Investing Time Now Avoids Legal ProblemsBy Breedlove and Associates With the income tax deadline rapidly approaching, it’s a good time to share a few tax-related tips, reminders and updates – along with some helpful resources for additional information. Investing a few minutes now may help you avoid expensive, time-consuming legal problems. 1. If you paid […]

2009 Health Savings Account Contribution LimitsBy Adam Hyers Yesterday we discussed Health Savings Accounts (HSA). With a new year comes increased amounts that health savings account (HSA) owners may contribute to their plan. HSA’s contribution amounts will differ depending on whether the insured owns an individual or family plan. Contribution Limits for 2009The individual contribution […]

Nannies Take on Extra Duties as Households EconomizeAlong with child care, nannies are asked to do the cleaning, shopping and other tasks once done by others. By Christy Hobarthttp://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/home/la-hm-nanny21-2009mar21,0,7632228.story March 21, 2009 When a nanny with 10 years of experience was let go last year after her Hancock Park employers divorced, she had a hard […]

Below is a link to an situation for foreign nannies wanting to work in Canada.http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/603434 Critics want crackdown as nannies exploitedMarch 17, 2009Robert CribbDale Brazao STAFF REPORTERS The federal government must prosecute nanny recruiters that prey on vulnerable foreign caregivers, say opposition politicians, industry insiders and the nannies themselves in response to a Star investigation. […]

Time-Out Should Not Be Used as Punishment We have been discussing discipline. We have discussed time-outs. We have encouraged using timers to help positively discipline children. Most nannies, au pairs, and parents seem to use time-outs as punishment for children. When children do not behave caregivers often make the children sit in a “naughty chair” […]

KID-CARE SOPHISTICATESBy Andrea Peyserhttp://www.nypost.com/seven/01192009/news/columnists/a_wealth_of_nannies_150816.htm Although we agree that many professionals become nannies (click http://bestnannynewsletter.blogspot.com/2009/01/professionals-that-become-nannies.html) we do not agree with the author that a nanny’s job is not mentally stimulating. Is a nanny’s work not mentally stimulating? Is there really such a thing as an “overeducated” nanny as the author states in this article? Are nannies […]

Nannygate for Treasury Secretary NomineeYesterday we discussed that President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Timothy Geithner, was nominated by President Elect Barack Obama as Treasury Secretary. http://bestnannynewsletter.blogspot.com/2009/01/nannygate-here-we-go-again.html Geithner was supposed to have a confirmation hearing today after learning about his failure to pay self-employment taxes while working at the International Monetary Fund. […]

Safe, Unsafe, and Unwanted TouchesTo continue the discussion of privacy and children here is information about teaching children about safe, unsafe, and unwanted touches. Although there is no medical concern when children touch their genitals, they must learn not to touch their genitals when other people are present. In her article, “Teaching Preschoolers About Privacy” […]

Nanny and Au Pair Internet Use Do’s and Don’ts: We have been discussing issues of privacy for nannies and au pairs. Using the Internet at work can become an issue as privacy as well. The use of computers commonly pervades every facet of life. Yet, nannies and au pairs may not always have computers available […]

The Results Are In After posting our article, Did the Economy Affect Nanny Bonuses?, http://bestnannynewsletter.blogspot.com/2008/12/did-economy-affect-nanny-bonuses.html the results of our Best Nanny Newsletter Blog poll asking nannies if their end of year bonus was affected by the economy is complete. Eighty-eight (88) nannies replied to the poll. Fifty-one nannies (58%) answered “No,” their holiday bonus was […]