Car Seats

[Anonymous]

There is a post on the general parent forum about car seats and the nanny car.

Some of the comments got me thinking...

Do you have car seats in your car? Do you leave them in at all times? How do you do other things with car seats in your car? ( ie use the back seat or 2nd, 3rd row). Do you get compensated for the inconvenience of not being able to use your whole car while not working (if you have to leave the car seat(s) in at all times).

[Anonymous]

I leave them in my car all of the time. I've never heard of being compensated for the headache of not having full use of my car.

[Anonymous]

I wish I could convince families to compensate me for the inconvenience. My five seat car has turned into a 2 seat car because of the car seats. It's a pain the ass and when I find a new job I'm only accepting positions with a nanny car available

[Anonymous]

I leave the car seats in my car because that is convenient for me. I am not forced to keep them in my car, I would just need to remove and install them daily if I wanted too. The parents already compensate me so why would I deserve more to do my job. My family actually has a nanny vehicle (minivan) available but I like driving my car instead. It's a little messy sure but not ruined or anything, again its just much more convenient for me to use my own car.

[Anonymous]

I have my own seats in my car and was taught by a tech how to install them. I rarely need to remove them but if I do I'm confident in reinstalling them. My nf actually asks me about car seat safety and we saw a tech together.

I advise any nanny that drives her charges to meet with a tech from safe kids. Parents install incorrectly as well and this way you always know the seats either in your car or nf's car are installed and used correctly. 80% of car seats are installed/used incorrectly

[Anonymous]

You are crazy for allowing car seats to be put in your car. If out do, then you should tell the parents that there will be a charge for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are crazy for allowing car seats to be put in your car. If out do, then you should tell the parents that there will be a charge for this.

Oh please...

[Anonymous]

My nanny family provided a nice new car seat so I can take the little one out. I leave it in all the time, it's really locked in so I would only remove it if I really needed that extra seat for some reason. I'm single so it's usually just me in the car unless I drive my mom or brother somewhere so it's no big deal in my case.

[Anonymous]

I usually keep the carseats installed in my car, but if I need the back seat I will remove them. I always get DB to reinstall the carseats because I don't feel comfortable with it. I try to give him advance notice if possible, and I will come early in order to give him time to reinstall them. In my opinion, this is just a downside of using the nanny's car to transport kiddos (the most common nanny situation I encounter) and both the nanny and parents have to shoulder some of the inconvenience. The cost of having a nanny use her own car should be factored into her hourly rate, of course. She needs to be compensated for the use of her car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I usually keep the carseats installed in my car, but if I need the back seat I will remove them. I always get DB to reinstall the carseats because I don't feel comfortable with it. I try to give him advance notice if possible, and I will come early in order to give him time to reinstall them. In my opinion, this is just a downside of using the nanny's car to transport kiddos (the most common nanny situation I encounter) and both the nanny and parents have to shoulder some of the inconvenience. The cost of having a nanny use her own car should be factored into her hourly rate, of course. She needs to be compensated for the use of her car.

Absolutely, but the nanny should be compensated by mileage and IRS compensation rates, not as something factored into her hourly rate.

[Anonymous]

Carting kids around and their car seats nanny's car is not factored into IRS .55 cents per mile rate. ~

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Carting kids around and their car seats nanny's car is not factored into IRS .55 cents per mile rate. ~

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I usually keep the carseats installed in my car, but if I need the back seat I will remove them. I always get DB to reinstall the carseats because I don't feel comfortable with it. I try to give him advance notice if possible, and I will come early in order to give him time to reinstall them. In my opinion, this is just a downside of using the nanny's car to transport kiddos (the most common nanny situation I encounter) and both the nanny and parents have to shoulder some of the inconvenience. The cost of having a nanny use her own car should be factored into her hourly rate, of course. She needs to be compensated for the use of her car.

Absolutely, but the nanny should be compensated by mileage and IRS compensation rates, not as something factored into her hourly rate.

I am a govt. Contractor and a nanny. As a contractor I get IRS mileage rates to drive to my clients workplace, park, and then drive it back home. If you think adding the distraction of small children, spilled juice, and dents in the zoo parking lot should be compensated at the same rate then you have lost your mind. None of the nannies I know would settle for that.

[Anonymous]

The mileage rate covers gasoline and wear and tear on cars. The hourly rate covers carting kids around. Together ( plus any added costs the nanny has for insurance, which the family pays) the two cover the car seat issue. Obviously, if a nanny prefers not to drive or not to drive her own car, that gets negotiated when the job is accepted.

[Anonymous]

I don't think this is about normal every day working hours.

I think its more nights, weekends, holidays.

I take the car seats out because I have a 5 seat car. I need those spaces mostly on the weekends when I'm busy.