Don’t Forget These Nanny Year End Tasks!

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

We all know how busy the holiday season can get. Travel, kids home from school, countless get-togethers, and this year, a triple whammy of COVID, influenza, and RSV running rampant throughout our communities!

To help, I’ve put together a checklist of nanny year end tasks that you should handle in the next couple of days if you are currently working with a nanny.

In this video, I’m going to discuss: 

– Holiday schedule planning

– Gift exchange with your nanny

– How to stay healthy if traveling

– Reviewing your Inclement weather policy

– Organizing year end payroll documents

Click the button below to watch and happy holidays!

Click Here To Watch!

nanny year end tasks

Continue reading “Don’t Forget These Nanny Year End Tasks!” →

Don’t Miss These Nanny Holiday Activities!

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Happy holidays! It’s Laura from Nanny Parent Connection back with a special holiday video for you. 

Many nannies invest a tremendous amount of time and energy making the holidays special for their nanny kids.

In this week’s video, I discuss holiday activities that I used to do as a nanny that I now do with my four children. Parents – these tips are for you too!

Pro Tip: Making simple gingerbread houses are a great way to use up that leftover Halloween candy 🙂

Click the button or image below to watch and I hope you find an activity that you haven’t tried yet!

Click Here To Watch!

holiday activities

Continue reading “Don’t Miss These Nanny Holiday Activities!” →

Do I REALLY Have To Pay My Nanny For That?

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Hi everyone! I hope that your holidays are off to a great start.

“Do I REALLY have to pay my nanny for that?”

I’m not kidding when I say that I have heard that phrase dozens of times in the last couple of weeks. The nanny market continues to be super competitive across the United States and inflation is pinching us all in the wallet.

This has forced parents to increase the pay rates and compensation packages that they are offering to their nanny in order to be competitive.

For first time parents or those families that haven’t employed a nanny recently, these increases in nanny compensation can come as a HUGE shock.

I surveyed our team recently and below are the top four nanny pay questions that we have heard from parents in the past month:

  • Do I really have to pay my nanny overtime pay, that gets really expensive?
  • Can I offer only half the guaranteed hours to my nanny while we are away on vacation for the holidays?
  • I don’t need my nanny for all of their guaranteed hours this week, can I pay them the same amount this week and next week, but just have them make up those hours that next week?
  • Do I have to reimburse for mileage when my nanny is using their car for driving on the job? She’s only taking our kids a few miles away to the park.

In today’s video, I break down several incorrect assumptions about nanny pay.

Check it out and I hope you find it useful!

Click Here To Watch!

pay my nanny

Continue reading “Do I REALLY Have To Pay My Nanny For That?” →

Top 10 Tips For How To Keep Your Nanny!

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Hi everybody! Laura back with some more nanny related tips for you.

The cost of living has drastically increased over the past year. These rising costs are impacting the nanny world and I am beginning to see many nannies leave long-term positions for other opportunities offering a higher wage or additional benefits.

Have you found a great nanny? Make sure you are doing everything you can to keep them happy, cared for and valued as they work with your family! Check out my top ten tips for how to keep your nanny in the long term.

I can’t stress how important communication boundaries are for many nannies. Don’t text or call your nanny late at night!

Finally, make sure to check out my bonus tip at the end of the video.

Click the button below to watch the video and I hope you find a tip or two that you haven’t thought of yet!

Click Here To Watch!

keep your nanny

Continue reading “Top 10 Tips For How To Keep Your Nanny!” →

Discount Alert! Save 30% on PNB’s “The Nutcracker” Tickets

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Hi everyone! Our team has put together an AMAZING discount for you and your family!

As we enter into the holiday season, many families are seeking special activities and outings to create special memories together. There are few activities that say ‘holidays’ more than the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s (PNB) annual production of The Nutcracker.

the nutcracker

I first took my children to The Nutcracker in 2021, and it was such an incredible family outing. We missed the performance in 2020 due to COVID, so this was our first indoor holiday outing in a while!

My children were fascinated by the whole process: getting dressed up, reviewing proper behavior while inside the venue, going downtown, having a fancy dinner, the McCaw Hall lobby, the anticipation of the performance beginning – everything!

Continue reading “Discount Alert! Save 30% on PNB’s “The Nutcracker” Tickets” →

5 Tips For When The Parents Are WFH

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Hi everyone. I hope you had a relaxing Thanksgiving with loved ones!

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents went to the office or their workplace. But now, many parents are working from home full-time or several days per week. This dynamic can be tricky to navigate if nanny care is happening in the home. But it doesn’t have to be!

Check out my latest video, “5 Tips For When The Parents Are WFH” where I cover my top tips for parents and nannies to make WFH + nanny care work together seamlessly!

Pro Tip: If you need to sneak into the kitchen for a quick snack or beverage, make sure your nanny has the kids engaged in an activity. Kids have amazing hearing!

In this video, I’m going to discuss: 

– Establish Expectations

– Set Clear Boundaries and Have A Conversation About Who Is In Charge

– Proper Home Office Setup

– Planning the Week

– Plan to Minimize Distractions

Click the button below to watch the video!

Click Here To Watch!

working from home

Continue reading “5 Tips For When The Parents Are WFH” →

Are You A Nanny or Household Manager + Job Duty Creep

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Are you a nanny, family assistant, or household manager? Not sure? Maybe you are a combination of all three!

Often, these titles are used interchangeably but there are some MAJOR differences in daily tasks, responsibilities, and compensation.

In this video, I will walk you through the differences between a nanny, family assistant, and household manager, how the compensation (pay) is different for each, and a discussion about the dreaded “job duty creep”.

In this video, I’m going to discuss: 

– Nanny Job Duties

– Family Assistant Duties

– Household Manager Job Duties

–  How to Handle Job Duty Creep

Click Here To Watch!

nanny job duties

Continue reading “Are You A Nanny or Household Manager + Job Duty Creep” →

How To Handle Awkward Nanny Scenarios | Nanny Parent Connection

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Hi everyone. It’s Laura from Nanny Parent Connection back with a truly fun video!

Recently, I teamed up with Michelle Kelsey who is the founder of The Nanny Solution, an amazing nanny agency based out of Canada, to discuss an unusual but important topic.

In this week’s video, I run awkward nanny scenarios by Michelle for her reaction and advice on how to handle. These are REAL scenarios that my team and I have run into over the last couple of years. Michelle has some great advice coming from her 20 years of experience in the industry.

So excited to create this collaboration video with Michelle! 🤗

Sit back, relax, and I hope you learn something from this video…and laugh with us as well!

Click Here To Watch!

awkward nanny scenarios

Continue reading “How To Handle Awkward Nanny Scenarios | Nanny Parent Connection” →

Should I Give My Nanny Cash For Outings? 💰

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Hi everyone! Laura from Nanny Parent Connection back with a quick yet helpful video.

Does your nanny take your kids out for activities? What is the best way to handle any expenses associated with these activities (like a special ice cream treat or a visit to the Children’s Museum)? Have your nanny pay out of pocket and then reimburse?

Check out my guide for how your nanny should pay for those activities (hint: not in cash).

Click Here To Watch!

nanny cash

Continue reading “Should I Give My Nanny Cash For Outings? 💰” →

Guide to Background Checks!! (Part 2) | Nanny Parent Connection

Posted on by Laura Kitchel

 

Hi everyone. Hope you had a spooky Halloween! 🎃

I’m back with the second video in my “Guide to Background Checks” series.

Most parents have never run a background check before. In this two-part series, I am going to walk you through the ins and outs of how to run a background check and read the results. I’ll cover everything you need to know!

In Part 1, we discussed how to order a background check. In Part 2, you’ve ordered your background check and received the final report. How do you understand the results?

Some of the questions we hear on a regular basis from background check customers are:

How should I interpret that hit on the County Criminal Record Search? What does the flag mean on the Social Security Trace? Should I be concerned about that accident listed on the Motor Vehicle Report?

Check out Part 2 of my “Guide to Background Checks” series where I discuss how to read and interpret each section. I also include red flags that you should be on the look out for when reviewing the report.

Also, don’t forget to check out Part 1 of this video series here.

Click the button below to watch the video!

Click Here To Watch!

background check guide

Continue reading “Guide to Background Checks!! (Part 2) | Nanny Parent Connection” →