Cheryl P asked:
My husband and I are going on a 10-day cruise with our 8 month old and are planning on taking a travel nanny with us. This nanny doesn’t work for us on a regular basis. We haven’t decided when or in which room the baby will sleep nor have we discussed time off for the nanny. Can someone provide some general guidelines as to how much we should pay the nanny? Thank you.
My husband and I are going on a 10-day cruise with our 8 month old and are planning on taking a travel nanny with us. This nanny doesn’t work for us on a regular basis. We haven’t decided when or in which room the baby will sleep nor have we discussed time off for the nanny. Can someone provide some general guidelines as to how much we should pay the nanny? Thank you.
2 comments
Comment by InMyOpinion on June 14, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Where the baby sleeps and how much time off the nanny gets plays a big role in how much you should pay her. For example, I’d go (as the travel nanny) for free if I was only required to work 5-6 hours a day. Because she’s getting a free vacation out of it (you would be required to foot the bill for all her travel expences including meals) I would say maybe $6-8/hr. If she’s gonna be working around the clock and not really getting to enjoy the cruise, then I would say $12/hr.
You should really sit down and decide exactly what hours you want her to work and stick to it firmly, she’ll be agreeing to a salary based on the schedule you assign her, and nannies get easily upset when parents don’t respect the working hours! I would have her work no more than 8 hours a day. I wouldn’t have the baby sleep in her room, the baby should sleep with you guys, or if you really want to have the baby in her room, be prepared to pay through the roof if your kid doesn’t sleep through the night.
Comment by T L on June 16, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Some of that is going to greatly depend on the nanny’s own rates. There are many nannies who specialize as travel nannies, and they have their own fees and pay scales.
I disagree with the answer about reducing her hourly rate because it is a free vacation for her. As a professional nanny, I have traveled with many families…both with full time employers and with families who hired me specifically to travel with them. It is not a vacation for the nanny, even when she gets time off or gets to do fun activities. She’s on a working trip. Do you consider YOUR business trips vacation? Do you tell your boss, Oh, just pay me less that week you’re sending me on that trip since it’s also a vacation for me… ?? No, you don’t. So why would you do that to a person you are entrusting with the care and safety of your child?
Just like a business trip anyone else would take, you should expect to pay her fees and fares as well as all her meals. She should not incur expense in order to make your vacation easier for you. The sole exception is that she should pay for her own souvenirs.
Some nannies prefer to be paid hourly for the hours worked. This can get pretty pricey, especially if you expect her to share a room with your child. Even if she is sleeping, sharing a room with your child means relinquishing a lot of her privacy and it is NOT time off…she can’t just up and go do what she wants to do. Other nannies prefer to be paid just a flat rate per day of travel/work, regardless of hours worked. Keep in mind…even though it is a fun trip…she’s not with her own family or friends, when she is off duty she has nobody to hang out with for herself, and she’s at your beck and call. She is giving up her life to help you with yours for that time.
If you have used this person to care for your child in the past, think about what you have paid her for an hourly rate and go from there.
TL
nanny of 25+ years