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March 17, 2020 by Rosalind Prather

COVID-19: Expert Top 10 Tips on Working From Home with Kids

Business + Babies

As the threat of COVID-19 grows, schools are closing and many parents are, for the first time, working from home. This situation has brought kids and work together like never before. Work-life balance is taking on a whole new meaning as many parents are facing the prospect of simultaneously managing both. The kitchen counter is now a pop-up cubicle. Virtual meetings are made possible by the few minutes of silence brought to you by Paw Patrol. Business negotiations are happening at nap time. And as a parent, if you’ve always kept work and home separate, you might be challenged in ways you never imagined. But fear not, parents! Our experts are here to share our top 10 tips on working from home with kids.

Working from Home. You've Got This.

Create a daily schedule/routine to establish some predictability. This isn’t just for the kids. It’s for moms and dads, too! Be strategic when working from home and map out your days with intention, like scheduling things such as conference calls or other work commitments requiring your full attention around nap or screen time. (BTW, we are all treading water right now. A little screen time is okay.) Emails and more mindless tasks can take place while you’re eating lunch alongside your kids. (See below for a semi-serious sample schedule that I’ve actually used while working from home running my business with two little ones.) Share this plan with your kids so they know what to expect, too. “Mommy is going to be on an important call from 10am-10:30am and I really can’t be interrupted. I have set up a fun Play-Doh station for you and need you to play by yourself. If you can do that for mommy, we will paint together when I’m finished.”
Prioritize what needs to be done during business hours and save what can be done at night or in the early morning hours when kids are asleep. You might need to forgo your nightly Netflix ritual and work that graveyard shift. It’s survival mode, folks.
Set up a productive workspace and designate this as your “home office.” Gather everything you need in advance so it’s at your fingertips. Make sure your kids understand that this area is “off limits” while you are working. Perhaps “library voices” need to be the rule when the kids are near or passing by this space.
Embed “special time” into each day – focused, fully-present play time with each of your children for at least 15 minutes. Put your phone away, get on the floor with them and make it all about them if even for just a few minutes. This attention refills their love tanks and makes it more likely that they will be cooperative throughout the rest of the day. Crankiness and defiance in a child can sometimes just be a sign that they need a little extra TLC. Hand out hugs like candy even if you’re completely drained and don’t feel like it. Don’t you feel better when you get one?
Hire support! It takes a village on a normal day and things are definitely harder than normal right now. Schedule a babysitter for crucial days and/or time periods. An extra set of hands can make all the difference. Have a babysitter watch your children from 8am–1pm and then take a break to eat lunch together before you start nap/quiet time. And make sure the babysitter is making the best use of her time with your children, actively playing and facilitating exercise – the things that are difficult for you to squeeze in. Save electronics time for when you need it if you’re paying someone to be there. If you decide to find or hire a sitter on your own, make sure you read our Sitter Safety tips for parents first to help keep your children in safe hands. We help parents who are working from home all the time. Our Flex Sitter Service membership is a great option for families seeking as-needed help. 24/7, 365 days a year care, even at a moments’ notice? Yes please!
Take the pressure off – aim for grace, not perfection. If things don’t work out the way you planned- and sometimes they won’t- default to loving on your kids and make a plan to catch up on work after bed or the following day. We are all in this together and your colleagues will understand. Be honest with them and expect honesty in return as we all navigate these challenging times. Every day is a new day. Expect the bad ones to come and just reset and refocus each morning.
Let kids be kids and plan for your house to be a mess. Again- grace and flexibility. You might need to temporarily let go of the need for a perfectly tidy house right now. Just let the kids go at it with paint, sand, water, or cookies! It’s freeing and fun for them and makes for a quiet 30 minutes for you. If you’re anything like me, you’ll benefit from spending 20-30 minutes after the kids are asleep and the house is quiet, walking around and doing some tidying to start the next day with a clean slate. But if you’re simply too exhausted and need to pick your battles, the house is one thing that really can wait.
Share your schedule with your spouse. Make sure, especially if two adults will be working from home, that you both know what to expect from each other day-to-day. For example, on really busy days let your other half know it’s probably best to not come into your “office.” And then flex. On your less intense days adjust your schedule so your partner can get something crucial done while you care for the kids.
Parents who rely on grandparent care should start making contingency plans. Quarantines, social distancing, and school closings mean that grandparents who provide child care for children and who are the most vulnerable population in the COVID-19 outbreak will need a break from this routine duty.
Master the Mute Button. We aren’t kidding. When all else fails and a massive meltdown is interrupting your mastermind session, mute the phone to quickly address the situation and remind your tiny new workmate that keeping quiet will mean an extra fun time with bubbles after lunch.

Trusting Connections is an award-winning nanny agency and sitter service that connects families, churches, organizations and companies with exceptional nannies, sitters and other childcare staffing professionals, 24/7, 365 days a year- even at a moment’s notice. We currently serve families in Tucson, Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix with a unique model of agency-employed nannies and babysitters. We have been recognized with numerous awards including “Service Firm of the Year” and “Best in Industry.”

For families struggling to juggle it all, Trusting Connections offers customized childcare solutions so families can thrive. Because we believe parenting should come with a tribe.

With Care,

Watch Our Co-Founder on Good Morning Arizona!

March 12, 2020 by Rosalind Prather

Nanny Taxes: Are You Breaking the Law?

It’s tax time – and the perfect time of year to remind our families that the IRS considers even part-time nannies and sitters to be household employees, never independent contractors.

So if your family has engaged the services of a nanny or local babysitter and has paid that individual $2200 or more per year (as of 2020), then you are legally obligated to provide the nanny or sitter with a W2 at the end of the year and contribute to the caregivers’ social security, medicare and unemployment taxes by paying your fair share of employers’ taxes.

Nannies are also entitled to be paid at least minimum wage for every hour worked and should receive overtime pay– time and a half for all hours in a work week over 40. In the state of Arizona, like all workers, nannies and sitters are also earn paid sick leave.

Overwhelmed with hiring a nanny or sitter?

Finding a safe, qualified and reliable sitter is only half of the battle. Many families also don’t want to worry about all the legal and financial responsibilities of household employment such as securing an EIN, knowing how to properly withhold employee taxes and pay for the employers’ portion, how to prepare a W2, etc. Plus, parents are busy and have little time to manage or schedule the nanny or sitter they have hired.

We take care of everything.

That’s why families are turning to our sitter service – a unique model of agency employed, fully-screened nannies and sitters that are ready and able to work 24/7, 365 days a year – even at a moment’s notice!

Even if you are using a nanny finder site, sitter app or other local agency, they might not be employing the nanny or sitter and simply referring the candidate to you for hire, in which case, you are still responsible for household employment taxes even when paying a nanny you’ve found through a service!

But we are different. We employ our entire team of nannies and sitters so you don’t have to. We hire, pay, train and manage our team so all you have to do is schedule care when you need it and we take care of the rest. Your card will be automatically charged for services each week so you don’t have to worry about paying the nanny or sitter. We accept all major credit cards so parents love that they can earn frequent flyer miles while getting some extra help with the kids at home.

We also offer Placement Services for families wishing to hire a full-time, long-term nanny and will guide you through the employment process.

Your sitter search stops here.

In terms of quality, we can’t be beat. We have one of the most rigorous screening processes in the industry and hire only the best. So stop unsafe online searches or dealing with the stress of finding a great sitter you can count on. We are just a phone call away!

February 7, 2020 by Rosalind Prather

Why We’ve Bought 825 Boxes of Girl Scout Cookies

It was a day in early January 2016 that I came across an article about the Girl Scouts Cookies program being the largest “girl-led entrepreneurship program in the world.” Caroline and I were in our fifth year of business and I started reminiscing about our journey as young, female business owners.

While our agency was still relatively new it felt like we had made it. We had just opened our second location in Southlake, as two tiny fish in the massive ocean that is the DFW Metroplex. And we were making it happen. We were steadily growing year after year, had begun hiring office staff to help with day-to-day operations and we were giving ourselves a decent paycheck. We were 24 when our agency began with our first location in Tucson and looking back it seems hard to believe that we thought we could pull this off. Truth be told, we had only dreamed up the idea of one small agency. But fate held a much larger objective for our venture – one we still probably haven’t fully realized.

And as I thought about this article and the girls that had shown up on my doorstep all dressed up in their uniforms or the girls standing outside of grocery stores mustering up the courage to ask if I wanted any cookies…I realized that these little girls and I had something in common. Despite the odds against us as young women entrepreneurs, we were boldly stepping forward with a dream of turning our passions into profits. I knew in that moment that as women business owners, we had an obligation to do our part to inspire and support the next generation of lady leaders. It occurred to me that the reason Caroline and I had the courage to start our business was because of other women (like my own mom) paving the way, who made us believe that it was even possible. And so it was then, that Caroline and I made a promise to buy cookies from every Girl Scout who came to our office.

We wanted to make it educational for the girls, so asked that they come with a sales pitch. It wasn’t just about supporting their cookie sales although that was a big piece of it. We are proud to say that as of today, this event has generated about $8,250 for the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona – approx. 1,650 boxes of cookies sold (with the help of other women business’ owners participation the last two years.) Our intention was to also give the girls the experience of meeting a relatively young female entrepreneur and to hopefully inspire the girls to dream about their own possibility of business ownership one day. That first year, the girls also walked away with a bookmark that read, “She believed she could so she did.”

They came in droves, Some with signs. Some with songs. And all with stories. That first year girls were spilling out into the lobby and waiting for a chance to speak to Caroline and I. We felt totally honored. And we quickly realized that this offer to buy cookies and inspire girls did something much more than we ever expected. It inspired us.

We met a girl who had reached her own cookie box selling goal and gave away some of her extra points to another girl in her troop to help her reach her goal. If only grown up women could more consistently show one another the same support and lift each other up.

We met a girl who had sold thousands of boxes tirelessly going door to door and even made her own business cards.

We met a Girl Scout in middle school who had aspirations of starting a babysitting business with her best friend. She was the same age Caroline and I were when we became best friends and we offered to take her and her friend out to lunch to talk business and told them that maybe they might be our competitors some day.

We asked one little girl, about 6 years old who had sold quite a few boxes of girl scout cookies, what her best sales technique was. She paused and thought really hard about it before responding definitively and proudly. Her answer? “Begging.” We laughed.

We met a girl who did her entire pitch in sign language.

We met a girl who was trying to get boxes donated to the military in honor of her dad who was deployed.

We met troops who had done amazing things with their money, using it to support local charities and causes. Proof that even the littlest people can make a big difference.

One of our favorite moments this year was with an incredible young lady who started a charity project and is sewing pouches that attach to walkers for seniors. She shared with us that she is just donating them and we asked her if she had thought about selling them because we were so impressed with how beautiful they were! Because it wasn’t something she had considered, we talked to her about the cost of materials, the amount of time she spent completing one piece, the value of her time, etc. After doing some number crunching with her, we asked her what she thought a fair price would be. She decided $15 was reasonable and then we asked if we could buy the sample she brought in to show us. She was so surprised! What an honor it is to be this amazing inventors’ first customers!

This event has become a beloved annual tradition and one that my business partner and I agree is our favorite event of the year. This was the fifth year that Caroline and I have made that same promise to Girl Scouts and while it’s changing and growing (this year we had three other women business owners who joined us and made the same pledge and we’ve had to move the event to the Girl Scouts offices since ours was no longer big enough to hold the crowds)… the spirit of the event has remained the same. It’s a celebration of the accomplishments and powerful potential of girls and young women. The leaders. The fearless dreamers. We wholeheartedly agree with the Girl Scouts of America’s belief that girls can change the world.

And just like Caroline and I didn’t know the full capacity of what we were destined to accomplish when we first started out, we hope that the girls who attend our event walk away feeling like they, too, can achieve incredible things. They already are.

January 24, 2020 by Desiree Stites

TC Teaches Training Program

Trusting Connections is proud to launch a new series of training webinars under the TC Teaches Training Program. Learn valuable child care skills from the comfort of your own home for caregivers, agencies, and all else. This is perfect for anyone who wants to further their knowledge and gain additional qualifications for job applications through Trusting Connections.

To register, please click here to fill out a registration form.

All webinars are $15 and include a certificate of completion. All TC employees may participate for free. Additionally, agencies purchasing in a 3-pack of classes also qualify for a discount. Please email desiree@trustingconnections.com to receive your coupon code.

Please see above for our available webinars in the first semester.

January 15, 2020 by Desiree Stites

Parents’ Peace of Mind Promotion

Parents' Peace of Mind Promotion

Parents, you’ve likely been there… struggling to juggle it all; life, work, health, relationships, social commitments, the list goes on. 2020, provides a New Year and a fresh new chance to get organized. Beyond the pantry, the garage or the yard, for many, the success of any given year falls squarely on the organization of the family calendar and the shoulders of the one who manages it.

Child care can be expensive and hard for all parents to navigate, even in the best of circumstances. When kids can’t attend school or daycare due to illness or closures, parents are often left scrambling to find child care and when they can’t, are forced to miss work or important commitments as a result. Luckily, there is a solution! Trusting Connections Nanny Agency offers exceptional nannies, sitters and other childcare staffing professionals, 24/7, 365 days a year – even at a moment’s notice.

Just a few of the services available with a Flex Membership include:

-Custom nanny care
-School pick-ups/drop-offs
-Transporting to/from activities
-Linens/laundry
-Newborn/multiples/special needs care
-24/7 emergency care
-Sick care
-Overnight care
-Extended day/night care
-Travel nannies
-Housekeeping
-Personal assistant services including meal preparation, errands and organizing.

Here at Trusting Connections, we are committed to excellence with our meticulous pre-hire 21-point screening process including an extensive background investigation conducted by a private detective. We understand that these are your children and you want only the very best for them and full confidence in the person you allow to care for them.

Let Trusting Connections give you that peace of mind in 2020! Fill out the registration form here.

January 9, 2020 by Desiree Stites

5th Annual Girl Scout Cookie Buying Event

Do-Si-Do, Here We Go!

Trusting Connections is keeping the tradition alive by hosting their 5th Annual Girl Scout Cookie Buying Event! Come join us as we support Girl Scouts and encourage young girls in their efforts to learn business and leadership skills.

We Made A Promise

On Thursday, January 30, 2019, Co-Founders Rosalind Prather and Caroline Wesnitzer, vow to purchase cookies from every Girl Scout that visits between 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm. This year we will be joined with other local businesses including Oracle Ford and Silverado Technologies, and Moms Making Six Figures.

Keeping the Tradition Alive

This year, like the previous, the event will be held at the Girl Scout offices on Broadway. In the spirit of the educational purpose of this program, girls – individually or in groups, will be asked to give a brief sales pitch to TC Co-Founders before being invited to draw from a jar that will contain notes indicating how many boxes the agency will purchase from one to up to 25 boxes. Girls should come equipped with a variety of cookie flavors to sell. They will also have the opportunity to pitch to the other business participants. Signs, posters, and jingles are welcome, so come prepared!

Refreshments and snacks will be available along with a fun arts and crafts activity. We expect a huge turnout this year, so this year we are implementing a scheduling system. Please follow the link below to schedule your time slot.

To schedule your time slot please click here

To visit us on Facebook, please click here

For all other media inquiries, please email info@trustingconnections.com

COVID-19: Expert Top 10 Tips on Working From Home with Kids

Business + Babies

Working from Home. You've Got This.

Watch Our Co-Founder on Good Morning Arizona!

Nanny Taxes: Are You Breaking the Law?