This holiday season, show your nanny how grateful you are with a present she's sure to love. Whether she's into art, music, crafts, beauty, food, or design, we've curated a collection of great gift ideas to suit her interests — and every item costs less than $50! From gourmet honey to chic cocktail picks to colorful earbuds, these 15 thoughtful gift options are perfect for your nanny!
We're happy to present this article from our partner site Yahoo! Shine:
For more than a century, Norland College in Bath, England, has trained young women to be elite caregivers to the world's wealthiest children. This year, though, the famous nanny school is taking on something new: a male student.
Michael Kenny, 18, is the first young man to enroll in the elite school's Bachelors of Arts program in Early Childhood Studies, which they offer in association with the University of Gloucestershire.
Related: Hiring a Babysitter? Ask These Questions First.
"I have always wanted to work with children and Norland has the best reputation in the country, if not the world, for studying childcare," Kenny told ABC News in a statement. Being the only man in the 48-student class "doesn't bother me at all," he says.
After teaching English and mathematics to severely disabled children in Uganda, where he lived with his family, Kenny knew he wanted to go to Norland, but wasn't sure if they even accepted male students. He called to check before applying.
The Nanny Diaries looks tame compared to what's coming from ABC Family! When Beverly Hills Nannies premieres next week, it'll be no stretch to say that the caretakers of the rich and famous don't exactly have it easy. The docu-drama — brought to us by the producers of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills — follows the lives of nine nannies who work for some very wealthy families, including the Margolis family (Cindy Margolis was the "Most Downloaded Woman of 1999"), the Faulk family (Lindsay Faulk is separated from NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk), and the Thames family (Tricia Fisher Thames is the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Connie Stevens). Like its predecessors, Beverly Hills Nannies will chronicle the conflicts and personalities of its stars (both the nannies and their employers), highlighting the employers' unusual demands, outrageous lifestyles, and unique ways of interacting with their employees.
The hour-long show is sure to be eye candy for those who want a peek into the lifestyles (and nurseries) of the ultra-rich, but do they value the same qualities in a caretaker as the rest of us do? And is that curiosity enough to get you to watch the show? Tell us what you think!
If you rely on a nanny to care for your kids during the workweek, then chances are you've dealt with a bevy of challenges along the way. From finding the perfect fit for your family to maintaining a relationship that works for you, the nanny, and your kids, to say it's a delicate balance is an understatement. While chatting with friends and family about their experiences and advice can be beneficial, it's not easy to find hard and fast rules for getting off to a great start — and continuing to nourish — the nanny-employer relationship.
Here are some tips and tricks from the 4,000-plus members of Park Slope Parents (a Brooklyn-based parenting network and resource) for ensuring that your kids are in great care and everyone involved is happy with the nanny dynamic in your household:
Continue reading for more guidelines to maintaining a positive nanny-employer relationship!
Mommy Dearest —
We love our nanny — she takes amazing care of my son every day. But all of a sudden, her breath is so bad, that I honestly can't be around her and I actually think it's really gross that my son is around it all day. How do I address this with her?
Any money she makes, she sends to her kids back home, so I doubt that she wants to pay for a dentist, but it's so gross that I am at the point where I have to position myself away from her and I feel really badly for my son.
If I make her a dentist appointment, then do I need to pay for it?
— Sweet-Talking Mama
We could all use an extra set of hands when it comes to caring for our children, and Hollywood's leading mamas are no exception. Like many mamas, some of the biggest stars resist the urge to hire live-in help and turn to family and friends when needed. Others go the hired-help route — bringing in nannies and caretakers that often become part of the family. See where the celeb moms turn when they need help raising their kids!
Thank goodness for the modern Mary Poppins! A full-time nanny is an essential, treasured member of the family. She functions as mama's surrogate, tending to scraped knees and celebrating successes at school, so her gift will reflect her valued place within the family. Money may be standard holiday operating procedure for many families (one to two weeks of salary seems to be standard), but others try to bestow a gift on their caretaker. Keep reading for a selection of holiday goodies that will warm your nanny's heart.
Every once in a while, moms need a break on the weekend. If your Saturdays are filled with endless errands, having a babysitter to take care of the lil ones while you cross things off your to-do list can be a life-saver. And it can be a great time for your tots, too! Check out how a day off for you can turn into a day of adventure for your kids!
If there's one person mommy does not want to tick off, it's her child's caretaker. When disgruntled babysitters complain of working too late or having to clean up the mess the children make, many moms grin and bear it while other moms speak their minds.
Mamas and papas may not be pleased with their current caring situation but they are often soft-spoken on the matter so that the children are not the recipients of the babysitter's frustrations. Working mothers feel they have more to lose as they face the fear of losing their hired help and worry about the predicament of finding a last minute replacement.
How do you deal with a sassy caretaker? Join our A Place to Vent group over in our LilSugar Community and share your stress with fellow moms who understand your plight.
Mommy Dearest –
I'm a SAHM, but plenty of my daughter's friends' have two working parents, which means that they are cared for by nannies and babysitters. Now that my daughter is in preschool, she is asking to play with specific friends, rather than the ones I set her up with, and that often means that it is the nanny and me hanging out while the girls play. While the nannies are certainly nice enough, I find us both to be uncomfortable with the situation. Should I just not schedule play dates with these kids, or is there another solution you might suggest to avoid the awkwardness of the situation.
– Playdate Problem Mommy
