Pay for rides to preschool? How much?

TheBorg7of9

As you might remember, our nanny watches our 3 year old, our 1 year old, and the neighbor's 1year old. (By the way, we decided not to have her do the maid's work).
Anyway, currently she drives the 3 year old to preschool with the two 1 year old's in the car, and picks him up with the other kids in the car too. Next summer, the neighbor will have another baby. Our car is an SUV, not a minivan.

We are considering a new preschool where a different friend's 3 year old will go. She has a nanny too and a new baby. Following me?

Could I offer my friend's nanny some money to give rides to my 3 year old, so my nanny doesn't have to leave the house with 3 other kids under 2 years old, in addition to the preschooler. The benefit to my friend would be (1) additional money would make her nanny happy (2) the nanny could drop friend's baby to play with our two babies while drop offs and pick ups are happening.

Good idea or not? How much to pay for such a service? Any other solutions?

TheBorg7of9

Well, each nanny would have the same number of kids. They would just switch two of them for a short time.

ETA: and thanks for the info!

MrsN052408

I pay $5 a day for pick ups. Last summer, I had a 4 yo and 1 yo with a sitter at our home. 4 yo had activities during 1 yo's nap time. I paid $5 a day for someone else to transport the 4 year old to and from. The distance wasn't far-small town, less than 10 miles round.

TheBorg7of9

The preschool is 1.3 miles away

djm31012

Im sure you could talk to them and work it out. However, it sounds complicated to me, and as both of your family dynamics are changing, maybe time to just get your own nanny.

TheBorg7of9

djm31012 said:

Im sure you could talk to them and work it out. However, it sounds complicated to me, and as both of your family dynamics are changing, maybe time to just get your own nanny.

Nah, we've been doing a different preschool already for six months. Nanny has 3 kids now and puts them all in the SUV for the ride. We have all always talked about having more kids and keeping the one nanny. I understand where you're coming from, but it saves us buttloads of money. . And our nanny will be more than capable of doing it, we just might have to get a minivan. Im just trying to avoid that if possible.

Iblamethebeer

I would talk to the other families -- the one you nanny share with and the one you are proposing the carpool with -- about what makes sense.  In scenarios like these, I like to ask myself what I would be proposing if everyone involved was a SAHM.

I would think the easiest thing to do would be to arrange a parking lot meet-up where both nannies drive to school, park next to each other, and then one person supervises both cars (with 4 small kids strapped in) while the other person picks up both kids and brings them out to the cars.  That way if weather is bad or whatever, all the little guys only need to get in and out of the car once.

But if you do end up doing a carpool, I would consider running a 1.3 mile carpool to be within the scope of my nanny's duties, so wouldn't be paying extra for it.  In fact, I specifically put a clause in our nanny contract that said the nanny might sometimes have an extra kid or two for a small period of time, because I didn't want to be negotiating extra pay shenanigans if a neighbor needed to drop her kid at our house to play for 30 minutes.

mommymegan831

What does it matter if everyone was a SAHM or what the family she shares the nanny with thinks?  This seems like a pretty good idea, I'd ask the family with the nanny you're thinking of using if it was ok with them.  I wouldn't bother to suggest she could drop off the other baby if she wants, what's the point?  I find it a huge hassle getting kids in and out of the car, so if she can leave the baby in the car while dropping off the kids that's probably easier, or if she has to bring the baby into the school, it's still easier not having to go back to your house to pick up the baby and if she needs to run an errand or something while she's out she can.

If she were a SAHM I'd probably offer $10/day, but since it's just some extra money while she's already working, you could try $5

TheBorg7of9

Iblamethebeer said:

I would talk to the other families -- the one you nanny share with and the one you are proposing the carpool with -- about what makes sense.  In scenarios like these, I like to ask myself what I would be proposing if everyone involved was a SAHM.

I would think the easiest thing to do would be to arrange a parking lot meet-up where both nannies drive to school, park next to each other, and then one person supervises both cars (with 4 small kids strapped in) while the other person picks up both kids and brings them out to the cars.  That way if weather is bad or whatever, all the little guys only need to get in and out of the car once.

But if you do end up doing a carpool, I would consider running a 1.3 mile carpool to be within the scope of my nanny's duties, so wouldn't be paying extra for it.  In fact, I specifically put a clause in our nanny contract that said the nanny might sometimes have an extra kid or two for a small period of time, because I didn't want to be negotiating extra pay shenanigans if a neighbor needed to drop her kid at our house to play for 30 minutes.

Those are both great ideas! Thanks!

2chatter

May be worth asking - does the new preschool have a drop off line?  We switched MDOs when DD2 was born because one had a drop off line and it saved my mom from having to unpack a three month old to pick up the three year old.  If it does, I would leave things alone.

And with the kids, don't you want the nanny to be able to leave the house with them?  Extra seating might be good regardless, and a minivan might not be the only option (we fit our 5 kids into a Buick Enclave).

Iblamethebeer

mommymegan831 said:

What does it matter if everyone was a SAHM or what the family she shares the nanny with thinks?  This seems like a pretty good idea, I'd ask the family with the nanny you're thinking of using if it was ok with them.  I wouldn't bother to suggest she could drop off the other baby if she wants, what's the point?  I find it a huge hassle getting kids in and out of the car, so if she can leave the baby in the car while dropping off the kids that's probably easier, or if she has to bring the baby into the school, it's still easier not having to go back to your house to pick up the baby and if she needs to run an errand or something while she's out she can.

If she were a SAHM I'd probably offer $10/day, but since it's just some extra money while she's already working, you could try $5

It matters what the nanny share family thinks if their nanny would be taking care of an extra infant for a while twice per day.  All I meant by the SAHM comment was that when I'm thinking about adding/subtracting nanny duties I like to think "if this was me and my friend, rather than my nanny and my friend's nanny, how would we solve this?" I find it helps me find more efficient/reasonable solutions.  

TheBorg7of9

2chatter said:

May be worth asking - does the new preschool have a drop off line?  We switched MDOs when DD2 was born because one had a drop off line and it saved my mom from having to unpack a three month old to pick up the three year old.  If it does, I would leave things alone.

And with the kids, don't you want the nanny to be able to leave the house with them?  Extra seating might be good regardless, and a minivan might not be the only option (we fit our 5 kids into a Buick Enclave).

Well, we'd have to buy a new car anyway because they don't fit in our current car.  And we are planning to get a minivan in a couple years when we have #3 anyway.  This will just accelerate the process.    But you're right we want her to be able to leave the house.  But on the other hand, if 3 year old is at preschool, then she would only have 3 kids left and they would fit in the car.    Ahhh. whatever.

There is a drop off line, but for pick ups you have to go inside.