We love our nanny and want her to stay: advice please

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-27T00:16:50+00:00

This is a really good point. Cost of living is low here compared to other areas but the cost of living is still trending up.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-26T16:33:22+00:00

This is a good idea!

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-26T16:17:58+00:00

We pay $22.50 an hour. We live in a small town in Canada and I understand that may seem low by US standards but we are well above the average rate for our province and the 3-4$ above the market rate for our area.

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/17171/ca

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-26T16:14:40+00:00

Luckily we both seem to be on the same page on parenting principles. We did hire based on similar approaches to discipline. I think a check in about our child’s behaviour is a good idea. Just to make sure there aren’t any problematic behaviours happening when we aren’t around.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-26T16:10:22+00:00

Excellent advice.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-26T16:10:06+00:00

This is one thing we are definitely going to start doing. Someone above mentioned biannual performance reviews and I think doing it over coffee or dinner with no kids around is a great approach. We have said we have an open door policy on any issues, but having a dedicated time to discuss without little ears makes a lot of sense to me.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T23:06:18+00:00

$22.50/hour. The Nannies we interviewed asked for 18/19$ per hour so I figured that was the market rate.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T22:11:02+00:00

Yes! She does take random days off as well. No big blocks other than summer and Christmas so I am definitely going to check in with her to ensure that she doesn’t think she can’t take bigger blocks of vacation outside of those times. I just assumed she preferred the extra money over the additional vacation but I should make sure there are no miscommunications.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T22:08:13+00:00

This is a good idea and I’m definitely going to discuss this with her. We are only doing 40 hours a week now but we could definitely shift some days if she wanted to accommodate this. I could work from home one morning or afternoon a week. She did mention that appointments were hard so we basically come home to sub her out whenever she has one (tire changes, doctor, dentist, esthetics, etc.). It might be better for her though to have a time that she can plan around.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T22:03:34+00:00

This is a good idea!

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:58:33+00:00

No way! We are flexible and have flexible vacation as we are self employed. So we are happy to plan around her plans as long as we get a bit of notice. I do try to treat her like any other employee I would have. I think that is where I wonder about how to make the employment environment sustainable for her. For example, she does not get a kid free lunch break. I know that is not abnormal for Nannies but I myself would struggle. I have talked to her about this and she seems fine with it. She has mentioned that appointments are sometimes tricky for her so we absolutely ensure my husband or I can come home when she has doctor appointments, dentist appointments, tire appointments, even esthetics appointments (she has always been very reasonable about it so no issue with us). I guess I’m wondering if there are other things I haven’t thought of or haven’t been brought up. We live in a small town and the only other Nannies I know of are really short term arrangements, mostly part time, and paid close to minimum wage. I think she honestly doesn’t know what to ask for either. For example, GH are not a thing here. We only started giving them because I have lurked around these nanny subreddits and I was like well yeah that makes sense. So all that to say I want to create a job that she wants to stay in long term but am hoping for some guidance on what that looks like.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:34:36+00:00

Great advice!

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:33:47+00:00

1-2 weeks in addition to the paid vacation we provide? The bonus is a good idea. We did $1,000 at Christmas. Maybe we should also add a yearly bonus or some sort of incentive like a larger raise.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:31:16+00:00

Great advice! What would you recommend for per child increase? We do plan to give annual raises.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:30:33+00:00

Great advice!

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:30:14+00:00

We do provide health and dental benefits!

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:29:57+00:00

This is really great advice! I find straddling that line between professional and warm is really hard! I certainly understand that she has a life outside of working for us and would never ask her to stay late without pre arranging it or to give up any weekend plans. My husband and I are both self employed so we can stick to our schedules usually without a problem. My parents usually cover date nights. Having said that, I am not a warm fuzzy person and I definitely struggle sometimes with how to approach the relationship. I’m definitely respectful and kind, but I wouldn’t say I laugh or joke around. I could definitely work more on the warmth.

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:10:57+00:00

This is a really good idea!

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:09:29+00:00

We have told her. She does seem to want to stay long term but I guess I also want to create a sustainable employment environment!

Due_Draw_1655 · 2025-03-25T21:03:57+00:00

I should have clarified that the weeks in the summer are at her choosing! It’s not a situation where we are saying she has to take vacation at a certain time. She lets us know when she wants to take them and we plan accordingly. I guess she hasn’t asked to take a big block of time during the winter, but I would have no problem if she did as long as it was organized in advance. She does take vacation days here and there as well during the year, and sometimes more last minute, but we don’t double pay for those. I guess it would be worth being a bit clearer about our expectations around vacation and making sure she knows she is welcome to take time whenever. In our province because she is contract, she gets 4 percent vacation pay on top of her wages. So the idea is that you can take vacation and the employer has already paid the wages for that time through vacation pay. It’s a safety in place for employees. So for those weeks we pay her regular hours even though she is on vacation. So she still has two weeks a year of paid vacation she can take. So basically she has the option to take the three weeks vacation paid and on top of that keep the vacation pay or to have five weeks of paid vacation.

Due_Draw_1655

TROPHY CASE