I often get questions from parents about things that come up when working with their nanny. Some of these things seem like they should be little things, but they are NOT. Don’t let these nine little things sneak up on you and put a hitch in the relationship you have with your nanny.

nanny eating family food

Nanny Eating Family’s Food

It never occurs to some parents and nannies that this could turn into an issue. I often see the topic of food come up from both parties.

Some parents have an open fridge/pantry policy. They may even go so far as to ask the nanny what kinds of foods she would like to have around to eat during the week. If there is anything that’s earmarked for something specific, like leftovers intended for dinner, make sure to label it or communicate that to your nanny.

I have heard some parents are surprised by their nanny eating the food at their house. If this is you, make sure to discuss with your nanny. It can get weird and become a big “thing” if the relationship progresses and food becomes a sticking point for any reason.

Some families have kids with food allergies or special diets. I have seen one instance where the family’s food requirements meant the nanny was only able to bring foods that were specialty items. This made the food more expensive than what the nanny normally purchased. If you have any specialty requirements like this, consider always allowing the nanny to eat what’s in the house or giving her a specialty food stipend.

Continue reading “9 Little Nanny Things That Can Become Big Things”

 

Early March was COLD. The kind of cold that my toddlers don’t last long outside in because they refuse to wear mittens. They soldier through holding onto the cold chains of swings at the park for about 10 minutes before they tap out.

Although it was still on the colder side one particular day, finding another indoor play activity wouldn’t allow us to soak up some needed sun. The kids and I needed to get OUT of the house and do something a little different.

kelsey creek farm

Visiting Kelsey Creek Farm in Bellevue with my kids had been on my to-do list for several months. Our plans to go had been scrapped several times because twins, nap schedules, and a finite mental bandwidth are real things! Heading to Bellevue from Seattle with three kids ages four years and younger, with lunches and snacks, water bottles, diapers, etc. took a little extra preparation but we finally did it. I only wish I would have gotten my, well…self, together sooner on this!

Continue reading “FREE Activity: Our Visit to Kelsey Creek Farm”

 

Over the past year, we have asked our members to complete pay rate surveys to provide the parents and care providers of our region a snapshot of the average pay for different child care scenarios (i.e. one child, two children, nanny shares, sitter, part-time, etc).

You can find the results of those surveys by clicking here.

We wanted to take this opportunity to update the pay rate information for caring for three children as it has been over a year since we last surveyed our community.

Today, we present the results of our March 2019 Caring for Three Children Pay Rate Survey. Has the average hourly rate increased or decreased? Continue reading to find out!

What are you paying or being paid to care for three children from the same family? Comment below!

Continue reading “Caring for Three Children Pay Rate Survey Results – 2019 Update”

 

three children pay rate

In our ongoing quest to provide current and accurate information about child care pay rates in our region, it’s time to update our Caring for Three Children Pay Rate Survey!

We last surveyed our members about sitter pay rates in March 2018. You can find the results of that survey here.

Today we present our March 2019 Caring for Three Children Pay Rate Survey!

Nannies – have you provided child care for three children from the same family in the past year? Parents – in the past year, have you employed a nanny to care for your three children? If so, please complete the survey below. Should only take about one to two minutes to complete.

Continue reading “Pay Rate Survey: Caring for Three Children”

 

I see it all of the time: parents expecting their first child asking about child care in Seattle. The one piece of advice all seasoned parents in this area will give is GET ON THE DAYCARE WAIT LISTS NOW!

set up a nanny share

Child care around Seattle is no joke. You literally have to get on wait lists before your baby is born to have any chance at getting a spot in daycare. (I have heard that sometimes the stars align and several lucky people get right in to their first choice when they need care. But I have also heard that some people are on wait lists for YEARS.) This recent Seattle Times article recommends getting on wait lists if you are even thinking about conceiving.

So, what can parents do? Some make the choice to tighten the budget and have one parent stay home. Others can afford to employ a nanny of their own. The lucky ones have family members nearby who are willing and able to help out. Many parents choose to go the nanny share route, either intentionally or by default once they realize how difficult it can be to find an opening in a care center (especially an infant opening!), or how expensive it can be to shoulder the entire cost of employing a nanny alone.

Other parents seek out a nanny share so their baby can get the socialization benefits of having a regular playmate around. Nanny shares take a little work to set up, but they can be an excellent alternative to daycare and can make employing a nanny more affordable. (To note, while nanny shares are an excellent childcare option, they are not actually legal childcare arrangements in the state of Washington. Learn more about that by clicking here.)

Continue reading “How To Successfully Set Up A Nanny Share”

 

During the series of snowstorms that hit the Seattle area in February 2019, I heard from dozens of desperate parents who were seeking last minute care as their nanny was unable to safely make it into work.

snow day child care

I was discussing with the hubby and he had a novel idea….what if parents could find nannies or sitters that live within walking distance that might be able to offer last minute child care? Parents can get their child care need covered while care providers don’t have to risk driving on icy roads (or missing out on income if they don’t have guaranteed hours)!

Continue reading “Snow Day Child Care! Find A Nanny/Sitter In Your Neighborhood”

 

Over the past year, we have asked our members to complete pay surveys to provide the parents and care providers of our region a snapshot of the average pay for different child care scenarios (i.e. one child, two children, nanny shares, sitter, part-time, etc).

You can find the results of those surveys by clicking here.

We wanted to take this opportunity to update the pay rate information for “babysitting” in our region as it has been over a year since we last surveyed our community. Today, we present the results of our January 2019 Sitter Pay Rate Survey for One Child!

The average hourly pay rate has increased somewhat since our last poll in December 2017 – from $17.81/hour to over $20.00/hour. We believe this is due to the increasing cost of living in our area and that most of the care providers that completed this survey have many years of experience (and thus, charge a higher rate).

Please note that the vast majority of the respondents were care providers. Keep that in mind when reviewing these results.

Continue reading “Sitter Pay Rate Survey Results – 2019 Update”

 

babysitting pay

In our ongoing quest to provide current and accurate information about child care pay rates in our region, it’s time to update our Sitter Pay Rate Survey!

We last surveyed our members about sitter pay rates in December 2017. You can find the results of that survey here.

Today we present our January 2019 Sitter Pay Rate Survey. Due to some issues that we have ran into with Survey Monkey, we have deployed our own polling software here on our site.

Nannies/Sitters – have you provided sitter child care for one child in the past year? Parents – in the past year, have you employed a nanny or sitter to babysit one child? If so, please complete the survey below. Should only take about one minute.

Continue reading “Pay Rate Survey: Babysitting Pay for One Child”

 

Updated: January 2020

Need a break from the rain? Looking for something new and unique to do indoors with the little ones?

With this list of OVER 200(!) indoor activities in the Puget Sound region, your kids will be able to run off some steam and you will never run out of ideas for things to do with them!

indoor kid activities

This map is great for parents and care providers who are new to our area. Please share!

Don’t forget that Nanny Parent Connection members get a discount at the Funtastic Playtorium! We just visited the Alderwood location last week and saved $5.00!

Blue icons are free activities and red icons are activities with a cost. 

If you are using a mobile device, use two fingers to move the map or zoom. Click any of the icons for more information and ENJOY!

Continue reading “The Complete Seattle Area Indoor Kid Activities Map”

 

Over the past year, we have asked our members to complete pay surveys to provide the parents and care providers of our region a snapshot of the average pay for different child care scenarios (i.e. one child, two children, nanny shares, sitter, part-time, etc).

You can find the results of those surveys by clicking here.

We wanted to take this opportunity to update the pay rate information for nanny shares as I have been receiving many inquiries about what is the market rate. Today, we present the results of our January 2019 Nanny Share Pay Survey!

Please note that the vast majority of the respondents were care providers. Keep that in mind when reviewing these results.

Continue reading “Nanny Pay Survey Results – Nanny Shares | January 2019 Update”