LilSugar

How Much Notice Should a Nanny Give?

Lil Community — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:00:03 -0800

This question was submitted by an Anonymous member in the Mommy Club group.

Just when I was settled into my routine as a mother, working woman and a wife, my nanny decided to leave us. I can't blame her - she found a family willing to give her more hours, which translates into more money. Like many normal jobs, she gave me two weeks notice but unfortunately for me, that's not a lot of time to get a new babysitter. Is it crazy to expect more time from her or is that the normal amount of time a babysitter should give for notice?

Do you have a question for other mommies? Ask other moms in our The Mommy Club! Here's a detailed guide to posting questions or posts to groups if you are new to the PopSugar Community.

Would You Tell Your Nanny About the Nanny Cam?

LilSugar — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Nanny cams provide worrisome parents with a bit of relief - especially after hearing some of the horror stories of bad nannies caught on camera. Once it's set up and ready to go, video monitoring parents need to decide if they are going to let the sitter know he or she's being recorded. As long as the mama follows video and audio surveillance laws, she doesn't legally have to inform her child's caregiver of the camera in her own home.

So what do you think - would you inform your nanny that she's under your watchful eye?

Mommy Dearest: Letting the Nanny Go

babysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:00:31 -0700

Mommy Dearest,

It is with deep regret that I am having to let my nanny go. She has become an integral part of our family in the last five years and I am dreading telling her that we will not need her to tend to our children anymore. While I could certainly use her help around the house and with the kids, I was recently laid off and my youngest child is starting school this Fall. With an empty house and one income lost, I am having a hard time justifying her salary. I know she will understand my predicament, but I want to make sure I am doing her the best service possible.

– Pink Slip Mommy

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Pink Slip Mommy,

It appears you have been blessed with a wonderful person to help you tend to your family for the past five years. While it may be tough to let her go, she will probably understand your situation and may even be expecting the bad news. There are a few ways you can make this easier on the both of you. First, give her plenty of notice and offer to help her find another job by referring her to friends and writing her letters of recommendation. Second, ask her if she would still like to babysit on occasion for date nights here or there so she can maintain the relationship with the family. Last, have a little "last day" party in her honor so the family can celebrate and show her how much she is loved and respected.

-Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.

Mommy Dearest: Nanny Neglecting Household Responsibilities

LilSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:00:46 -0700

Mommy Dearest,

I am a full-time working mother who has had a nanny for the past two years. She's great with the kids – singing and reading with them, making playdates with other nannies, etc. Over the past month though, She has started neglecting some of her non-childcare duties like cleaning bottles, doing the kids' laundry and picking up after them at the end of each day. I want her primary focus to be on the children, but coming home to a clean home is important to me too. After a full day in the office, the last thing I want to do is tidy up. What would you do in this situation?

– Neatnik Mommy

To see the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Neatnik Mommy,

It sounds like your nanny is taking her job of tending to the children seriously. As far as her neglecting household duties, was that in the contract and job description that the two of you agreed on? If so, then sit down and address the issues. If not, she may not know that housekeeping chores were expected of her and may want compensation for doing tasks like laundry and the like. The best way to handle this situation is to talk to her.

-Mommy Dearest

Submit a question for this feature at the Mommy Dearest Group on TeamSugar.

Tell Mommy: Hiring Multiple Nannies

LilSugar — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:00:30 -0700

Having a nanny used to be a luxury reserved for the rich and famous, but now hired help has become somewhat of a necessity for even the middle class, with lots of parents both working full time and day care facilities not able to meet their specific needs.

While nannies' duties vary depending on the families they work for, all job descriptions include caring for a child - be that feeding, dressing, entertaining or helping educate and discipline the charge. And, the relationship often blossoms into much more. Who can forget that gut-wrenching scene in the Nanny Diaries when Scarlett Johansson's character is fired and the child chases after the car. Some families opt to bring additional nannies on when they expand their brood. Heidi Klum is known to have three nannies in her employ while Kingston Rossdale was recently seen playing in the park with two.

If money were no object, would you hire multiple nannies?

Flynet

Yea or Nay on Nanny Contracts?

babysugar — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:00:46 -0700

While I think parenting is the toughest full time job, I believe nannying is a close runner-up. Nannies often do what moms and dads are too tired or busy to do. When a mom finds a good one, she may very well welcome him or her into the home as another family member.

To ensure everyone is getting what they want and are financially entitled to, many families and caretakers sign a contract outlining hours, days, time off, sick days, taxes and household duties. While I love my nanny, I'm not sure I want to be locked into anything so concrete. So far, so good... knock on wood. What say you on the nanny contract: yea or nay?
Source

Do You Pay Your Nanny Taxes?

babysugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:00:09 -0700

In just two short weeks, Uncle Sam will be knocking on your door for those precious pennies - it's tax time! Many parents face the financial dilemma of whether to pay the nanny tax. In an effort to stay legitimate, my husband and I are forking over a bit a dough to cover our caretaker's taxes. Some sitters ask their employers to pay cash to eliminate a paper trail and further line their pockets. We've seen our fair share of politicians fall from grace because of their failure to comply with the tax laws. I'm not taking my chances. What's your plan?

Source

Website lil Loves: Nannies4Hire.com

LilSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Moms wishing there were more hours in the day often look to a nanny for help, but finding a person suitable to care for your lil ones takes time.

Instead of trying to poach your friend's nanny who makes Mary Poppins look bad, turn to Nannies4Hire.com. Whether you are looking for full-time, part-time, temporary, summer, live-in or live-out nannies there are a variety of experience levels available. Check out the database free of charge, but it's going to cost you $130 (for 30 day membership) to gain access to contact information. While it seems costly, in the end that's a small price to pay for finding your child's perfect match. Super mom Kate Gosselin even used the site in her search for someone to watch her brood on our favorite show Jon and Kate Plus 8.

Nanny Drugs Children to Get Some Sleep

babysugar — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:00:38 -0800

Jennifer Wolff, a 24–year–old New Jersey nanny recently admitted to using anti-allergy sedatives to drug the juice of two boys, age three and one. The caretaker told the court she was tired and worried that she might not be able to handle the tots.

Seems a career change may have been the smarter decision. To find out what happened, read more.

According to reports, "The nanny pleaded guilty to third-degree child endangerment Wednesday and faces up to 180 days in jail under a deal with prosecutors." The incident came to air when the children's mother tasted the juice after her babe began calling his bottle a "medicine bottle."

What would you do if you found out your nanny was doping your wee one?

Source

Mother-In-Law or Nanny Watch Your Babe?

babysugar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:00:42 -0800

My mother–in–law, whom I adore, just visited us for a long weekend. She loves our babe and is always eager to spend every second with her.

As I work on Fridays, my babe usually spends the afternoon with her nanny. But since "Mimi," as we call her, was here and available, she offered to watch my babe and give the nanny a paid day off.

This situation got me thinking, would you prefer to have your sitter or mother-in-law watch your tot?