Find Your Own Mary Poppins

There are many ways to go about finding a nanny. We recommend you try one or a combination of the following methods:

Word of mouth. Tell parents and other nannies that you are "in the market." This can be a surprisingly effective approach, provided you are not under severe time pressure.

Place an ad in the local paper, or on one of the Internet sites linked to this article.

Use a placement agency if you need to speed up the search process. Yes, this convenience does come with a cost, but many of today's busy families consider it money well spent. If, on the other hand, you have the time to place the ads, screen the applicants and check references yourself, then by all means save yourself the placement fee of up to $2000.