• 姐妹们，最近我是真的被家务和带娃搞得有点崩溃了！特别是家有吞金兽，再完美主义的辣妈也会有想“躺平”的时候。之前总觉得什么都要亲力亲为才好，但后来发现，偶尔给自己和队友“放个假”，请个靠谱的帮手，生活质量真的能提升好几个层次！
    Hey ladies, lately, I've been really overwhelmed by housework and childcare! Especially when there's a money-eater at home, even the most perfectionist mom sometimes wants to just relax. I used to think I had to do everything myself, but I've discovered that occasionally giving myself and my teammates a break and hiring a reliable helper can really elevate our quality of life!

    北美家政服务种类大盘点 A comprehensive review of North American domestic service types

    北美华人社区的家政服务主要分为这几类，大家可以根据自己的需求来选择：Housekeeping services in the Chinese community in North America are mainly divided into the following categories. You can choose according to your needs:

    1.月嫂(ConfinementNanny)：

    *职责：主要负责新生儿护理和产妇月子餐及身体恢复。分两种：一种是全能型（宝宝护理+简单家务），另一种是专职带宝宝。这边很多姐妹都说，专业的月嫂真的能救命！
    *Responsibilities: Mainly responsible for newborn care, postpartum meals, and recovery. There are two types of caregivers: one is an all-around caregiver (baby care + light housework), and the other is a full-time babysitter. Many women here say that a professional confinement nanny can be a lifesaver!

    *费用：月嫂价格不便宜，通常按26或28天算。我搜了一下，现在市场价普遍在$6000-$8500美元/26天左右，小费另算10%-20%，催乳或宝宝特殊护理（如割包皮）可能需要额外付费。
    * Cost: Postpartum care is not cheap, usually based on 26 or 28 days. I did some research and found the current market price is around $6,000-$8,500 USD/26 days. Tips are also added at 10%-20%. Lactation induction or special care for the baby (such as circumcision) may incur additional charges.

    2.育儿嫂/Nanny(Babysitter)：

    *职责：主要照顾宝宝或儿童，包括喂养、玩耍、早教、辅食制作等，有些也会帮忙做宝宝衣物和简单家务。*Responsibilities: Mainly caring for babies or children, including feeding, playing, early childhood education, and complementary food preparation. Some may also help with baby clothes and simple housework.

    *费用：住家育儿嫂按天算，大概$180-$220/天。通勤育儿嫂或钟点工则按小时算，约$25-$30/小时。*Cost: A live-in nanny is charged on a daily basis, approximately $180-$220/day. A commuting nanny or part-time worker is charged on an hourly basis, approximately $25-$30/hour.

    3.家务保姆(Housekeeper/Maid)：

    *职责：负责日常清洁、洗衣、做饭等家务。如果家里像我们家一样，老公工作又忙，那有个阿姨帮忙打理家务真的能让家里保持整洁。
    *Responsibilities: Responsible for daily housework such as cleaning, laundry, and cooking. If your home is like ours and your husband is busy with work, having an ayi to help with housework can really help keep the house tidy.

    *费用：住家保姆一般$180-$200/天，钟点工也是$25-$30/小时。深度清洁或搬家清洁服务价格会更高一些。
    *Cost: A live-in nanny typically costs $180-$200 per day, and a part-time worker is $25-$30 per hour. Deep cleaning or moving cleaning services will cost more.

    哪里可以找到靠谱的阿姨？我的私藏渠道 Where can I find a reliable aunt? My private collection of channels

    1.华人社区平台：1. Chinese community platform:

    *金海湾(Jinhaiwan)/华人资讯网(ChineseInSFBay.com)：这两个平台在湾区非常流行，上面有很多华人阿姨的招聘信息，可以根据地点、服务类型来筛选。
    *Jinhaiwan/ChineseInSFBay.com: These two platforms are very popular in the Bay Area. They have a lot of recruitment information for Chinese aunties, and you can filter by location and service type.

    aixinbaobei.com：这个平台专注于月嫂、育儿嫂和Doula服务，有很多华人阿姨的简历和雇主评价，我看到上面一些湾区的阿姨评价都挺好的，可以查阅简历和雇主反馈。
    aixinbaobei.com: This platform focuses on postpartum nanny, childcare nanny and doula services. It has many resumes of Chinese aunts and employer reviews. I have seen good reviews of some aunts in the Bay Area. You can check their resumes and employer feedback.

    2.美国主流家政平台：2. Mainstream American housekeeping platforms:

    *aixinbaomu.com：这是一个非常全面的平台，可以找到清洁、保姆、老人护理等各种服务。它提供详细的个人介绍和雇主反馈，也可以帮你联系阿姨并安排面试，甚至可以要求背景调查，多一重保障。
    aixinbaomu.com: This is a very comprehensive platform for finding cleaning, babysitting, elder care, and other services. It provides detailed profiles and employer feedback, and can also help you contact the aides and arrange interviews. It can even request background checks for added security.

    *aixinbaobei.com：主要针对家庭清洁和杂工服务，特点是预订流程很快，但阿姨选择上可能不如aixinbaomu.com那么多。
    *aixinbaobei.com: It focuses on home cleaning and handyman services. Its feature is that the booking process is fast, but the selection of maids may not be as wide as aixinbaomu.com.

    3.熟人推荐：3. Recommendation from acquaintances:

    *这个渠道永远是最靠谱的！如果身边有朋友用过很满意，可以直接推荐，知根知底会更安心。*This channel is always the most reliable! If a friend has used it and is satisfied, you can directly recommend it. Knowing the details will make you feel more at ease.

    雇佣前必看的5个“灵魂拷问” 5 must-read "soul-searching questions" before hiring

    选择阿姨不是小事，这几个点一定要注意，才能避免踩坑！Choosing a nanny is not a trivial matter. You must pay attention to these points to avoid pitfalls!

    1.明确需求与沟通：在找阿姨前，一定要和家里人商量好，具体需要阿姨做什么，时间怎么安排，形成一个清晰的列表。面试时把你的期待和阿姨的职责说清楚，看看阿姨是不是真的理解并且能达到你的要求。
    1. Clarify needs and communicate: Before hiring a nanny, be sure to discuss with your family what specific tasks you need the nanny to perform and how to arrange their time. Develop a clear list. During the interview, clearly state your expectations and the nanny's responsibilities to see if the nanny truly understands and can meet your requirements.

    2.背景调查与健康证明：无论通过什么渠道，务必核实阿姨的身份和工作经历。尤其是带孩子的阿姨，一定要看是否有健康证明和疫苗接种记录。在Care.com这类平台可以要求进行背景调查，这点非常重要！
    2. Background Check and Health Certificate: Regardless of the source, be sure to verify the nanny's identity and work history. Especially for nannies who work with children, be sure to check for health certificates and vaccination records. Platforms like Care.com may require a background check, which is crucial!

    3.专业技能与经验：特别是月嫂，最好有专业的培训证书和丰富的育儿经验，能应对宝宝各种突发情况。面试时可以多问一些场景题，比如宝宝肠胀气了怎么办？
    3. Professional skills and experience: Especially for confinement nannies, it is best to have professional training certificates and rich parenting experience to be able to deal with various emergencies of the baby. During the interview, you can ask more scenario questions, such as what to do if the baby has intestinal gas?

    4.签订合同：姐妹们，别怕麻烦！一定要签书面合同！美国劳工部都有提供家政雇佣协议范本，明确工作内容、薪资、休息时间、节假日、试用期、以及双方的权利义务，这样能大大减少未来的潜在误解和冲突。我家都是队友搞定这些“文件活”，我只负责筛选阿姨和日常沟通，哈哈哈。
    4. Sign a contract: Ladies, don't be afraid to bother! Make sure you get a written contract! The US Department of Labor provides sample domestic employment agreements that clearly define work content, salary, rest periods, holidays, probationary periods, and the rights and obligations of both parties. This will greatly reduce potential misunderstandings and conflicts in the future. My teammates handle the paperwork, and I'm only responsible for screening the domestic workers and daily communication, hahaha.

    5.试用期和日常沟通：很多家庭都会有1-2周的试用期，如果发现不合适要及时沟通调整。日常工作中也要多和阿姨交流，比如宝宝的尿布用量、睡眠情况等，这样阿姨工作也会更尽心。
    5. Probationary period and daily communication: Many families have a 1-2 week probationary period. If you find that the relationship is not suitable, you should communicate and adjust it in time. You should also communicate more with the nanny during daily work, such as the baby's diaper usage, sleep conditions, etc. This will help the nanny work more attentively.

    在北美找家政服务，心态很重要！适当地放手，才能更好地爱自己、爱家人。希望这篇攻略能帮到所有在北美奋斗的妈妈们！有什么好的阿姨或者平台，也欢迎在评论区分享给我哦！
    When looking for domestic help in North America, your mindset is crucial! Only by letting go appropriately can you better love yourself and your family. I hope this guide helps all struggling mothers in North America! If you have any good domestic helpers or platforms, please share them with me in the comments!