The Holiday Season is here! A lot of nannies have asked us to share some gift giving ideas for the families you work for.
Some of you may have checked this off your holiday gift list, but if you haven't, here are some gift ideas for the children
and parents alike. Please remember not to get caught up in how much
you spend or how big the present is. The thought and your sincere
wishes that come with your present mean far more to the family, and that
is what it truly appreciated. Some ideas follow below:
-A Personalized Christmas Ornament for their Tree.
-A Basket with different cookie mixes and bread mixes that the family
can bake together. Perhaps include some fun cookie cutters (Home Goods
has a great selection!).
-Just for the Parents... A gift card made by you giving them a "Date Night" for any Friday or Saturday night they choose.
-For the parents... if they are coffee lovers, Dunkin Donuts has a great gift package all set to go!
-For the family... if they love plants, a Christmas Cactus or Amaryllis.
-For the family... photos from throughout the year of the children turned into a calendar (if you're unable to do this on your computer, most drugstores like CVS or Walgreens have a calendar template).
Of course, every situation is different, and any suggested gift should
never stretch your budget. As always, feel free to share your ideas or
what you may have done in the past.
Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency
Understandably, we get the question below a lot during this time of year and wanted to offer some guidance.
As
we're getting close to Christmas - I'm hoping you might be able to
provide me some guidance with respect to end of year Christmas gifts
and/or bonuses. I have *no* idea what the going rate is and I want to
make sure we're in line with whatever it is. Can you give me any
guidance at all?
To
answer your question, a full-time nanny can usually expect a holiday
bonus of one week's pay - two week's salary depending upon her length of
service. Additionally, if the nanny has been with the family under a
year, half of her weekly salary is standard. If the nanny is just starting, a $100 gift
card sets a nice tone. A hand-written note of thanks expressing your appreciation and referencing a yearly highlight of the caregiver/child relationship is an additional way to show your genuine gratitude.
Some families will include an extra little something coming
from the children like a homemade card, cookies or her favorite
confection which surrounds the monetary gift with genuine warmth and
appreciation from the child.
For
the part-time regular babysitter that provides care several times each
month, a gift equal to one night's pay are the norm. Many families choose to
provide a $50-$100 gift card to her favorite shop, cafe, nail salon etc.
Housekeeper/Cleaner, one or two week's pay, depending upon her length of
service and a small gift like a bottle of wine.
Obviously, this is a general guideline of industry norms in the NY Metro Region. Some families give more or less depending on the particular circumstances and family budget.
Posted by Wee Care Nanny Agency
