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I’ve been putting off taxes about as long as I’ve been putting off writing this post. I mean seriously!? Who gets their taxes, or even hears about “tax season” and doesn’t instantly put their heads in the sand?

In recent years, I’ve been doing the 9-5 thing complete with payroll and taxes that are mailed to my home each year promptly at the end of celebrating the holidays. Those specially marked little envelopes may be one of the last important pieces of snail mail I receive via the USPS. With the delivery of those also comes the slow rising anxiety, the worrying about the unknown, the panic, the dread, the absolute fear of what all those numbers mean for my bank account. The one nice thing I can count on is that my employer has already done most of the hard work (or paid some one to do it). All I need to do is enter in some numbers into boxes and my taxes are done! Regardless of whether I pay or get paid, I’ve completed my duty as a tax paying citizen and gotten another year under my belt. The ease of my current tax paying situation wasn’t always the case for me, or many other nanny/child care providers.

When I started off as a nanny I was young and naive. I was also broke and learning to live on my own and without parental financial support. I wasn’t savvy on the employment laws and whether taxes were required. I didn’t really care to know, if I am honest. I worked full time with one family who used a payroll service, covered my taxes and allowed my ignorance to continue all while ensuring I was following the law. This was obviously something I was not aware of at the time but am so grateful for now.

I moved on to new families, began doing nanny shares, working fewer hours in one home but many hours in many homes. Not all my employers were so eager to follow suit. There was “confusion” as to what made a person a “taxable employee” verses a “self employed” care giver, was “babysitting” for so few hours really worth the effort to find out? To a few employers the answer was no. In my young eyes, the answer was clearly “no,” why “pay the man” when I can barely pay the rent? Who had time to figure out taxes? Who wanted to remember to record hours and supply the government with quarterly filings? And so I didn’t push the issue and some paid taxes and some didn’t and some pretended to know nothing and some truly didn’t care and I just went along with it.

Ultimately, it wasn’t my best decision or wisest moments but you live and learn, right? I grew up and realized I have a duty as an American citizen. I want nice roads, public transportation, and amazing education for the future children. I want to fund parks and programs to enhance life for all. I want to contribute to the good around me and stop passing the buck to my neighbor.

I’m here to help you live and learn and hopefully with a lot fewer growing pains!

I’ll be straight forward and direct…

As a nanny in Washington state, you are required to pay taxes. Your employer is required to have you fill out W-2 and I-9s upon starting your job. It is clear and simple and with the internet, very easy to find.

Here is a quick run down on what I found:

-A nanny is a person hired by a family to work within their home. The job of the nanny is to complete tasks and duties as given by the family.

-This person is considered a “household employee.”

-Nannies are not self-employed or an “independent contractors,” using these classifications can be consider tax evasion!! Do not use or accept 1099 unless you have further looked into the laws. There are specifications around these and under most circumstances nannies do not fall under them.

-Employers of a “household employee” must withhold taxes once a nanny makes $2,100 which has increased just this year.

– Employers are responsible for withholding Federal taxes and paying sick leave (also new this year for Washington State).

-Social Security and Medicare are also employers responsiblity to withhold.

So simple and so clear! If you want to double check any of these findings or get yourself more educated here are a few of the links I found useful:

http://pixeltheoryinc.com/nanny-tax-how-to.html

http://www.francis-company.com/le-nannytax.php

https://www.care.com/homepay/resource-center/requirements-by-state/washington

https://nannyparentconnection.com/blog/payquestions/

https://www.sapling.com/8467457/washington-state-taxes-nannies

Look for more tips on taxes in the upcoming days: things like where to get the proper paper work, when and where to get help filing, how to prepare better for next year, and more!

One of the questions I am often asked about when it comes to the services Wholeness Nanny and You provides has to be about our Interview questions. Sure, most families that are hiring a Nanny have at least one parent that has experience hiring or firing employees. What makes it so different when it comes to hiring a nanny? Well, for starters we must get beyond the typical first question.

” DO you have experience working with kids?” Sure, we want to know what experience someone has before we hire them. But, does that question actually provide any value? Does it tell you anything about the potential nanny? Does it set them apart from EVERY other prospective nanny that is at the interview? No, not really. As parents our first thoughts when it comes to hiring a nanny often is Do you like kids? Do you have experience working with kids? But the answer to that question is often exactly the same. Our personalized interview questions go deep. We have used our experiences and knowledge in behavioral analysis to create questions that will tell you more about your prospective nanny then any list you find online. We tailor the questions based on your families needs to help you hone in on the heart of your prospect rather than the standardized answers they are accustomed to giving.

For example, do you have a specific discipline style you prefer to use in your home? If you ask a potential nanny if they are familiar with that style, chances are they will say yes. They may even be able to give you examples of what that would look like for them. However, if you change that question to ask how a specific situation should be handled, you will hear from the prospect the method they are most comfortable using in their position. This is exactly why we spend months creating our interview question template and can personalize them for our clients. You will understand who you are hiring in a much more intimate and personal way then had you stuck to the basic questions nannies often hear. Trust me, after 20 years in the industry, I know most nannies can answer ANY of those questions in a way that will impress the family whether or not that is truly a representation of who that nanny is.

I am not sure about you but when I am a customer I want to have a personalized, and quality experience. No one does that better than small boutiques. They have no interest in competing with larger chain brands or offering an abundance of products. They carefully choose what items have the highest value and what services they can provide better than anyone else. A boutique owner understands the value she provides and makes no excuses for limiting her inventory to suit a specific clientele.

At Wholeness Nanny and You we offer you the “boutique experience” of the Nanny industry. We will not waste your time or resources on  offering services you can get elsewhere. Instead, we have narrowed in on exactly who we want to work with and created the tools and opportunities to help our families in a unique service. We are NOT an agency and have no interest in competing with what is being done there. Instead, we focus on meeting our families where they are at, and helping them navigate the path of finding that ideal nanny for their own children. We can be as involved as our clients need or be available to give support in just one specific area.

We believe that bringing a nanny into your home is more than just offering a job. You are offering a space in the lives of your family and we want to help you create a relationship that lasts. This can best be accomplished when we take the time to first get to the core of who your family is and what is going to serve you best. From there we can determine what is the priority in your home and how hiring the right nanny will help you protect the culture and traditions unique to you. This is a truly “boutique” experience in the nanny world and we are excited to share it with you!

-Staci

 

Who loves a great gift? Help us find our next VIP client and we will thank you with a gift personalized for your home. We appreciate our friends, past clients, and blog followers and trust that you know people that would be the perfect fit for us. Together we decided to create a referral program to show our appreciation for your support.

To participate in the referral program simply tell your friends and family members that are looking to hire a nanny about us. If they contact us and become one of our VIP clients we will send your gift ($100 value minimum) to you. To help you find the best fit here are a few things that our VIP clients have in common

• They are Executive families
• They are looking to hire a nanny without an agency
• They tend to be busy enough to appreciate help and support, but hands on enough to want to be involved in the process.
• They are good communicators.
• They plan to hire within 4 months of contacting us.

Do you know someone like this?  Send them our way today!

Email – Staci@wholeness-nannyandu.com

Laura@wholeness-nannyandu.com

Call – (425)269-9287

       Wholeness Nanny and You is looking for their next VIP.  Are you looking to hire a nanny to begin with your family in 2-3 months? Do you enjoy calling the shots for your family and making the decisions that are best for you rather than handing your families needs off to an agency to fill? Would you like to have your next nanny stay for years with your kids? Well, if this sounds like you then you may be exactly who we are looking for.

As you may have seen we have plenty of options to help our clients with small problems like providing contracts, helping a family get clear on what type of person will be the best nanny for them, and guidance through background checks and obtaining driving records. However, we will only take on 2-3 families at a time to be our VIP clients. We believe in giving ALL of our clients a personalized boutique experience with any service they purchase. To be sure our VIP clients are given the consultations, guidance and time they are trusting us to provide we will only work with a small number at a time. Could you be our next VIP?

 

Oh my! Where has the time gone? 2018 has hit the ground running for my family, I can’t believe February is literally around the corner!

Here is a family fun bucket list for this month:

-With the 2018 Olympics this month, what about a trip up to Whistler? See the rings in the Whistler Village, do some ice skating, hit the slopes AND maybe even squeeze in a massage?

-I’m loving the “Free First _____day” Check out Thursdays and the many amazing Seattle museums. Museum of Flight, MOHIA, SAM and many more. What a deal and great way to help foster learning! Friday Bellevue Art Museum is also FREE!

-FEB 10th, 3-5pm at World Market on Western Ave, they are hosting a Peter Rabbit Children’s Story time. Free and snacks provided.

-February is Lunar New Year, many festivals to enjoy!

–February 2-11, Pacific Northwest Ballet is putting on their production of Swan Lake. This event is sure to keep you inside, warm and dry and you may spark some young minds with music and dance!

– February 17-19 is Kids weekend at Northwest Trek. Kids are free with a paying adult. Cool deal and great weekend field trip!

This last one just sounds plan fun to me…

–February 24th, Yo-Yo contest at the Seattle Center Armory. Free!! I loved the assemblies in elementary school with the Yo-Yo master showing off. How do they make it look so easy? Some could spend hours trying to learn, wink wink…

 

 

You have decided to hire a nanny and navigate the waters without an overpriced agency. Now what? Do you go to Craigslist? Bribe your friends nanny to come work for you? Spend countless hours scrolling through profiles on the multitude of websites that gather anyone that wants to be a childcare provider? Take a breath, grab a cup of coffee and let’s sort this out together.

 

In all my years as a nanny and working with other nannies I have seen it all!! When it comes to finding that perfect person to trust your most precious kiddos with parents will try anything. Let me take a moment and help you determine the best path for you. Your individual personality and the level of involvement you want to have in the hiring process will help you make the choice that is best for you.

 

Word of mouth is likely the easiest and safest way to find a nanny. When you get referrals from friends or have seen a nanny in action that you love. It is rarely a great plan to hire a nanny by bribing them away from a family you know. Not only do you burn bridges but the nanny that will easily walk away from the current family is likely to do the same to you.

 

Posting ads, yourself in newspapers, on craigslist or any personal preference for sources is always a great way to get clear on what you want and be proactive. The perfectly written ad can certainly help you find a great candidate. The drawback to this approach is that you will spend more time weeding through the applicants. Just because you are clear on what you want and who you are looking for does not necessarily mean that the nannies that think you have the perfect offer will be the perfect fit for you. This can be successful but will require you doing your due diligence is sorting through those that apply.

 

Utilizing the online service websites such as sittercity.com, urbansitter.com or care.com will often be the best of all worlds. You can post your own ad, you can scroll through and view potential candidates and you have the added benefit of having some built in security features available to you such as background checks, drivers record reports and testimonials/references right on each profile.

 

This is where Wholeness Nanny and You will shine. We help you choose which approach, or approaches is going to be best for you and your hiring needs. We help fill in the gaps, streamline the process and guide you through with as much support and hand holding as YOU wish to have. We would love to connect with you today and help you get started on the path to finding the perfect nanny for you!!

When looking at the hustle and bustle of a busy family life it is easy to get conflicted on what the priorities are. For myself, as a single mom, who runs 2 businesses, leads a GS troop, home schools, volunteers at church and keeps one foot in the door at a job I have loved for 20+years I understand BUSY!!! I know we all have different family structures, different demands on our time and more invites to do more than we can possibly squeeze in to a month let alone a day. It is all to easy to crawl in bed at the end of the day and wonder if anything that was done that day will be worth a memory for your family years from now. As promised, we have a few tips for you!

First, learn when to say Yes, and when to say NO. Every mom I talk to will have a different opinion on when you do either. As a mom, a business woman AND a nanny I will admit that I can not, or should not be the one to tell you when to say which. I will however encourage you to be proactive in your life choices. Before you schedule another thing stop and evaluate your family and the needs of each member of your family at THIS moment. Is there someone who needs extra support?  Do you have an existing commitment at work or a goal that is requiring extra time? Once we take the time to set our priorities for this season making plans becomes much easier.

I read a book years ago by Patrick Lencioni entitles “The 3 Big Questions for a frantic family” it was one of the best tools I have to date for slowing down the pace of our family life. Taking the time to get super clear on what our families priority was for the next week/month/quarter allowed me to weigh every invite or activity offered against our goal. When I could clearly see what the value was and if it helped us achieve the goal, took us away from it or had no impact on it I could quickly and confidently decide if this was something that I would say Yes to.

Next, look at your family and determine how you want this season to feel. Do you want it to be calm, quiet, serene, reflective and cozy? Do you prefer to feel vibrant, energized, excited and in awe? When it comes to Holiday fun we all WANT to say yes to every party, community event, fun field trip, and excuse to play hooky from adulting and embrace the magic of the season. For some of us the busy crazy fun is exactly what our family needs and wants to feel inspired and energized. For others, it is exhausting, constraining and leaves us feeling overwhelmed. In a world that thrives on “too much” of a good thing be strategic in where you place your energy and what will ultimately leave your family feeling exactly how you want to feel.

Finally, I would invite you to recognize that most of the opportunities we have this time of year are NOT once in a lifetime events. Although we may really love going to a specific holiday party, or catching the Christmas Carolers at the mall or a light show in that one neighborhood, most of those will be around next year. Remember that making memories and putting your family first will allow you to step in to the New Year refreshed, renewed and excited about what is to come.  In our home we have years that every day from now until the New year is full of events and activities and we THRIVE on that. We also have years, that staying home and creating a cozy quiet tradition is exactly what we need. We hope you take the time to CHOOSE what it is that will serve your family best this year.

~Staci

 

Many of us in the PNW got a taste of the wind storms that the fall and winter months often bring yesterday. Of course, I could share my thoughts and experiences with it but as I sat snuggled in my home, enjoying the blustery day and the gas fireplace and had tea with my daughter all I could think was this ” I wish this moment would last”.

In my world I find moments of calm hard to come by. I thrive in a busy life and love being on the go with my favorite side kick in tow. Yet, as I think of the next 6 weeks and the buzz already in the air of Holiday preparations, the shopping, the invites and the unending pressure of making each moment count. I don’t want to miss an opportunity to share the magic of the Season with my family. I also, don’t want to wake up in Jan exhausted, unable to recall what we did because it was such a flurry of chaos, and have a large debt to show for the “fun” we had.

Over the next few days I want to share a few of the ways Wholeness Nanny and You can help you through this Holiday Season. I would love to hear your feedback and your tips so comment below and lets make this a magical time for kids, parents, and nannies alike.