How to handle nanny's meals?

[Anonymous]

We recently changed our part-time nanny's daily hours from four to 6.5. Under her prior schedule, she would be with DD between lunch and dinner so meal allowance was not an issue. I have always told her that she should give me her receipts to reimburse for her snacks and such when she is out with DD, but she never does. Since it was a short work day and between meals, I left it alone. Now she is here from about noon to 6:30: she is at our place for about an hour prepping for the day, picks DD up from preschool, then they are out for several hours during which nanny gives DD the dinner she prepped her outside the home. They come back around 5:30 for bath and bedtime routine.

I'm pretty sure nanny eats lunch before she comes and dinner after she leaves. However, 6.5 hours is long enough that I feel like I need to provide for her somehow food-wise. I have told her in the past that she is welcome to make enough dinner for both herself and DD, but the meals are geared towards DD's palate and may not be appetizing to her. A couple thoughts:

1. Tell her that she can buy whatever food for herself (whether it's snacks or ingredients for a meal) and leave it in our kitchen so she can pack something for herself same time she's packing for DD. We reimburse her receipts.

Or

2. Give her a daily food allowance like $10? Nanny and DD are always on the go so she would have to resort to fast options, such as the grocery store and sandwich shops where $10 is enough to buy a sandwich, chips and a drink.

#1 would likely be the more economical option, but even if she says yes, I don't think she would give me her receipts because she hasn't so far. I would be fine with #2 except that for various reasons, we are paying her a lot more money than before and even though the food allowance itself is small, I feel like now is not the right time to offer it.

I am also open to other suggestions.

[Anonymous]

You sound really pushy about this. Have her write a grocery list and add whatever she wants. Ask her if she wants anything when you go to the store. Beyond that, she's an adult, quit trying to micromanage her receipts and food.

[Anonymous]

Just add the extra that you want to cover her meals to her weekly pay and let her decide whether she wants to buy food or some other thing with it. I think asking for receipts is a bit extra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just add the extra that you want to cover her meals to her weekly pay and let her decide whether she wants to buy food or some other thing with it. I think asking for receipts is a bit extra.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just add the extra that you want to cover her meals to her weekly pay and let her decide whether she wants to buy food or some other thing with it. I think asking for receipts is a bit extra.

This

Yep.

[Anonymous]

Another thought is to buy some gift cards to some different food places or grocery stores by you and let her know that these are to be used for her snacks.

[Anonymous]

Having to give bosses receipts and get $8.43 counted out makes them feel like crap.

[Anonymous]

You’re not required to buy her food and clearly she doesn’t care, so why do you keep pushing it? It is very generous of you but you told her what she needs to do so you can reimburse her, so the ball is her court.

If it really bothers you, leave how ever much money on the counter with a note: hey Susie, here’s money for the week for your meals. Don’t expect a receipt and don’t add extra money to her paycheck unless it’s a way to do it where it’s not taxable.

[Anonymous]

My nanny brings her own lunch every day. When I go to the store for the week, I ask her if I can pick anything up for her for snacks & whatnot. Seems to work fine.

[Anonymous]

This is OP. I guess I came across as pushy, but I'm not with the nanny. I didn't mention that she sometimes buys DD a snack, or buys herself something and shares it with DD, and won't ask me to reimburse. The only way I know is sometimes she or DD will mention it, but maybe not every time. Anyway, it's often in that context that I say "hey how much do I owe you for DD's muffin and whatever snack you got for yourself?" And I know I said in my post that I ask her for her receipts, but I just meant that I ask her how much to reimburse her. I do occasionally have to reimburse her for stuff and she just texts me the amount, I never ask for or get a receipt.

Anyway, I wasn't pushy about the snacks before because it was a short work day. But with the longer work day, I do feel somewhat responsible for her food because she must get hungry. DD said something the other day that made me think that nanny is buying food more frequently than when she worked fewer hours. I think the food allowance may not be right under the circumstances (which are not worth getting into). I know she regularly goes to one store in particular for her and DD's snacks so maybe I"ll just get her a gift card for that store from time to time.

[Anonymous]

Ask her to give you a list of snacks/drinks/food she wants.

Give her $25 a week for spending money when she's out with child.

[Anonymous]

Why do you feel that she can't pack snacks/a meal like everyone else? I don't get it -- you are way overthinking this.

[Anonymous]

Where does your kid eat dinner every day if they are not at home?

[Anonymous]

Does she ever make other purchases for as part of her job for you? Snacks for DD? Pick up a gallon of milk for the house? Fill up on gas? Art supplies? If so, just get her a credit card, then have her leave receipts with you. Capital One lets you add users and then each one gets a unique card number, and you can sort the charges by user to reconcile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where does your kid eat dinner every day if they are not at home?

This!

Your child should be learning table manners, how to sit and eat, etc.