Just repeat what you did last year. Doing less will only hurt you in the long run. I learned this the hard way when working for difficult bosses.

Do something from the kids, a card, small bouquet of flowers they can pick (if old enough), a nice painting they did you can frame ... etc.

Skip anything personal and stay professional.

Nanny.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't want my nanny to spend money on me, to be honest. If you must, have the kids make and decorate a card. Even when my kids were babies, our nanny would trace their hand and write happy birthday. Maybe bake cookies or brownies or something from a box.

Really, don't go big.

Never went big. The problem is that I don’t want to go small either.

Haha! This is exactly where I am with my MB and her birthday is in two weeks. We have hit a real rough patch in our nanny-parent relationship and I am in no mood tto get all sweet and sentimental on a birthday card for her. I wish her birthday fell on a weekend this year but it doesn’t.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, an a mom, I'd really just want a card. If you are babysitting for free, that's the best gift ever. Flowers, etc are nice, but please no gifts.

Babysitting for free is something you should never do.

Anonymous wrote:I usually write her a heartfelt card and give her flowers but I am totally not feeling it this year - my MB has been difficult. I can’t do nothing - birthdays are a huge deal to her. I am taking care of my charge at night so she and DB can go out to celebrate so it’s not like it’s happening on a weekend.

If you are babysitting, this is enough
I do hope that you are being paid OT

Anonymous wrote:OP, I laughed out loud at your comment about not wanting to go small either.

Ha!
For the sake of your charge, you can just do something very simple such as a homemade birthday card from her child & leave it at that.

But if you don’t even feel like doing that, then you are not obligated to do a darn thing for your MB.
Especially if she hasn’t been very nice to you lately.

+1. Made me laugh too! And I agree with the above.

A simple happy bday text and a homemade card/gift from the kids.

Only time I buy something for my families is on Xmas and it’s usually edibles and mug or flowers w/ merry Xmas.

Keep it simple!

OP, I laughed out loud at your comment about not wanting to go small either.

Ha!
For the sake of your charge, you can just do something very simple such as a homemade birthday card from her child & leave it at that.

But if you don’t even feel like doing that, then you are not obligated to do a darn thing for your MB.
Especially if she hasn’t been very nice to you lately.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't want my nanny to spend money on me, to be honest. If you must, have the kids make and decorate a card. Even when my kids were babies, our nanny would trace their hand and write happy birthday. Maybe bake cookies or brownies or something from a box.

Really, don't go big.

Never went big. The problem is that I don’t want to go small either.

Unless you're having your charge pick those flowers you give her from your own garden, then I think giving her a card AND flowers is going big.

Honestly, an a mom, I'd really just want a card. If you are babysitting for free, that's the best gift ever. Flowers, etc are nice, but please no gifts.

Giving* I meant

I usually try to find a couple of things that I know she likes and throw it in a nice bag. I haven’t been given her a card because I hate writing in them, lol.

If I can’t find anything, I usually go for like a snack gift basket of stuff I know she likes. Things like chocolate, candy or coffee. Is there anything around her house you know she likes to eat?

I also think Hallmark is a great place to look for nice gifts when you have no idea what to get. You could also always go with the body wash+lotion+perfume combo packs. Those are pretty easy to find at like Walmart (or you could be fancy and do bath & body works).

Anonymous wrote:I don't want my nanny to spend money on me, to be honest. If you must, have the kids make and decorate a card. Even when my kids were babies, our nanny would trace their hand and write happy birthday. Maybe bake cookies or brownies or something from a box.

Really, don't go big.

Never went big. The problem is that I don’t want to go small either.

I don't want my nanny to spend money on me, to be honest. If you must, have the kids make and decorate a card. Even when my kids were babies, our nanny would trace their hand and write happy birthday. Maybe bake cookies or brownies or something from a box.

Really, don't go big.

I usually write her a heartfelt card and give her flowers but I am totally not feeling it this year - my MB has been difficult. I can’t do nothing - birthdays are a huge deal to her. I am taking care of my charge at night so she and DB can go out to celebrate so it’s not like it’s happening on a weekend.