Nanny watching one more kid few hours per week?

[Anonymous]

My family is going away for the summer (about two months) and we are bringing our nanny to watch our two kids, 7 and 15 months. My brother and his 11 yo DS live in the area and we've been talking about having my nephew spend one day a week with my family. They don't live that close (up to an hour's drive) and my brother works so he'd drop off my nephew in the morning and pick him up in the evening.

Our nanny's work day is 10-5. The one day a week our nephew spends with us, I'm thinking that the nanny takes my two kids and nephew out for a few hours to the playground or park in the afternoon and brings them home. Otherwise, my nephew won't be with her at all except when we all have lunch together, but nanny won't have to do anything for him.

How should I approach this with nanny? Is it necessary that I offer her extra pay? I'll be honest, I'd rather not give her extra $$ since 1) my nephew is an independent 11 yo who needs little oversight, not a small child and 2) while yes, an extra child is more responsibility, his being there makes nanny's job easier; he will play with my 7yo, freeing nanny up to focus on my toddler. If he weren't there, nanny would have to try to keep both the 7yo and toddler entertained, which is not easy.

[Anonymous]

"Do you mind watching 11yo too? In my experience he's a net positive and keeps 7yo busy!"

Then wait for an ask.

[Anonymous]

How responsible is he? 11 y/o boys can vary widely in terms of whether they are helpful, neutral, or a burden/work to watch.

[Anonymous]

It can also be harder to have an older kid - 11 can be too old for playgrounds, and bored tweens aren’t always kind.

You must pay her more for additional children, yes. Absolutely. But it doesn’t have to be much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How responsible is he? 11 y/o boys can vary widely in terms of whether they are helpful, neutral, or a burden/work to watch.

He’s an easy kid. Listens to adults, plays really well with my 7 yo, let’s her call the shots so they never fight. I always prefer having him there than not since it’s less work for me.

[Anonymous]

You definitely have to offer her at least a token of additional money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My family is going away for the summer (about two months) and we are bringing our nanny to watch our two kids, 7 and 15 months. My brother and his 11 yo DS live in the area and we've been talking about having my nephew spend one day a week with my family. They don't live that close (up to an hour's drive) and my brother works so he'd drop off my nephew in the morning and pick him up in the evening.

Our nanny's work day is 10-5. The one day a week our nephew spends with us, I'm thinking that the nanny takes my two kids and nephew out for a few hours to the playground or park in the afternoon and brings them home. Otherwise, my nephew won't be with her at all except when we all have lunch together, but nanny won't have to do anything for him.

How should I approach this with nanny? Is it necessary that I offer her extra pay? I'll be honest, I'd rather not give her extra $$ since 1) my nephew is an independent 11 yo who needs little oversight, not a small child and 2) while yes, an extra child is more responsibility, his being there makes nanny's job easier; he will play with my 7yo, freeing nanny up to focus on my toddler. If he weren't there, nanny would have to try to keep both the 7yo and toddler entertained, which is not easy.

Yes you pay her. It is not about how much oversight they need but the fact that she will be responsible for him while she is with him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You definitely have to offer her at least a token of additional money.

Token, BS! YOU OFFER HER HER NORMAL HOURLY Pay.

[Anonymous]

Will she be responsible for him while they are out of the house? Or is he there on his own recognizance? If she’s responsible for him, then she gets paid more.

[Anonymous]

I have 11 and 7 year olds. They don’t want to do the same things. The 11 year old thinks playgrounds are for babies. He’s be happy to play video games all day though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 11 and 7 year olds. They don’t want to do the same things. The 11 year old thinks playgrounds are for babies. He’s be happy to play video games all day though.

Yes and some 11 year olds are earning money as mother’s helpers. It sounds like OP’s nephew is helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You definitely have to offer her at least a token of additional money.

Token, BS! YOU OFFER HER HER NORMAL HOURLY Pay.

But that's what OP is already paying her? Her NORMAL pay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 11 and 7 year olds. They don’t want to do the same things. The 11 year old thinks playgrounds are for babies. He’s be happy to play video games all day though.

When I was 11 I was making money baby-sitting 7 yr olds. Maybe your 11 yr old is immature.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You definitely have to offer her at least a token of additional money.

Token, BS! YOU OFFER HER HER NORMAL HOURLY Pay.

Whoa there tiger. Most of the time, going from two kids to three kids does not involve doubling pay, which is I think what you're implying.

If she usually makes, for example, $24 per hour, and she's going to have an extra kid for three hours, I think throwing her $30 extra is totally reasonable. So essentially for those three hours, she's making $34 an hour.

I would also ask her if it's okay - she might not want to watch him, and that's her call.

[Anonymous]

Of course you pay her more