How much to bend the rules of our work agreement?

[Anonymous]

I am am MB. I would not offer any salary credits or waivers because by doing so, you are setting a precedent that the family, even subconsciously, will be going back to should they travel like this again. Enforce your agreement.

However, you are wise to understand that sometimes (especially for first-time nanny employers), families can't help but wonder "what are we paying for? You can proactively (if you want) think of things you can do for them while they are gone, and approach them with the offer of "while you are gone, I am planning to complete xyz, anything else you can think of?" That way they feel they continue to get value from you even while they are gone.