Anonymous wrote:16:59 here and I wanted to add that it isn't just about being nice or being mean or generous/stingy or anything else that simple. If you could easily afford this then I might say to go for it, but imagine if you stretch yourselves to the limit and then your nanny decides to stay in her home country anothwr 2 weeks--or indefinitely? Or comes back to work but is off her game for the next 6 months? Or leaves for some unrelated reason 4 months from now? Do not give an amount (and that is what this is--a GIFT--pay is money that has been earned in some way) that you cannot afford, because it is going to make you resentful if/when she cannot live up to your expectations. Give what you can reasonably afford to give with no stress or pressure to your family. Anything else is setting both of you up for needless stress and complication down the line.
This is really smart and sound advice. There is no guarantee that she will come back, or not need to go again or something. Paying her for anything beyond her accrued leave is a gift - it is very nice of you to do but only to the extent you can comfortably afford it. After all, what if she goes for six weeks and doesn't come back? Or has another death in the family in six months? I am sure her grief is overwhelming right now and you want to be supportive, so do what you can - but not at the cost of stretching yourself too thin.