https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:32:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860774 Fri, 07 Dec 2018 07:38:46 +0000 Littlebit7 2860774@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: ahh gotcha. Yeah no point </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860755 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 20:26:25 +0000 Anagram 2860755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Littlebit7: she’ll be finished her training program this summer, so I assume she will be getting s tea job after that, so we are probably parting ways after this school year. So I feel like there’s no point in making changes now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860754 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 20:19:57 +0000 pachamama 2860754@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A part time nanny who you pay even when she doesn't work? I think you're more than fair.<br /> Sheesh I'd say like $100 to Target or Amazon or something! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860682 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:15:54 +0000 annem1990 2860682@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I really think you do not need to do that. She's a part-time babysitter and you're even paying her for days off. I just don't think you need a huge bonus on top of that. A small gift would be standard IMO.</p> <p>@agold: As a FT nanny with a contract for days off, vacation and guaranteed hours yes I'd expect being paid on days they don't need me. To me there's a huge difference between an "employee" and just a sitter. If you give her the schedule in advance, I just don't see why you'd need to pay her for a day you don't need her. If you told her you needed her a certain day and then backtracked, that's a different story.</p> <p>I've never had a part-time, hourly job that you are guaranteed hours. Sure you "usually" work certain days, but if for some reason they decide to schedule someone else that day instead, no one expects to be paid. Unless you've guaranteed her a certain number of hours in advance, I think it's overkill. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860678 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 15:01:30 +0000 Littlebit7 2860678@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: maybe going forward you should switch to quarterly bonuses? That might take the sting out of it and make it more performance based? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860668 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:32:49 +0000 agold 2860668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I'm in the same boat with paying for the days off around the holidays. I also don't spend anywhere close to the bonus I'm giving my nanny on my own husband. But we value our nanny so very much because she watches my two precious baby girls. There is no one else more in the world that I would want to give a gift that I know will be very much appreciated. I am only doing what I can just barely afford to do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860615 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 11:33:17 +0000 Anagram 2860615@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wrkbrk: We don't spend $500 on gifts for each other or our kids, either. We're really frugal people, but it seems to be the norm (somewhat) in our area. </p> <p> Her weekly pay from is is $320-$340 a week because we round her hours. Basically, on Thursday, Dec 20th, I am going to have to pay her $960-$980 in pay and bonus, even though she won't be working at all from Dec 20-Jan 3rd. So she's getting a paid vacation and an extra week of pay for a bonus and she's 22 years old. Under the table because I have never been able to find someone in my area that will work on the books for such small hours. Pretty sweet deal for a college student who has class most days and can't work full time. Her only other job before babysitting was at Old Navy where she made $8.50 and hour and paid taxes and got no bonuses or vacation time.</p> <p>The bonuses are why my husband always wants to switch to traditional after care, but in childcare with 2 working parents with very inflexible jobs, there are no perfect solutions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860538 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 09:49:12 +0000 gotkimchi 2860538@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wrkbrk: I don’t think this is cheating out. People have budgets and I think we can show appreciation without just straight up cash. Even though I know that’s what everyone likes :silly: btw my direct boss clears 200,000 every year and I’m pretty sure I got a $20 gift card from him last year. Also maybe this just isn’t common in my area - we also don’t gift teachers cash - everyone gives a child made gift or a classroom supply </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860535 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 09:44:04 +0000 Littlebit7 2860535@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’d pay her a weeks worth but also sit down and have a yearly review. If you are going to call it a bonus, it should be for performance, no? Not just for showing up<br /> Focus on the things she does well like being on time, not calling out, good with the kids etc.<br /> But def bring up the things that she could improve on. My younger childless sitters just done understand that coming home to a dirty house is just more work and not helpful at all. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860481 Thu, 06 Dec 2018 00:22:08 +0000 Amorini 2860481@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@wrkbrk: I don’t have a nanny tip comment so nothing to add there, but I wonder if I’m cheaping out as well on my various Christmas tips. I think it’s a good post topic! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860164 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 18:38:09 +0000 lamariniere 2860164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think a week’s pay sounds fair in your situation. I would probably just do a cash gift. We have hired help too, about the same amount of hours, and I have the same approach as you as far as rounding up pay, paying when we are gone, paid leave, etc. The difference is that we are in a developing country so the local wage is quite low. I need to decide if I’m going to do a year end bonus because I already do a generous local new year bonus. Their new year is in April and I gave her about 2 weeks pay for that and a cash gift for her child too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860131 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 17:00:48 +0000 wrkbrk 2860131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, an extra week of pay for a Christmas gift sounds like a lot! I’m surprised this is standard. What do you all give daycare teachers? I usually do a $50 gift card for each .... (there are four in my son’s room). I also give our cleaning lady a $100 bill and my assistant at work a $100 bill. Am I cheaping out??<br /> ETA: I don’t spend $500 on anyone’s Christmas gift, not even my spouse’s!?! 😂😳 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860130 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 16:49:35 +0000 agold 2860130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Shoot. You are paying your nanny quite nicely! And I wasn't trying to say you were paying her low. No need to explain. </p> <p>@annem1990: I actually also pay my nanny for days that I don't end up needing her. If my boss told me he didn't need me to come in and didn't pay me, I'd have a hard time paying my bills. My nanny relies on me paying her in the same way. It doesn't make a difference that she's just part time. So I think that you, as a nanny yourself, should start to expect the same. :heart: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860126 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 16:44:31 +0000 castilrm 2860126@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have a full time nanny (40 hours a week) who watches my daughter and another baby (nanny share). We also pay her about two weeks PTO/sick days, and pay her for days when she’s typically work but we don’t need her. We pay above table, so I also pay employer taxes and into employee benefits. All that to say, that our current set up is pretty darn expensive so while I want to make her feel appreciated by getting her a gift, I also need to be reasonable about what extra monetary gifts we can afford to give her for bdays and holidays. I usually get her a $50-100 gift card to a place I know she goes to, like Target. I wish I could do more, and if I could, I’d aim for a week’s worth of pay (about $500). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860100 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 15:12:02 +0000 Anagram 2860100@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@agold: To clarify, I don’t think her pay is low for her level of experience and her extra duties (there are none, not even preparing kid food), Plus we are very generous with rounding her hours now. We pay her every morning from 730 to 9, even though she drops off the kids at 8:30 and it’s a two block walk. So we’re already rounding up additional 2.5 hours a week,Which makes her actually hourly rate over $20 an hour.</p> <p>ETA: However, her sister is a full-time nanny in town, and I’m sure they discuss things like holiday bonuses. So even though she is part time, I feel like she’ll probably expect similar things to what her sister gets. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860099 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 15:09:40 +0000 annem1990 2860099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I was a FT nanny for twins for several years. I still watch them a couple half-days/week and bring my LO. I have a Bachelor's in Education and was previously a teacher. The family does pay me extremely well per hour.</p> <p>But honestly, I think you're already being incredibly generous by paying her for days you don't need her. Perhaps it's just where I live, but unless you are a FT, tax-paying family employee, I've never heard of a sitter getting all of that paid time off. Obviously you've already set that precedent so it would be hard to back-track in the future.</p> <p>All that said, I don't think you need to give her anything except maybe a small gift from the kids. Anyone would love a bonus of course, but I wouldn't feel guilty about not doing that. You already seem to give very generously to her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860098 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 15:04:05 +0000 LBee 2860098@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a similar situation. Exact same amount of hours. We give 1 week pay and a small gift (because giving cash seems sort of impersonal). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860097 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 15:03:27 +0000 agold 2860097@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do one week of pay as a bonus. That's what I am doing for my part time nanny and that's what my other friends do as well. I am going to follow along because I'm curious to know what others do. I'd like to also get her a little gift, like a yeti tumbler or something in addition to the bonus. But I really think people would always prefer money over anything else.</p> <p>ETA: Since you say you pay her low and if her weekly pay is therefore kind of low, maybe round up the bonus to a dollar amount that you are comfortable with. Again, that is what I am doing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/first-world-problem-alert-part-time-sitternanny-question#post-2860095 Tue, 04 Dec 2018 15:00:16 +0000 Anagram 2860095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a part time sitter/nanny right now. She's been with us just shy of 1.5 years. For this school year, she has been coming over in the morning and working 7:30am-8:30am to get our girls dressed and walk them to school (school is 2 blocks away). Then she picks up at 2:30 and keeps both kids until 4:30. In total, she works about 15.5 hours a week.</p> <p>Backstory: When we hired her, she was inexperienced as a nanny/babysitter and had a reference from just 1 family whose baby she sat for 1 day a week (that's how we met her--our former full time nanny knew her from playdates and when we were switching from full time to part time, she recommended our current sitter, who was looking for very part time).</p> <p>Anyway, because of the young-and-inexperienced part, her previous family was paying her below what is common in our area, and also did not pay her for any hours she didn't work. So if she took a sick day or something, she wasn't paid.</p> <p>So when we hired her, she disclosed that, and we bumped up her pay to the lower end of what the norm is in our town, and I do pay her for days she would normally work but I don't need her. But I don't pay her if she takes a day off. So I paid her for 5 days in November she didn't work (we were OOT), and will be paying her for 7 days over Christmas that I won't need her. I'm happy with how she takes care of the kids, but she does not do anything extra at all, and doesn't even do small things like clean the kids' lunch bowls and stuff after school. It's all waiting for me when I get home from work.</p> <p>So now the question: for a young, slightly more experienced part time nanny/sitter who has been with us the last 1.5 years---what type of holiday gift/bonus do we give?</p> <p>She's already getting paid vacay, around 3.5 weeks this year, which I think is unusual for a part time sitter in my town. Do I give her a 1 week's pay bonus? Just a big gift? A bonus and a small gift?</p> <p>Hellllpppp. </p>