What to pay nanny when kids go to part time preschool?

[Anonymous]

We have a wonderful live-out nanny for our two year old twin boys. She's been with us since they were 3 weeks old and she was helping me (We know each other personally) get through the exhaustion and OH MY GOD TWINS ARE HARD phase (that actually hasn't passed yet. yikes). Our boys love her and she loves our boys. We think it's time to consider putting them in a part time program, 3 days a week, when they turn 3. This creates a bit of an issue with us because she'd be taking them to and from but for the few hours they're away from home, what do we do about pay? We're thinking that we'd switch from bi-weekly salary (we pay over the table) to an hourly salary and just eliminate hours that she isn't watching the boys. She mentioned that if she stays on, she'd want to start caring for another child at least 3 days a week, which is fine with me, as long as we find the right fit.

Our nanny is concerned about a loss in pay, especially if she can't find another family to work with. That's understandable. We don't want to lose her but we can't afford to send both kids to school and pay for a full time nanny that's just sitting at our home. We also know that her being at our house while the boys are at school is taking up her time and she wouldn't be able to get another part-time out-of-the-house job for just those hours, so I feel like we need to work out a compromise.

All of this is new. We've only been actively thinking about it today, even though our nanny has expressed a desire to nanny share now that the twins are older and (she thinks) super easy. We're in Maryland and we're new (two years is still new, right?) to childcare and all that and the thought of breaking the law and not having our nanny 100% made us uncomfortable. Now we know it would be needed if we want to keep her.

Any advice?
Any thoughts on what we should do about pay?
Thanks.

[Anonymous]

You should ALWAYS have been paying her hourly as Federal law mandates that nannies are hourly employees. How much OT have you screwed her out of?

[Anonymous]

1. Agree nannies should be paid hourly. You can't go salary.
2. Do you have other things she can do while kids are in preschool? Their laundry? Tidy rooms? Light housekeeping?

If not, you risk losing her. Your needs have changed but her need for full time pay hasn't.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

We weren't paying her with taxes at first, since she was just helping us out until my mother took over when I went back to work. Then, that suddenly was no longer the plan and when I had to go back, we were stuck in a bind. We hastily made payment adjustments and once everything was discussed, we found a payroll company and made arrangements to go "legal."

She already does the laundry and light housekeeping (vacuums once a week, swiffers the kitchen floor, dishes, cleans up after the boys, organizes their toys and closet, etc.). As I said, she finds the kids to not be as exhausting as I do on the weekends and offered to do these chores (and more) since she started. They're just things she does. I don't think I'd get even half of what she gets done in a day if I was at home all day, every day. There's really nothing more we can ask of her. If she thought there was, she'd probably already be doing it (our boys take a 2-3 hour rest/nap still).

Thank you for your answers.
I think we definitely should look into the hourly pay.

Registration for preschool programs look like they start in January. At what time do you think we should start looking for another family to potentially nanny share with? Same time? The twins wouldn't be starting school until the school year starts in 2014.

[She doesn't work over time, btw. Her hours give me an extra 45 minutes to an hour with her after I get home, thankfully enough. And, my mom comes over a lot and if I know I'll be late, my husband is around or my mother will come over to help. Our nanny doesn't drive so she's free to go as soon as her ride arrives, as long as I'm home. She's "off the clock" come 5:30, whether her ride is here or not.]

[Anonymous]

What is her current approximate hourly pay, OP?

[Anonymous]

You'll have trouble finding a share if she doesn't drive.

[Anonymous]

Take into consideration you will most likely need her if one or both kids are sick, days the preschool program is closed etc

[Anonymous]

OP, what happens if you don't get two slots at a preschool within walking distance of your home?

[Anonymous]

MB here - if you are not in a nanny share, you have to pay her for the time the kids are in preschool. That's what we did and to be honest it didn't even occur to me to pay her less! I'm sure she would have quit!

It may be the case that your nanny will accept less salary/an hourly rate and to not to be paid for those hours, but she would only be doing it because she needs some kind of income, and if she didn't manage to find a nanny share she might just look for a full-time job with another family.

I would think the best alternative is to start by paying her for all the hours she is available to work for you, inlcuding the hours that the kids are at preschool, and then both you and she actively seek out a nanny share so that you can reduce your expenses (and it should definitely have some financial benefit to her too, i.e. she should make more than she is making working full-time just for you, because again if she does not she might just look for a totally new full-time job).

[Anonymous]

Your kids are aging out of nanny care.

[Anonymous]

I think your nanny will have a hard time finding a new position around that schedule. (But maybe I'm reading it wrong- it's early for me so that may be).

You need her the full time the two days they are not in school, plus drive them to school and pick them up from than continue to watch them on three days. What are the hours for school?
What if the part time new family is running late and she than runs late picking them up? What happens when your kids are sick? What about closed school days? Or if she's dropping off your kids at school and they don't want her to leave causing her to be late to the next job.

I realize that she loves you all and you love her but if it's not going to work out and she needs that pay, she needs to move on. And you all should support any decision she makes.

[Anonymous]

OP it sounds like if you want to keep her you'll need to pay her for those hours (add grocery shopping and meal prep to her tasks maybe?), help find a family for a nanny-share, or keep her on only for the two days you need FT care so she can find another PT position the other three days. You could get a college sitter perhaps for the pre-school days?

[Anonymous]

Well she doesn't drive so she'll have a hard time finding employment but not impossible.

Definitely do NOT pay full time if you only need her part time. Such a waste of money.

[nannydebsays]

OP, what would nanny's schedule be like if she continued to work for you 5 days a week? Would she be responsible for walking your kids to school, or would she only have to pick them up?

The answer to this question will determine whether it's possible for her to find a 2nd position or not:

Possible for nanny to work 2 jobs, as long as you or your So covers any days off of school until nanny's start time:You take boys to school 3 days a week at 9. Nanny picks them up at 1 and stays until 5:30. The other 2 days, nanny works her normal 8a - 5p. Nanny works 3 mornings a week for a family within walking distance to your home and the kids school. During school breaks, holidays, and sick days, you or your SO care for the kids until 1 pm when nanny arrives.

Not likely that nanny can work 2 jobs: Nanny arrives every day at 8, and 3 days per week walks boys to school at 9. Then nanny returns to school at 11:30 or Noon to pick kids up and continues to work until 5. Nanny works 8a - 5p on any and all days boys do not have school, like holidays and sick days.

Scenario #1 means nanny could find work 3 days a week from 8a - 12:30p within walking distance from your school/home, and that the 2nd family could fully expect her to be available 52 weeks a year.

Scenario #2 means nanny would have about 2 hours, 3 days a week, unless one or both of your boys wasn't going to school, to get to, work at, and return from a second job.

[Anonymous]

I am currently in the same situation. We pay our nanny while my child is in preschool. Yes, it really sucks. But, she cannot find another job for 3 hours while the kids are in preschool. And, I figure when the school is closed for holidays it makes it much easier.