https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:26:20 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/activities-for-8-12-month-old#post-2874087 Wed, 27 Feb 2019 08:47:46 +0000 foodiebee 2874087@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You could check out the Loveverybaby kits. They're done per age group and specifically designed to stimulate at that age. Even if you don't want to buy the kit, you could use it to get ideas and put together your own based on it. <a href="https://loveverybaby.com/products/the-play-kits" rel="nofollow">https://loveverybaby.com/products/the-play-kits</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/activities-for-8-12-month-old#post-2874078 Wed, 27 Feb 2019 08:00:36 +0000 irene 2874078@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If the family has museum subscriptions/membership, and are comfortable for you to take their baby out, you can definitely take him out to places like aquarium, zoo, children's museum...etc. </p> <p>There are also mommy/me gym classes. A local gym in my area offered free gym classes for caregiver + baby every week for until age 1. Look around and there could be things like that in your area.</p> <p>Then also see if you can take the baby out to a park. DS loved the swings back then.</p> <p>Back then at that age it was a lot of practicing on standing up, pretend walking with you holding his hands. Pretend running across the room holding his hands above his head. Walking with him holding onto his stroller (when you push behind him) Do a lot of that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/activities-for-8-12-month-old#post-2873858 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 23:17:50 +0000 Kemma 2873858@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lots of outside time so s/he can develop imagination 😊 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/activities-for-8-12-month-old#post-2873831 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 19:34:50 +0000 meadow 2873831@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Art!!! Handprint &amp; foot print creatures.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/activities-for-8-12-month-old#post-2873828 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 19:16:46 +0000 peaches1038 2873828@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@candokiddo on Instagram has tons of activities for babies! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/activities-for-8-12-month-old#post-2873825 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 18:25:29 +0000 pachamama 2873825@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My kid loved water at that age and that's about it. Hoses, baths, sinks, etc They really don't have a lot of motor skills for anything else but that will increase so much after 12m!<br /> Check it Busytoddler on Insta, she has some great ideas this many are for older kids like you were saying. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/activities-for-8-12-month-old#post-2873824 Mon, 25 Feb 2019 18:11:54 +0000 Sweetcheeks 2873824@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi, mommies!<br /> I’m a college nursing student nannying for the first time and am looking for activity ideas for 8-12 month old babies. A lot of the posts I see online are for toddlers or older and need ideas of activities to do with the baby I will be nannying this summer. I want to give her the best experiences possible and thought moms would know best!<br /> Any ideas a greatly appreciated. Also, feel free to include if there was something your nanny did for you or your child that really made the nanny experience great for you!<br /> Thank you so much for your input! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nanny-responsibilities-and-pay#post-2836725 Mon, 30 Jul 2018 05:31:44 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2836725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just posted a position on Care.com for a nanny. Some nannies wanted mileage reimbursement. Not quite the same as gas money, but still related to your car. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nanny-responsibilities-and-pay#post-2836702 Sun, 29 Jul 2018 21:23:29 +0000 Anagram 2836702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@threeplusme: when we had a full time nanny (well, even now when we have a part time sitter that does after school pickup), we paid $3 more an hour when she had both girls. So if her base rate was $16, then we paid $19 for 2 kids if she had them together.</p> <p>Our full time nanny got 2 official weeks paid vacation but the contract also stipulated that any days we went out of town were also paid for her, so she ended up getting about 3.5 paid weeks a year. She once asked for another weeks vacation on top of that, and we gave her the week but unpaid. She had 5 paid sick days, and 1 week's pay holiday bonus. I think that's pretty standard in our town. Her only duties were to do the kid's laundry 1x a week during nap time. I didn't expect her to prepare food or do anything else other than really engage the kiddos and keep them busy and on schedule. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nanny-responsibilities-and-pay#post-2836538 Fri, 27 Jul 2018 16:56:46 +0000 sooz 2836538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I live in the SF Bay Area, which is considerably more expensive. We have a nanny who takes care of my two sons and we pay her $25/hr. We've had her for 5 years going on 6.</p> <p>She doesn't drive, but takes the bus, so we do purchase an unlimited bus pass for her. Nannies that drive in our area get a stipend for gas.</p> <p>We also provide at least 2 weeks of vacation per year with one week her choice. I say at least 2 because we usually take anywhere between 3-4 weeks of vacation per year and we pay her for that time. She also gets one week of sick days which she uses for doctor/dentist appts. </p> <p>We also pay her 2 weeks pay for her Xmas bonus and also an additional 1/2 weeks pay for her birthday and random extra small bonuses/gift cards throughout the year. And, sometimes she takes the boys out to lunch or some activity and we give her extra money for that and let her keep whatever is leftover.</p> <p>We value our nanny a lot and I know we provide her more than the average, but it's really difficult to find good, reliable, trustworthy nannies and she is amazing. She's become part of our family and all of us (kids and parents) love her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nanny-responsibilities-and-pay#post-2836403 Fri, 27 Jul 2018 08:51:38 +0000 Sams Mom 2836403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>OK. so our nanny is a family friend, so kind of the same boat as you. I know we got a great deal with her, so I try to do extra when I can because we couldn't swing a lot more. </p> <p>So I'm in the midwest and not in a super large city. We pay her $150 a week. I have asked her how much more a week she would charge for another kid, it would be in the $50-$75 range. </p> <p>Because of where I work, I have a week or more off around christmas, so she gets paid for that week, and then we try to coordinate our vacation weeks, but if it doesn't work out then we take separate weeks. </p> <p>As far as pay, she claims it as income, but since she's older and already drawing social security it doesn't effect her taxes and we still get to claim the childcare credit. </p> <p>As far as food she can eat whatever at our house, but usually brings her own. Sometimes she takes our son out for a kids meal and she won't let me pay her back for it. I have memberships for her so she can take our son to the zoo and the family center, I have bought punchcards so she can take him to other facilities. </p> <p>We give her a bonus at the end of the year. and we always get her at least a $50 gift card for her birthday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nanny-responsibilities-and-pay#post-2836382 Fri, 27 Jul 2018 06:52:57 +0000 Littlebit7 2836382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’d reach out to a local nanny agency for guidance. Here in nyc-ish area, pay is probably 17-22 for two kids per hour. Two weeks paid vacation (one of nanny’s choosing,<br /> One of family’s) all federal holidays and sick time (2-5 days). Bonus is typically a weeks pay. If I were you, even though it is family, I’d have a written contract. Also you’ll need to figure out a plan if your kids are sick; what happens to their kids?<br /> Outline expectations: laundry for kids only, shopping, cleaning? This could be a great arrangement for everyone, or it could ruin relationships bc significant amounts of money is involved.<br /> I typically don’t provide food but they are welcome to the fridge/pantry. They should maybe do a small stipend for gas and sundries for the kids snacks if you are at activities.<br /> You and they need to decide on or off the books. If you are off the books and hurt yourself on the job you can’t claim short term disability, etc. if you are on the books your take home might be lower and there’s more leg work for them but it’s all above board.<br /> Good luck. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nanny-responsibilities-and-pay#post-2836376 Fri, 27 Jul 2018 06:33:38 +0000 MrsBucky 2836376@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Working for family is tricky! One thing to consider is that they might prefer to pay an employee rather than family if they are going to pay the going rate anyway. Also you may want to look into the tax law exceptions for paying family members for childcare. There may be some sort of exceptions that benefit you both without pay having to be off the books, but I’m not sure- just a thought to look into. Other things I’d consider: would you be willing to nanny for a non family member to make more money? Sometimes thinking through those types of alternatives helps me decide whether a situation works for me or not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nanny-responsibilities-and-pay#post-2836366 Fri, 27 Jul 2018 01:13:48 +0000 lamariniere 2836366@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can’t comment on salary because it varies so much by location. But I agree that you are due a raise with the added responsibility of caring for a newborn. </p> <p>We have a helper who is currently part time nannying my LOs while they are on school break. She takes them to activities or just watches them at home. She will feed them when I’m gone and is usually very good at cleaning up their messes. I pay her hourly, and I cover all expenses. Taxis when they go places (or I would cover driving expenses if she drove), food and activities while they are out, an occasional coffee for her, taxis home when she babysits late night. As per local laws, I give her paid vacation, paid sick and holiday leave and I also pay her a fixed weekly rate when we are not here (she cleans and does laundry and waters the plants when we are gone). I don’t necessarily cover food, we don’t eat the same things (different cultures), but I wouldn’t mind if she ate our food or bought a meal while watching my kids. I also give an annual bonus.</p> <p>ETA: our lady sometimes brings her daughter when she babysits in the evening. She’s a widow, so she doesn’t always have a care solution. She asked me about it when I interviewed her and of course I was fine with it. My kids love playing with her since she’s a little bit older than they are. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/nanny-responsibilities-and-pay#post-2836346 Thu, 26 Jul 2018 22:06:19 +0000 threeplusme 2836346@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hi all. Looking for some nanny advice and would love to hear from those of you who have nannies or are nannies. I nanny for my SIL. Her husband is a teacher so i work school hours and just the school calendar. Last year I watched my nephew from the age of 5 months to 14 months. My youngest was in preschool for 4 mornings 4 days a week so she was with me while i watched him when she was not in school. I was able to bring him along anywhere i went from school drop offs and pick ups to food shopping and classroom volunteering. They paid me but not what a nanny would cost in our area which i was fine with since i had my daughter with me and i had so much flexibility. As to duties beyond basic care i made his breakfast and lunch, bottles, did his laundry, cleaned up after him and did some basic shopping for him (grabbed things I'd think he'd eat and supplies for seasonal crafts.) My SIL is due in two weeks so come November when her maternity leave ends they'd like me to watch my nephew who will be 19 months and the new baby who will be 3 months old. All my kids will be in school full time as my youngest heads off to kindergarten. I feel like a significant jump in pay is warrented. I'll now be watching a toddler and an infant and i can't imagine having the flexibity i had last year. What do you think is a resonable salary and what duties do you expect a nanny to do? Pay hourly or salary? Pay for gas? On the books or off the books? Do you provide food for the nanny? Paid vacation? Any advice would be great. I don't want to undervalue myself nor do i want my SIL to feel like I'm being unresonable. Thanks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/childcare-conundrum#post-2817895 Mon, 23 Apr 2018 10:31:34 +0000 gingerbebe 2817895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Iced Tea: Our daycare is like this - there is no part-time option before you hit the toddler room. When I first went back to work, I was at 50% time and we just paid the full-time rate. And yes, your second child will get sick a lot. Luckily DS2 started in May, so he wasn't in the thick of cold and flu season, BUT as soon as fall hit, it was rough. I think he missed about a week in October, he made it to school like 5 days in November, including the Thanksgiving holiday, and then both kids were sick off and on the two weeks leading up to Winter Break in December. </p> <p>DH works from home, so even though we alternate sick days for childcare, he is the default parent to go grab the kids from school and take them to doctor's appointments. He is also the primary breadwinner so missing work is a big hit financially for him. However, our oldest is 3.5 years old now and DH basically tells me the way he's managed his stress and workload is that he expects one or both kids to be sick for about a week a month and that they will also require at least 1 doctor visit. So if the kids are healthy, he works like a beast - like he's racing the clock. And most nights he puts in another 3-4 hours of work after the kids are in bed. </p> <p>On my end, I try to streamline our household and build in routines everywhere so that things can go smoothly and since I'm in charge of most of the spending, I work hard to cut where I can. I meal plan and we eat pretty simple, predictable meals with leftovers built in for at least 2 nights. This saves time and money, especially when I do some quick prepping on Sunday nights (chopping things, maybe cooking one of the meals to reheat Monday night, etc). For example, our kids basically don't eat when they are sick, but I can get them to take some pouches, banana, white Gatorade, rice, and McDonald's french fries when they ARE sick, so we basically always have those items on hand and DH has our usual McD's order saved on the app to grab. :grin: I always keep us stocked on child meds and we're never having to run out and pay like $9 for children's Advil at Walgreen's late at night.</p> <p>So yeah, we spend a lot for childcare at the moment, but it just is what it is. We actually decided to keep the kids in full-time care even when it was possible to bring them to part-time because DH felt like he would be way more productive at work that way, it would keep the kids on their routine, and we found we were spending quite a bit more money on days the kids were home with us just taking them out and doing stuff, so we decided it was a wash. It also gives us a chance to get in a lunch date or get some personal appointments in myself or keep up with the house. So we're just rolling with it for now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/childcare-conundrum#post-2817871 Mon, 23 Apr 2018 09:18:26 +0000 snowjewelz 2817871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Based on your situation, I would just pay the full time. It sounds like you CAN afford it, it's just hard which I get. I pay $1600+ for 1 full time preschooler and my toddler that only goes 3 half days a week and I'm barely hanging in there! I could have sent them both to an in-home licensed care but in my heart I just felt better with them in a center. I just keep reminding myself that I won't have to pay this forever. We're actually going to increase DD2's time there so I'm probably gonna be paying close to 2k soon :shocked: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/childcare-conundrum#post-2817793 Sun, 22 Apr 2018 16:56:04 +0000 periwinklebee 2817793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Iced Tea: I did this, but just for a month, as my first month back from mat leave was part-time. We live in a very high COL area. I personally find worrying about the quality of my child's care more stressful than worrying about finances (within reason, I haven't been in a situation where we couldn't put food on the table or afford medical care, etc, which would obviously be different). The first years are really, really important to their development, and because of this I would want to choose the best care feasible, even if it comes at the cost in the short-run of making it harder to save for college, retirement, vacations, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/childcare-conundrum#post-2817732 Sat, 21 Apr 2018 21:22:39 +0000 Iced Tea 2817732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Amorini: They allow families to share like that beginning in the toddler room. They don't allow it for infants. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/childcare-conundrum#post-2817730 Sat, 21 Apr 2018 21:14:02 +0000 Amorini 2817730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would probably pay for the full-time care between the two options. Worrying about qualified care probably outweighs the financial stress for me. </p> <p>Are you or the DCP able to find someone else who needs the other two days so that together you pay for 5 days? I'm not sure how that works, but I know there are parents with kids in DS's class who have that arrangement. </p> <p>A plus for paying for all five days is that you have those days to use if you want/need them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/childcare-conundrum#post-2817718 Sat, 21 Apr 2018 20:06:16 +0000 Iced Tea 2817718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's 1200 a month for the baby. If I also send my 3 year old to the same place, it comes to a total of 1800 a month. </p> <p>My 3 year old attends an amazing Montessori preschool that has summers off, unfortunately. I thought of sending her to 6 weeks (that's all they offer) at a different Montessori school and some days at a church program. It would save on cost, but obviously require more coordination and drop off time. </p> <p>Around here a lot of people seem to use unlicensed in-home providers, but I just could not trust someone doing that, unless maybe I already knew them really well, which I don't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/childcare-conundrum#post-2817716 Sat, 21 Apr 2018 19:42:42 +0000 Jennibenni 2817716@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It depends so much on the cost. In my area, absolutely I would pay for full time, but it’s relatively affordable. I’ve seen costs mentioned on other threads that made my head spin so certainly if you’re in a high cost area it’s harder to justify. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/childcare-conundrum#post-2817715 Sat, 21 Apr 2018 19:31:06 +0000 Iced Tea 2817715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you only needed three days of childcare, but literally couldn’t find anything part-time and licensed, would you shell out for full-time care? </p> <p>For a full-time position at a locally-owned daycare center, I am next in line (one person above me on the list has 24 hours to consider before it goes to me). The cost is way more than I budgeted to spend, on account of being full time. I feel like I will be a nervous wreck trying to work my ass off just to pay for daycare. </p> <p>However, using a part-time nanny hasn’t been working well since my husband and I work at home. </p> <p>I am so torn. I think I will be stressed out by both options. </p> <p>I guess this is mostly venting. I’m pretty sure I would accept the position and hope for the best until my daughter is old enough to switch to a part-time program. I just wish we had the options I actually need. </p>