* Paid plane ticket ---yes this your vacation, not hers.

* Paid travel time to West Coast -yes see above

* Return travel time paid ONLY IF DH does not fly back with us: DH would not fly with us to the W.C., but hopefully, join us for the back-end of the trip. If he does, then DC would sit with me and DH so nanny would not have to take care of DC. If DH ends up not being able to travel, then DC, nanny and I would sit together and nanny would be paid for her return trip.  --- ok so here if she doesn't have to work. Have her seat not near yours. Preferably hers in the front rows yours in the back, so you're not walking past her with LO. She's not working, but she has a heart, just seeing the kid or hearing cries may be too much to ignore. Also pay for any food during flight. Again she's doing you a favor
, not the other way around. Also get your kid a seat. 5.5 hrs with a kid on your lap sucks for everyone. And what happens at the airport? Will hi transport her to the airport? And at the terminal, will you cover her drinks, food, etc? Can she totally ignore LO and you won't get into a huff?


* Room and board not paid for: Nanny would stay with her family and take meals with them. ------- Hmmmm nope. You should still pay something. Stop being cheap

* Commuting cost not paid for: Nanny's family live < 15 miles/30 minutes from us, which is considered a normal commute for the area. Nanny drives family car. -------And the family is ok with this? Their insurance covers this? You will cover gas everyday ? And get the car detailed at the end?

Also, her typical work week is 25 hours/week, she'd probably end up working about the same number of hours (including the paid travel time) although on a slightly different schedule that may include one weekend day. -will she have set hours? So she can plan to spend time with family and friends and you won't change that last minute?

So she's going to nanny the kids at your parents' house? Or in a hotel? Super strange.

So she's supposed to use her family's car to commute?

(1) Do you know that they have an extra car available?
(2) Do you know that they will let her use it every day?
(3) Do you know that she's on the insurance?

If I were her I wouldn't like it because I think it would be awkward working and keeping my charges while around your family. I don't know your family and would feel weird nannying with them there, in their house.

Does she have family here, like children of her own?

At the minimum, you need to pay her airfare, hours to and from, usual hours plus any overtime, and some sort of per diem. The per diem doesn't need to be huge, but it needs to cover airport food, bag fees, and something to offset the general hassle of traveling on someone else's schedule. An extra $150-$200 for the week would be minimal. Airport food and bag fees total will be at least $90.

No matter the destination, it will not feel like a vacation for your nanny. I've been to beautiful, tropical locales with my employers, and it always feels like I'm on the job.

DON't do it. find a local nanny on the other end, get references from the hotel or something. works very well, less headache and probably less costly.