Boston Nanny

Hiring an Boston Nanny or Babysitter

Networking in Boston with friends, neighbors, teachers, or using a professional registered sitter agency is a good way to start. It is important to find someone that you like to watch your child. This should be a responsible, competent, trustworthy individual who actually likes being with children. Ensure that they are age-appropriate since some nannies and sitters are not comfortable with babies or very young children. Do a background check, ask for references and be sure to check them out. It would also be helpful if the sitter had some first aid or CPR training. Remember your child’s safety is your first priority.

Boston Nanny Salary

The going rate in your Boston neighborhood can vary depending on the sitter’s qualifications, experience, education, and the number of children to be cared for. Salaries for live-in nannies currently range from $12 to $17 an hour or $500 to $700 per week. Be fair – for sitters, pay a decent rate with a minimum number of hours arranged beforehand. There are some well-established registered babysitter and nanny agencies in Boston, and they will provide references and detailed background checks on request.

Boston Nanny & Babysitter Agencies

Nannies Nook (781-740-4595) for more than 20 years has been providing live-in, live out, full-time, part-time and summer placements. Family and nanny are carefully screened for a good match. All candidates undergo a thorough reference check including criminal background and driving record, and they must complete a CPR course. The American Nanny Company (1-800-262-8771) has been serving the Greater Boston area since 1984. They are members of the International Nanny Association (INA), and all candidates are thoroughly screened and selectively chosen. The Boston Nanny Center Inc. (800-456-2669 or 617-527-0114) also a member of the INA, has since 1988 provided full and part-time candidates on a live-in or live-out basis as well as temporary nanny services. Nanny Poppins LLC (617-697-0052) is a member of the INA and has been a full service agency since 1995. They are a licensed, bonded agency with all candidates being personally interviewed and reference checked with a complete background investigation performed by a licensed investigative agency. They will also provide temporary and occasional services with monthly contracts available for clients who want a month-to-month basis, and babysitting service annual memberships are available. Be sure to leave a contact number where you can be reached, as well as your child’s medical information. If you are going to be unavailable, perhaps a grandparent or good neighbor in Boston can be notified. Be clear to the babysitter about your expectations. This should be a good experience for your child, something and someone they can look forward to coming again.

Boston Kids Activities & Things To Do with Kids

Boston, the state capital, is the largest city in Massachusetts, located in the eastern part of the state on Massachusetts Bay. Incorporated as a city in 1822, it is a major financial, industrial and educational hub, as well as one of the finest ports in the world. Its unique historical heritage makes it a great center for tourism, and it is hard to go very far in Boston without finding something of historic interest, museums or shops. With so much to see and do, Boston has something for everyone; so if you are going to visit for business or holiday, bring the whole family with you. Boston has a multitude of restaurants and pubs that offer diverse and international eating choices as well as after-hours live music and entertainment.

The New England Aquarium is home to more than 15,000 fish and aquatic mammals including harbor seals and penguins, but its centerpiece is the four-story 200,000 gallon Giant Ocean Tank with its replica of a Caribbean coral reef, and the Edge of the Sea exhibit where visitors can actually reach out and touch the horseshoe crabs and sea urchins in the tide pool. Plan to spend at least half a day here, and start early to avoid the crowds. The Bunker Hill Monument, a 221-foot granite obelisk that honors the memory of the 1775 colonists from the Battle of Bunker Hill, is a famous landmark visible from miles away. There is no elevator, but you can climb to the top. For the history buff, be sure to stop in at the museum across the street. The USS Constitution is not to be missed. “Old Ironsides” docked in the Charlestown Navy Yard is the oldest commissioned warship still afloat in the world. You can learn about sailors’ experiences at sea and actually take part in sea-faring activities, like firing a cannon, furling a sail, cleaning the deck, etc., something for the whole family. Visit the museum afterwards for even more information and perhaps pick up a unique souvenir. For a history course for the whole family, you can visit the renowned Freedom Trail and follow the red stripe painted on the ground that leads to all the landmarks of the Revolution. The 2½-mile walk might be a bit much for the little ones, so bring a stroller. Stop afterwards at the Quincy Market for a well-deserved snack, some shopping, and watch the street performers. For something a little different, you can visit the Mapparium and walk inside a three-story stained glass globe, to see how different the 1930’s world looked back then until today.

For tweeners and older teens who love to shop, they can visit Newbury Street, a hip Boston neighborhood with lots of boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Another place of interest for the pre-college crowd is Cambridge across the Charles River. Home to MIT and Harvard, students are everywhere. Faneuil Hall Marketplace is a five building complex with lots of restaurants, bars and shops of all kinds. Located near the harbor, its vibrant scene attracts street performers and crowds from all over, and you can take a walk along the water’s edge. Boston Children’s Museum is fun for kids of all ages, with its Art Studio where they can create and learn. There is a special play area for toddlers under four, a two-story maze to navigate, and many interactive exhibits. For a change of scenery, you can visit the Skywalk Observatory, Boston’s highest point that gives you a 360-degree breathtaking view of Greater Boston. For a little change of pace and some green space, you can visit the Boston Common and Public Garden, the U.S.’s first public park, which is a great place for kids to run and play, and they can ride the famous Swan Boats. For a completely different way to see the city, there are Boston Duck Tours where you board a reconditioned World War II amphibious landing craft for an 80 minute narrated tour that shows the major historic sights and then heads down a boat ramp with a splash into the Charles River.

As you can see, Boston offers something for everyone, resident and tourist alike. Just remember to have everyone bring a jacket and wear comfy shoes when out and about in Boston.