves (from enchantedlearning.com)
Materials:
 - A plain white paper plate
- Construction paper (orange, red, yellow, brown, and other earth tones)
- Crayons or markers
- Scissors
- Glue or a glue stick
Instructions: - Cut a half circle out of the center of a plain paper plate. This will hold the leaves.
- Cut out a lot of leaves from construction paper. Draw the leaf veins if you wish.
- Glue the leaves all around the rim of the paper plate.
- In the lower center of the wreath, write, "I am thankful for," and then let the child write or draw what they are thankful for.
- Put the child's name on the wreath (or let them sign it).
 We are always in need of temporary nannies (sitters) with all day availability to meet the needs of our wonderful families. As always, we have a great deal of part-time families waiting for wonderful candidates . Please check our full job board for the complete listing of positions and don't forget our buddy bonus for all of your amazing referrals!
Mom's Best Friend Provides Childcare for Local Charity Event
"Thank you so much for providing free childcare at our October Just Between Friends event. The sale was a huge success, and a trailer full of wonderful children’s and maternity clothes, toys, books and furniture was given to the Adoption Coalition, as well a portion of the proceeds. Hundreds of area foster and adoptive families will be blessed by the things donated, and were blessed by the sale itself. Foster and Adoptive  families were given the chance to shop a special “presale”, and many got great bargains for their kids. Hundreds of Austin-area families not in the foster system benefited from the JBF Sale, buying and selling gently-used items to help with their family budgets. Thank you so much for your support!" --Jill Sayre, Just Between Friends, Austin
Settlement Home Holiday Needs
We love the holidays at MBF as we enjoy giving back to our community. This holiday season we will be volunteering with the girls at The Settlement Home, decorating gingerbread houses and spreading holiday joy! We will also be adopting a cottage of girls to buy gifts that Santa will be bringing to them! 
Please view the Wish List if you would like to donate to The Settlement Home. The Settlement Home is always looking for clothing donations (for girls age 7 to 17) or any donations for their garage sale--the largest fundraiser of the year! This is a great way to get your charge involved in something focusing on others! If you want to drop of any gifts or donations at our office, we will be glad to deliver them.
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