The holidays are in full swing, and if you are like many parents, you might be wondering what type of holiday gift to give to your nanny or sitter.
To help, we put together a holiday gift-giving guide so you can find that perfect way to say thank you to your sitter or nanny.
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Whether you want to get the sitter who helped your family out a few times this past year a little something or are considering a larger gift for your full-time nanny who has been with you for several years, we’ve got you covered.
Before we jump into the guide, keep in mind that while child care providers always appreciate a cash tip, physical gift, or the gift of paid time off, if your family is financially struggling this year, don’t hesitate to get creative.
We’ve seen some families come up with very creative gift ideas to thank their childcare provider.
Artwork made by the kids is always a huge hit, and baked goods are also a good bet, especially if the kids had a hand in baking them.
We’ve even heard of parents detailing their nanny’s car because their children went a bit crazy with snacks 🙂
While it is customary to provide cash tips to your childcare provider for the holidays, don’t hesitate to think outside the box.
Let’s dive in and start with sitters
For a sitter who worked with your family a few times this past year, many families don’t give a gift to a sitter who worked irregularly with their family.
Other families, including some of our team members, like to gift $25 to $50 in a gift card, gift certificate to a local restaurant/coffee shop, or cash tip to thank the sitter for helping out.
For a sitter who worked with your family often or has been with your family for several years, many families provide a cash tip in the amount of the sitter’s usual job cost.
If the sitter normally cares for your children for 5 hours per day and charges $25 an hour, a cash tip in the amount of $125 would be customary (5 hours * $25 an hour equals $125).
If your sitter is a real rockstar, you might want to consider a cash tip plus a gift certificate to a local restaurant or retail store that you know they like.
For a part-time or full-time nanny that has worked with your family for one year or less
It is traditional to gift your nanny a cash tip in the amount of one week’s wages.
If your nanny is part-time and works 15 hours per week and is paid $27 an hour, consider a $400 cash tip (15 hours a week * $27 an hour equals $405).
If your nanny is full-time and works 40 hours per week and is paid $25 an hour, you may want to give them a $1,000 cash tip, again, get creative.
If a $1,000 cash tip is out of reach for your family, consider a smaller cash tip plus some additional vacation days.
For a part-time or full-time nanny that has worked with your family for a year or more
It is still customary to provide a minimum of one week’s wages as a cash tip, but you may want to consider something more.
Step back and give some thought to how much this nanny has helped you and your family during the time they have worked with you.
We have seen families provide two weeks’ wages as a cash tip for a nanny that had been with their family for multiple years.
We have also heard of parents paying for a small vacation for their nanny.
Several families that we worked with this year are providing their full-time nanny with a $500 cash tip plus a substantial gift card for the nanny’s favorite restaurant or retail store.
While there is no set rate on cash tips or gifts for child care providers during the holidays, use your best judgment.
And if you have additional questions about gift-giving, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Happy holidays from our team to you!