Hiring a Montreal Nanny or Babysitter
Networking in Montreal 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 training. Remember your child’s safety is your first priority.
Montreal Nanny Salary
The going rate in your Montreal 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 $11 to $17 an hour or $400 to $600 per week. Be fair – for sitters, pay a decent rate with a minimum number of hours arranged beforehand.
Montreal Nanny & Babysitter Agencies
There are some well-established registered babysitter and nanny agencies in Montreal that are members of the Better Business Bureau of Canada, and they will provide references on request. Agence R & R (514-639-1507) can provide a nanny, sitter, mother’s helper, or even a tutor, and hires only caregivers who are non-smokers. They pride themselves on their rigorous selection process and try to ensure the right match for their clients. The Aaron Nanny Agency (902-406-5146) places nannies and provides child care services. Elite Care of Canada (toll-free 1-877-242-7706) has won four consecutive Canadian Caregivers Association Awards for the best nanny service in Canada, as well as being a Canadian member of the standard-setting International Au Pair Association. 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 Montreal 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.
Montreal Kids Activities & Things To Do with Kids
Montreal is a vibrant multicultural city with lots of kid-friendly places to visit and things to see and do, like the Centre des Sciences de Montreal (also known as iSci) with its technology displays, exploring the underwater world, innovative interactive games, and an indoor playground with a model dragon. The Theatre de L’Oeil offers performances, workshops and exhibitions as part of the action at this puppet theater. The Biodome displays birds from the Arctic, Antarctic, tropics, and St. Lawrence marine habitats in a controlled setting resembling their natural surroundings. The Insectarium, unique in North America, houses insects of every size and shape. The Place des Arts is the major cultural center for performing arts in Montreal with the complex housing the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, and the Opera de Montreal. These are all connected by an underground mall and linked to the metro. In the summer it is decorated with several works of public art, and with its shops and large esplanade, the area becomes an important adjunct to the Montreal International Jazz Festival. La Ronde Six Flags Amusement Park is the largest such park in Quebec, originally opened for Expo’67, and is entertaining for kids of all ages. Just remember to have both the sitter and the kids wear comfy shoes when out and about in Montreal.
