LilSugar

Mommy Dearest: Nanny Share Without Compensation?

LilSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:00:53 -0800

Mommy Dearest,

I'm a stay-at-home mom with a part time nanny that helps out when I need to run errands, work out, lunch with friends or take a night out with my husband. She watches our two sons, ages 5 and 7, for $20 an hour. My best friend and I usually go to the gym together so she drops her six year old off at my house and the children play while we are away. He's well behaved and they get along great. My nanny always welcomes him, but told me yesterday that a playdate is one thing and my friend dropping her child off on a daily basis is another. She is willing to watch him, but expects to be compensated for it. I was taken back because we've had this arrangement for about a year and she never seemed to mind. Is it fair for her to ask for more money now?

- Should Nanny Get Compensated

To read the response from Mommy Dearest, read more.

Should Nanny Get Compensated,

When you hired your babysitter it was with the understanding that she'd be tending to two children and that is how you negotiated an hourly rate. While a playdate is one thing, adding another child for her to care on a daily or frequent basis is quite another. In my opinion, it was very generous of her to watch him for free for this long. While it sounds like she is fond of the kids, you need to remember that this is her livelihood. Sit down with your nanny and your friend and come up with a new rate for the occasions when the little boy comes over. If your friend is not willing to pay, she should find another caretaker for her child.

- Mommy Dearest

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

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Mommy's Lil Helper: Babysitting Calculator

LilSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:00:12 -0800

The last thing a new mom needs to do when preparing for a night out on the town is to fret over how much to pay the babysitter. Sittercity offers an easy and free solution with their rate calculator.

Parents just type in their zip code, number of children and years of experience and age of their babysitter before hitting the button that configures the rate. The calculator also explains cost adjustments for overnights, special events, twins and newborns and doing housework.

So spend less time thinking about logistics and more energy focusing on hanging out with your spouse!

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Atlantis Adventure: What We Thought of the Atlantis Kids Club

LilSugar — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:00:00 -0800

Have kids, will play! We recently spent some time down in the Bahamas courtesy of Atlantis, JetBlue and LEGO. The main purpose of our trip was to attend the grand opening of the resort’s Atlantis Kids Adventures (AKA). Nestled between the pristine beaches, inviting waterslides and attractive aquariums, the 8,000 square foot kid space is nothing short of a wonderland for 3-12 year olds. The kids only club (no parents are allowed beyond the check-in counter) blends traditional camp activities like arts and crafts and dodge ball with state-of-the art technology, in a modern space that has something for everyone. Staffed by an energetic team, the AKA allows visitors to pick their own guided “adventure” during their stay.

AKA’s youngest club-goers (all lil ones must be potty trained), will love the Imagination Station’s fully-stocked grocery store and life-sized Victorian dollhouse. Its Wizardology reading room is filled with adorable pods for kids to cozy up with a favorite book, while a talking tree "reads" books aloud. There is also a performance room with a dress up area (complete with photographers that snap pictures to show off to mom and dad later) and interactive projected floor games (dodge ball, fish catching, soccer goalie, etc.) and an arts and crafts room where tots can complete both digital and live projects.

It might be hard trying to pry your older child's hands off of all of the Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers that line the Game Room. Mac stations fill the Computer Room allowing kids to safely browse the web and compete in online games against other club-goers. And the Arts and Crafts Room is filled with projects specifically designed for the more mature crowd.

To see where the club could use some improvements and how much it will cost you, read more.

The state-of-the-art AKA seemingly has enough activities to keep kids' hands (and minds) busy while parents enjoy a lil R&R of their own, but given the location of the club, I was disappointed to find that most of the activities were indoors. While there is an outdoor play space (complete with life-size versions of Scrabble and Candy Land, a ping pong table and a basketball hoop), it had to be sought out, which is pretty hard to do when you are surrounded by fancy technology.

The staff did tell me that lunch and snacks are often eaten outside, but given that most families visit the resort as an escape from cold-weather locales, I would love to see more activities that involve the kids exploring the aquariums, beach and dolphins that make Atlantis such a great destination.

In terms of pricing, the morning and afternoon sessions (3 and 4 hours each, respectively) cost $45 each, with lunch and dinner options available for an additional fee. There is also an hourly rate available. For families who want to enjoy the resort’s outdoor activities together during the day, but are looking for some time for mom and dad to experience one of Atlantis’ celebrity chef restaurants and the casino, the $60 evening session (from 6:30 – 10:30 p.m.) is the same price as the babysitting service, but a lot more fun than sitting in your room with a strange caretaker.

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Geek Tip: Save Money by Contributing to Google's Tip Jar

GeekSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:04:37 -0700

I've professed my love for Google time and time again, and now with their new venture Tip Jar, they're helping me save some money.

Tip Jar allows you to post your most tried and true tips about saving money while traveling, babysitting, or commuting, and share them with the world. Have a tip about how to get the best rates when traveling abroad? Or perhaps how to entertain your kids on a dime? Leave it in the Tip Jar, and get plenty of free tips in return. Personally, the one about never grocery shopping on an empty stomach really hits home with me. I always put junk in my cart I don't need just because I'm feeling ravenous, and end up spending more than I should. See? Already helpful.