Hellobee Boards

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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??
ETA: I don’t spend $500 on anyone’s Christmas gift, not even my spouse’s!?!

@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!

@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 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

@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.

@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.

@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.

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.