<p>After being married for 20 years, you are getting separated from your husband, and you are looking to be a nanny in order to support yourself. I am assuming you are getting separated or divorced from your husband because otherwise you would be getting his life insurance. Get a lawyer first.</p>
<p>Oldfort – BigBearmom posted an earlier thread on her marriage ending. We discussed lawyering up (!) then. </p>
<p>I forgot to say, Good Luck, BearBearMom – you are strong and I have no doubt you will succeed!</p>
<p>Oldfort - I don’t see the connection between divorce and life insurance. He’s alive, so I guess she may receive rights to at least of his life insurance when he passes. But right now, she needs money to live on.</p>
<p>BigBearMom - I agree with the others, get a lawyer! You need an attorney who specializes in divorce. If you have a friend who got a bad deal in their own divorce, use the lawyer that theire ex used.</p>
<p>I haven´t been following OP story, so the only reason OP would need a job and a place to live after 20 years of marriage would be 1) divorce, 2) death of her husband. If the husband had died then she would be getting some insurance money.</p>
<p>Bigbearmom - I hired alot of nannies in my working years, and none of them had a resume. When I interviewed them, I asked them about their experiences and asked for references from 2 or 3 people. Those references could be someone you babysat for, or just character references from a clergyperson, a neighbor, anyone who can give info about your character. Of course, best would be someone you worked for, in the same line as the job you are applying for. Really, I hired based on how comfortable I was with the person, and how comfortable they seemed with my kids. I always hired on a “trial basis” for a couple weeks so we can see whether it is a good fit.</p>
<p>Hi Bigbearmom:</p>
<p>For the LT (not the housekeeping job) I highly recommend the book Back on the Career Track by Carol Fishman Cohen and Vivian Rabin. It’s a great resource for stay at home moms who wish to relaunch their careers. There is also a website, [iRelaunch</a> - Career Re-entry Experts - Women Re-entering the Workforce](<a href=“http://www.irelaunch.com%5DiRelaunch”>http://www.irelaunch.com) that may be helpful. This book really built up my confidence and helps you make a plan. </p>
<p>Good luck and let us know how things evolve.</p>
<p>You can go on craigslist.com, indeed.com, or simplyhired.com and find a lot of people looking for elder care (some of those could be live in, in private homes or adult family homes). There are also local, private employment agencies in every city which might also be good resources. Go in and fill out an application.</p>
<p>For live in domestic help (housekeeping), find employment or recruiting agencies in the advertising section (usually the last few pages) of upscale magazines in your area, or in similar nationwide publications like Town and Country Magazine.</p>
<p>Be prepared with references in advance, as they will be required.</p>
<p>Good luck. :)</p>
<p>I would be afraid of craigslist, but you could try contacting your church or other community group for suggestions</p>
<p>Dear OP, if you are a Chinese and you live in or near big cities, such as S.F., L.A., Houston, Dallas … There are local chinese newspapers with lots of families looking for live-in nannies with light cooking. Please check into it. You can also find the ads looking for nanny posted in local Chinese supermarket. The chinese newspapers also have ads for somebody who as export/import experience. You can list your prior working experience and English speaking as your skill.</p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>Craigslist can be “worked” with proper cautions so that it is a great resource (anonymous email technology, meeting in a public places, references on both sides, Google research on prospective employers, etc.). I would still opt for agencies, though.</p>
<p>Are there any Chinese immersion or bilingual schools in your area? Seems like more and more Americans of all ethnic backgrounds are interested in having their kids learn Chinese (I heard a story about a bilingual charter school on NPR just last week), and I’m sure some of those families would love to have a native speaker as a nanny. Another option might be families of American-born Chinese children who want the kids to keep up the language. I’m from an immigrant family, and we always had nannies who spoke our native language growing up for that reason.</p>
<p>Since you live in TX, it is easy to find nanny job with Chinese families. In Houston, go to Bellaire Blvd. (southwest side of Houston). There are several Chinese supermarkets along that street. There are free local Chinese newspapers stands right inside the stores and you can find nanny jobs listed there. The pay for live in nanny may be about $900.00 / mo. You can also check with local Chinese restraraunts in that area. The waitresses who work there are middle-aged women. There is not that many young waitresses! </p>
<p>If you can not drive there by yourself, there is also Chinese newspapers’ website for “Mei Nan Xin Wen”, the translation maybe “Southern Chinese News”. Ask your daughter Google search it.</p>
<p>In Texas, there is no spouse alimony. However, it is comunity property state. You own half of real estate properties your husband bought during the marriage.</p>
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<p>Please remember two things, dear :)</p>
<p>The first thing is that there is not a blank in your life because you were tending to your family. Being a stay at home mother is a very noble thing and please do not forget that. </p>
<p>The other thing is that you need to just practice writing things out with your resume and then you need to find nice folks who will attest to your moral character. Since you were a stay at home mother, I am sure you met nice folks through the PTA or maybe through scouting who can attest to your moral character. </p>
<p>Please do not fret. Everything will be alright in due time.</p>
<p>If you are not yet divorced, is money for job training part of what your lawyer is working to get you? You deserve it, if you have spent your life supporting an ex husband’s career. If already divorced, see if there is any way you can get trained to be a CNA-certified nursing assistant, but only if the import/export certification doesn’t work out. You will never run out of jobs, and at some point could get on with a hospital or nursing home. The important thing in this country is to plan a way to get something so you can get health insurance eventually.</p>
<p>Busy weekend! I got two live in housekeeper job interview this Saturday. From the interview, I guess I can handle the job. They didn’t ask for formal resume, just asked me to write down personal info on paper, and phone numbers which they can call for reference. I told them my situation, they both agree to let me commute before august and move in after my D goes to college this fall. Well, I hope I can get one of the job. </p>
<p>Feel so happy this weekend. Peace and suddenly, “lighter” in my heart…</p>
<p>That is wonderful news, bigbearmom. It great that you are looking and moving forward. When one door closes another one opens. Best of luck.</p>
<p>Bigbearmom, </p>
<p>I am so pleased that you have had such good news this weekend!</p>