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Working Moms
Nanny Questions
Hi, I normally lurk and occasionally post on the BFing board and boards for my DDs ages, but found I need some insight that fellow working moms might be able to provide. My DH and I are both active duty military and are moving to Norfolk this summer. Due to the nature of the jobs we will have while there, and the options for childcare, we've made the decision that a nanny for our 2 DDS (3 and 1) is the best fit. Our oldest will "officially" start pre-school in the fall (we've already found one that works for us) but both have been in a Day Care setting since 6 weeks old.
So here are my questions:
If you have a nanny, what kind of hours do they work?
Does anyone have a live-out nanny who will occasionally spend the night if needed?
Do you have a nanny contract? Recommendations for where to get sample/template contracts?
Overall recommendations for the Nanny process?
Thank you in advance!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Nanny Questions
Former nanny adding her perspective:
I started off working 6am-6pm 4 days a week. It was quickly clear that mom, who was a lawyer and my nighttime relief, would never make it home by 6, so we shifted to 7-7, and there were days that I worked earlier and later as needed.
I started off as their oldest's daycare teacher and an occassional babysitter and after a failed cross country move they offered me a full time position as they were expecting again and didn't want to do DC anymore. I spent the past 7 years with their family through the birth of both their other daughters, so a lot of my hour flexibility had to do with my relationship with the family as time went on.
I did do overnights for them sometimes, I had done it once or twice as their babysitter so they could spend a night out with friends and not worry about having a designated driver home, but they were always home early the next day. The past two summers I've done longer stints, 2-3 days at a time, and we used the time built up as comp time for vacations so I didn't have weeks with no paychecks in the summer or over school vacations when they went skiing and whatnot. (and she "tipped" me an extra $50 a day as well for overnights, but we never discussed it being anything more than comp time)
We didn't have a formal contract, but there were definitely times I wished we did, and I always tell people that ask about nannies that they should make their expectations painfully clear and put them to paper. Even the most mundane things. It's better to have it all out there and on paper from the get go so that there's no miscommunication later on anyone's part saying "well, I didn't know". Also, review it yearly and update as needed.
if I think of other things I'll be back to add but the baby just woke up to nurse so I have to stop here for now.
Does anyone have a live-out nanny who will occasionally spend the night if needed? Our nanny lives out, and we have offered her our guest bedroom on late nights and bad weather, but she has never stayed. We did take her on vacation a few months ago, so we did stay together in the same hotel and rental house. We had a set schedule, so we didn't pay her for the time she wasn't working.
Do you have a nanny contract? Recommendations for where to get sample/template contracts?
We went through an agency and they supplied the contract. Our contract includes: schedule, time off/vacation, E's schedule, instructions for activities, what nanny does for food, visitor / guest policy, tv/internet usage, etc.
Overall recommendations for the Nanny process?
Interview a variety of applications, pick the one that you feel most comfortable with and one that fits into your family dynamic. Ask for and call/check references. She how they interact with your LOs.