Need help with nanny situation (ALL opinions welcome!) (teachers, come look!)

I'm a teacher who will be returning to work in Novemeber when DD will be 4 mos old. My parents will be watching her 2 days and we plan on getting a nanny for the other 3 days. I have my first potential nanny interview this Tuesday and I realized there are some things I really need to think through.

1) How do I handle my random days off from school (e.g. Veterans Day and MLK Jr. Day)? I don't see the need to have the nanny here. Do I pay her for these days? If so, can I "trade" days so for instance when my parents go on vacation, have her watch the baby as a trade? Or should I NOT pay her for those days at all?

2) How do I handle week-long vacations (e.g. winter break)? Pay her, not pay her ... what!?

3) How about the summer? Is it reasonable to say she'll only work 2 days/week over the summer? Think I can ask if she'd not want to work at all? (that seems unlikely)

4) How do we handle when SHE gets sick? Does she get paid? (this isn't specically teacher-related, I suppose)

I want to do the right thing, and don't want to lose a potential nanny due to the situation, but I also don't want to pay for all these days when she would not be needed.

Any advice, insight, or experiece you can offer is MUCH appreciated! Thanks!!

Re: Need help with nanny situation (ALL opinions welcome!) (teachers, come look!)

Sorry to break it to you! But you gotta pay the lady!! I don't have a nanny, but its a universal childcare conundrum. You gotta pay when you go on holiday, you gotta pay when its a bank holiday, you gotta pay!

Re: Need help with nanny situation (ALL opinions welcome!) (teachers, come look!)

Here are my answers and I have a nanny - this is only my opinion though:

1) How do I handle my random days off from school (e.g. Veterans Day and MLK Jr. Day)? I don't see the need to have the nanny here. Do I pay her for these days? If so, can I "trade" days so for instance when my parents go on vacation, have her watch the baby as a trade? Or should I NOT pay her for those days at all?

You should def discuss this upfront - some people who pay nanny per hour - and not a weekly salary do not pay for holidays. We pay a weekly salary and we give her off for the holidays we are off and we pay her.


2) How do I handle week-long vacations (e.g. winter break)? Pay her, not pay her ... what!?

It's not her fault that you have a week long break and I don't think it would be fair to her if you don't pay her. If you truly cannot afford to pay her though and don't want her to work, I would put that out upfront and let her know the weeks you have off. Some people might be okay with that, but most I don't think would.

3) How about the summer? Is it reasonable to say she'll only work 2 days/week over the summer? Think I can ask if she'd not want to work at all? (that seems unlikely)

I think that is completely reasonable to say that in the summer you would only need her for two days. That gives her ample amount of time to find another job on those off days.

4) How do we handle when SHE gets sick? Does she get paid? (this isn't specically teacher-related, I suppose)

If she gets sick, we would still pay her. I get sick days at work, so I would give her the same benefit.

Hope that helps! If you have any other questions, let me know. I found the best thing was to spell everything out upfront so there are no questions later - be very specific about hours and if you need flexibility, ask for it - but just remember to give it back when she needs it.

Re: Need help with nanny situation (ALL opinions welcome!) (teachers, come look!)

1) How do I handle my random days off from school (e.g. Veterans Day and MLK Jr. Day)? I don't see the need to have the nanny here. Do I pay her for these days? If so, can I "trade" days so for instance when my parents go on vacation, have her watch the baby as a trade? Or should I NOT pay her for those days at all?


She cannot be held responsible for your random day offs. I think maybe you should discuss a minimum of hours/days per month.

2) How do I handle week-long vacations (e.g. winter break)? Pay her, not pay her ... what!?

Again. Negociate a minimum of days per month that she will work. Or tell her up front how many days you will be on vacation for the year.

3) How about the summer? Is it reasonable to say she'll only work 2 days/week over the summer? Think I can ask if she'd not want to work at all? (that seems unlikely)

Again, to be fair. You need to guarantee a minimum of hours.

4) How do we handle when SHE gets sick? Does she get paid? (this isn't specically teacher-related, I suppose)

I would assume she does not get paid if she is sick or take time off.

Message edited 9/11/2007 1:29:35 PM.

Re: Need help with nanny situation (ALL opinions welcome!) (teachers, come look!)

Re: Need help with nanny situation (ALL opinions welcome!) (teachers, come look!)