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Anonymous wrote:So we are thinking of hiring our first nanny. What besides the hourly pay are generally part of the offer?
If we are having our nanny transport to and from school are we obligated to provide her a care, or insurance?
What is standard as far as health care?
Any other perks that I should consider offering as part of a competitive offer.
Nannies are hourly employees, entitled to overtime after 40 hours. The way to KEEP a nanny is to offer guaranteed hours, meaning that if you come home early (or take some vacation days)and let nanny leave, you don't then dock her pay.
Generally 2 weeks PTO and 5 sick days are offered, although more families are simply offering 15 days PTO, plus holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving and the day after, Christmas Day) and if you include some federal holidays as well that's a nice perk.
You can ask nanny to use her car, but if you have more than 2 kids, this will narrow your pool of applicants quite a bit, since most nannies don't own minivans or large SUV's. If she uses her car you pay standard IRS mileage, and you INSIST that she adds a business rider to her car insurance policy. Some employers pay for the rider, some don't.
Wait to offer help with health insurance until her 1st or 2nd anniversary with you, and remember that money isn't taxed.
It's also a nice thing to do to offer her computer access during nap times once she's finished with any kid related work she has to do, and offering her food and drink (although that's a heated topic here) is both kind and gracious. A true professional nanny will not eat you out of house and home, and will respect your leftovers and such.
And one of the biggest perks you can offer is sincere appreciation for a job well done. Thank her when she leaves each day, and be interested enough to ask how your kids did with her each day. If a nanny knows you give a darn about her, she will (again, if she is a professional) take initiative on her job, which makes you an even happier employer.
No, I help my charge(s) make cards for my MB/DB for their birthdays and anniversary, but no gifts.
I actually specifically asked on Christmas, and was told, "No, you do not need to get us anything, you give us the best gift every day by caring for our kid(s)."
I actually specifically asked on Christmas, and was told, "No, you do not need to get us anything, you give us the best gift every day by caring for our kid(s)."
Going further on what PP's have said:
Can you do projects related to what they are studying, or go on field trips, or arrange play dates, or just take them to various playgrounds, or do random stuff based on their interests?
Can you do projects related to what they are studying, or go on field trips, or arrange play dates, or just take them to various playgrounds, or do random stuff based on their interests?
So your MB is so laid back that she just buys used car seats on craigslist? Does she know how foolish that is? Unless she knows and trusts the seller, those car seats could be damaged due to being in wrecks. And damaged car seats = damaged kids if a wreck happens with your charges in the car.
OP, do you really bring in enough money by working that it's worth feeling frustrated and resentful so much of the time?
I'm sure you (and your DH/SO) have gone over your budget to see just how much you bring in net (after paying nanny, driving, parking, work clothes, eating out, paying taxes, etc.) and to see if you could live without that money. Right?
It would just stink to feel so upset if you don't HAVE to work, as in, can't pay the mortgage without your income.
I'm sure you (and your DH/SO) have gone over your budget to see just how much you bring in net (after paying nanny, driving, parking, work clothes, eating out, paying taxes, etc.) and to see if you could live without that money. Right?
It would just stink to feel so upset if you don't HAVE to work, as in, can't pay the mortgage without your income.
Doing a separate check means nanny doesn't have to pay SS/Med/FIT/SIT on that money, and that employers don't have to pay THEIR share of taxes on the money either.
If YOU offer to spend time with your former charges, do it for free. If your former MB/DB ask you to spend time with them, consider it paid babysitting, and charge what you feel comfortable charging. IMO, a slightly lower rate would mean more calls, and more chances to see the kids.
OP, let me be sure I understand your point. You "found" a bottle of prescription meds in your nanny's bathroom, and looked at it closely enough to determine what the med was and who it was prescribed for.
You don't KNOW why your nanny takes celexa, and you don't really care. You have decided she is depressed, and therefore dangerous, and now you want to let her go.
Guess what, OP? The people who are depressed and NOT seeking help or medicated are the ones who might do something dangerous. Your nanny has meds. That means she has at least attempted to seek help. That mean she is likely functioning pretty well.
Has she seemed ill in any way? Is she not going out with your kids as usual? Is she not doing her usual good job? If so, then you need to consider whether she is currently able to do the job you hired her to do. If all is well, then leave this alone.
(Remember how people have said the NY nanny was visibly ill and "off"? Very few people can be that mentally ill and NOT show signs of their distress.)
Your thinking is ass-backwards.
You don't KNOW why your nanny takes celexa, and you don't really care. You have decided she is depressed, and therefore dangerous, and now you want to let her go.
Guess what, OP? The people who are depressed and NOT seeking help or medicated are the ones who might do something dangerous. Your nanny has meds. That means she has at least attempted to seek help. That mean she is likely functioning pretty well.
Has she seemed ill in any way? Is she not going out with your kids as usual? Is she not doing her usual good job? If so, then you need to consider whether she is currently able to do the job you hired her to do. If all is well, then leave this alone.
(Remember how people have said the NY nanny was visibly ill and "off"? Very few people can be that mentally ill and NOT show signs of their distress.)
Your thinking is ass-backwards.
Offer her the sleeping arrangement choices: "Nanny, when you spend the night you can either sleep in our room on fresh sheets, on the pull out sofa, or on an air mattress."
WRT the overnight rate, generally most nannies I know ask for half-time (half their usual rate) for the hours when their charges are sleeping, as long as the kids all sleep through the night.
$150 is very generous, but you might want to drop the rate a bit.
WRT the overnight rate, generally most nannies I know ask for half-time (half their usual rate) for the hours when their charges are sleeping, as long as the kids all sleep through the night.
$150 is very generous, but you might want to drop the rate a bit.
So in 4 days your soon-to-be-ex MB managed to decide to fire you, find and hire a "manny", had a final confrontation with her DH about you, and let you go with 6 months severance?
Amazing.
Amazing.
Anonymous wrote:Seems like if you dress like one of the kids, you're more prone to getting treated like one of the kids.
Yeah, I know when I wear a onesie or a set of footie pajamas I get treated like a child...
3 kids under 4, and a single place they can go within walking distance, otherwise they stay home...
Maybe your nanny is depressed? I know if my employers limited my world that way *I* would be reluctant to even get up in the morning.
Maybe your nanny is depressed? I know if my employers limited my world that way *I* would be reluctant to even get up in the morning.
Nursing associations got very upset with people assuming the title of "nurse" when they had no medical training. A significant enough fuss was made that there has been an effort to eliminate the use of the term "baby nurse" among people who are aware of the issue nurses have with that term.
I doubt saying "I'm a baby nurse!" is illegal, but it is certainly incorrect, unless you actually have nursing certification and training.
NCS training isn't cheap, but it's good thing to have on your resume if you want to focus on working with infants. There are very few CERTIFIED NCS, simply because that process takes a long time and isn't very easy to accomplish. People who have taken the NCS course successfully refer to themselves as "Trained Newborn Care Specialists".
I doubt saying "I'm a baby nurse!" is illegal, but it is certainly incorrect, unless you actually have nursing certification and training.
NCS training isn't cheap, but it's good thing to have on your resume if you want to focus on working with infants. There are very few CERTIFIED NCS, simply because that process takes a long time and isn't very easy to accomplish. People who have taken the NCS course successfully refer to themselves as "Trained Newborn Care Specialists".
OP, with a 9-month-old, yes, there is a significant amount of naptime involved in the day of a nanny working for you.
But at some point, that nap time is going to get shorter, and one nap will disappear altogether in 9 months or less.
So if you want to ask your nanny/housekeeper/cook to fill all but one hour of naptime with work, do be aware that the amount she'll be able to accomplish in the time she has now (2-3 hours a day after her 1 hour break?) is going to slowly diminish as your baby is awake more.
That means you will have to start DROPPING duties from her list as you see the nap schedule changing, and you will need to emphasize to her that you want her attention focused on baby first, with cleaning and cooking a distant second.
But at some point, that nap time is going to get shorter, and one nap will disappear altogether in 9 months or less.
So if you want to ask your nanny/housekeeper/cook to fill all but one hour of naptime with work, do be aware that the amount she'll be able to accomplish in the time she has now (2-3 hours a day after her 1 hour break?) is going to slowly diminish as your baby is awake more.
That means you will have to start DROPPING duties from her list as you see the nap schedule changing, and you will need to emphasize to her that you want her attention focused on baby first, with cleaning and cooking a distant second.
It's possible to have loads of money and not raise spoiled children. OTOH, very few indulged and "naughty" children have decent parents.
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