Anonymous wrote:MBs:

How would you feel about a nice Christmas tree ornament with a small engraving (in the case that you do celebrate Christmas of course)? Would this be okay for those of you who don't like gifts?

PP here. Yes, this is nice and classy. As an MB who doesn't want a gift, I would be touched by something like this. Small (inexpensive). but thoughtful.

Anonymous wrote:I always feel strange when the nanny gets me a gift; I pay her, then she spends her money on me? Seems wrong ... I don't mind if she gets something small for the kids, though -- I know she has a more personal relationship with them.

Some baked goods, or a card.

Agreed. I really don't want my nanny to get me a gift. Just like I would never get my employer a gift.

This from an MB who gives at least 1-2 weeks cash bonus to her nanny every year.

All I really want is for my nanny to take excellent care of my children, and make my life easier. That is it. If she does that, she will get a great bonus.

MBs:

How would you feel about a nice Christmas tree ornament with a small engraving (in the case that you do celebrate Christmas of course)? Would this be okay for those of you who don't like gifts?

I would love list of little funny things my kid has said or does during the day (include ones that will make the parents feel good, like how the kid loves to look at her baby book and point out mama and papa, or whatever). It could be hand written or typed up. "Some memories from 2012." Photos could work, too.
I never have enough time (or take enough time!) to record the memories, so this would be really special to me, much more than any trinkets or food.

Offering to stay an extra hour to help me de-clutter a room that she knows is stressing me out would be awesome, too. (though obviously this won't work for everyone, and could be seen as offensive.)

I feel that my nanny does NOT need to give me a gift. Same with people who work for me at my regular job. It is my obligation to give the gifts.

If you absolutly insist, I would be thrilled and over joyed to come home to a suprise cooked dinner prepared by the nanny. the 5 o'clock scramble to get a meal on the table for the family is really stressful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No baked goods. Too much of that already. If mb is sentimental then kid pics and a small craft ir something similar would be best. If not then no one would dislike a date night.

What about if they agree on the baked goods being too much (as in they already have enough) and they don't like sentimental things? Not including a date night... I work enough as it is and I will do the occasional date night if really needed, but my personal time is very precious to me, with how little I have of it. I personally would not want to give up even more of it as a gift. I would rather gift the money to the parents to pay for another sitter for that date night. So what other suggestions might people have?

I don't need a freaking present! Just give me a card wishing me a great holiday season and call it a day. Stop over-thinking everything. Whatever you give me, I will thank you profusely for. If I don't want to eat it I'll throw it out, if I don't want to display it I'll throw it out, if I don't want to wear it, I'll re-gift it. I won't give it a second thought. You shouldn't either.

"What about if they agree on the baked goods being too much (as in they already have enough) and they don't like sentimental things? Not including a date night... I work enough as it is and I will do the occasional date night if really needed, but my personal time is very precious to me, with how little I have of it. I personally would not want to give up even more of it as a gift. I would rather gift the money to the parents to pay for another sitter for that date night. So what other suggestions might people have? "

pretty scarf unless MB wears designer stuff. honestly I find parents odd that would not like photos/kid-made items (sentimental items) but perhaps some just don't. Aside from the things you've rejected for various reasons though, honestly what I would appreciate most from nanny is if she bought small (read - $10/$15 for a nice book or toddler toy) gifts for the kids since they ADORE her and are at the age when they know we are getting her small gifts and gifts for everyone else in our family and close friends. So I think they'd really appreciate whatever she picked for them.

Anonymous wrote:I always feel strange when the nanny gets me a gift; I pay her, then she spends her money on me? Seems wrong ... I don't mind if she gets something small for the kids, though -- I know she has a more personal relationship with them.

Some baked goods, or a card.

+1. I feel the same. I don't want my nanny to get money from me and then spend it on me. I don't particularly like baked good though. Once she got me a mug and I loved it. Something small so you can say "I thought of you" would be nice.

Anonymous wrote:No baked goods. Too much of that already. If mb is sentimental then kid pics and a small craft ir something similar would be best. If not then no one would dislike a date night.

What about if they agree on the baked goods being too much (as in they already have enough) and they don't like sentimental things? Not including a date night... I work enough as it is and I will do the occasional date night if really needed, but my personal time is very precious to me, with how little I have of it. I personally would not want to give up even more of it as a gift. I would rather gift the money to the parents to pay for another sitter for that date night. So what other suggestions might people have?

gifts with a personal touch are the best - I like the idea of child crafts or something like that. Baked goods are nice too. Those are the kinds of things that say that you care on a different level then just having to buy something.

No baked goods. Too much of that already. If mb is sentimental then kid pics and a small craft ir something similar would be best. If not then no one would dislike a date night.

Seconding much of the other MB feedback - I always feel awkwardly about my nanny buying me gifts, though she does and I appreciate the thought. But for my b'day she made dinner for me and my husband and it was so thoughtful and such a treat. I would second the MBs who've said that the little extra service thing - the kind of thing that noone else would even see as an issue (reorganizing the linen closet kind of thing) is the greatest gift of all.

It really is the thought. The free night of babysitting falls in that category also I think. A gift of your time and thoughtfulness trumps a material gift (hopefully without being a financial or personal burden).

ahem...correction..."KNOW" instead of "NO"...

Oh...one more thing...

What does your MB NEED. As an MB, I am completely overwhelmed by all the household stuff I have to do when I get home. Hence, the desire I would have for my Nanny to gift me a week of pre-made meals!

But, if she were willing...and this is ONLY if you would be willing to do these kinds of things...a coupon book of things she would like to do, above and beyond the call of duty...when my kids were in pre-school...and she had free moments.

Maybe a weeks grocery shopping. Again, NOT her paying for the groceries, JUST doing the trip to the store.

Maybe going above and beyond, and vacuuming the downstairs carpets...and dusting the furniture.

Maybe re-organizing a linen closet, a pantry, a spice cabinet. LITTLE things...that I am sure a 'good' nanny would notice need attention...but work out of the home Moms can't address.

Running the dust cloth along the ceiling...and the baseboards...cleaning the baseboards...all those little details that we just can't get to.

It would be something entirely GIVING on her part...a true going above and beyond...but, that would be the heartwarming part of it, as a Mom. Because I would NO this stuff was not in her job description...but she cared enough to help me where I desperately needed her help.