Nanny & New Arrival

I've always had a little payrise with a new sibling but not all do. A nanny is per family and not child and we don't get less when a child goes to school /nursery

But if you can afford it then a nice touch

Re pay rise. I have always got a little bit extra when MB goes back to work. I really don't expect it (I do expect a pay rise at every anniversary, it's in my contract!) but it's always nice. As a nanny you work per family not per child. You can have one child or 6 and still get paid the same!

I agree with Iguess it does sound like you were looking for ways to get around not paying your nanny if you gave her time off. Even my MB read it the same way.

Of course you can give her time off out of annual leave. You say your nanny has used all of her allowance, have you used all yours? Most of my employers have taken it very easy in the first week, barely stepping foot downstairs, I carried on as normal with the older children. Taking them to classes/outings/to meet friends. I have a large nanny/mum circle so we spend the day with friends, either out or at their houses and I repay when they need to be out of the house. Depending on MB's night, I'd take the older ones up to have a chat with mum after breakfast and take the baby to change nappy, top and tail and get dressed (changed into a clean babygro!!) and have a little cuddle! Then the same in the evening, the children woul have a chat/stories with MB and I'd bath and get baby ready for bed (most of my MB's have hated bathing a little one.

As the baby got older and going longer between feeds, I'd take baby for a walk/into town/supermarket while MB spent the afternoon with the older ones.

Just have a chat with her and tell her what's expected.

A friend won't be getting a payrise with her newest charge - she works for a large family.

Thanks Iguess- I was thinking of increasing it but wasn't sure if it was a matter of course or more discretionary.

It depends on the family/situation/current salary.

My salary went up a considerable amount when mb went back to work - i got a slight payrise when maternity leave started and then the full payrise when she went back to work. It wasnt expected but it was very much appreciated.

No worries OP

As I said make sure you communicate Now, and in the early weeks meet again to talk over how it's all going - whats working / whats not etc. Good Luck. :)

By the way I agree with BluBlu that your posts did read like an employer who wasn't 100% sold on why you should pay your nanny if she was to have the time off. :)

"Also, the 2 weeks paternity period - were you on full pay?"

"We are quite tight for space (and money!)"

"but the 2 weeks you were not needed - were you on full pay? And was that on top of your holiday allowance? Nanny has already booked off her full holiday allocation so this would be 2 extra weeks at full pay off work - is that standard?"

Can I hijack a little here just to ask a question of the nannies?

I'm going to be going on mat leave for DD2 soon and similar to OP am giving nanny 2-3 weeks (paid) off while we settle in and then she'll be coming back as usual.

My question is does the rate of pay increase with the extra child when I return to work? Or is it the same hourly rate regardless of number of DC being minded?

Sorry op. I was more addressing my anger about other bosses that I see write on these boards. Your tone did indicate you were unsure if she should be paid. I just wish it was common knowledge.

Hi op. Congrats on the (nearly) new arrival. I would get her to take your eldest out for a large chunk of the day as often as possible. Look out for discount codes and free days. There will be loads on during the summer time. On sunny days send them out for the day with picnics and use that time to be alone with the baby.
You could always nap in the afternoon and get her to watch the baby too. It would be good for the baby to get used to her being around and for you in the long run to be able to grab a shower or spend time with your eldest.
As for paying her, you should be paying her in full. So if her normal weekly hours is 40 hours but you want her to only work 25 hours while you're off, then that's your choice so you should pay her in full.
I know that parents probably don't mean to do it but I wish they would realise that this is our income and a proper job. I have bills and rent to pay and food to by. I would be screwed if my boss said 'in 6 weeks time I want time to myself so you're off for 2 weeks. No pay' I really don't think the above poster being paid makes her boss a good boss. Just one who is doing things legally.. I.e following the contract!

mb took 7 months maternity leave in total. I worked my usual hours but would often be told I could come in half an hour later in the morning or leave half an hour later in the evening. The weeks after she had the baby were in addition to my holiday leave and fully paid. My contract states 4 weeks notice of holiday from either side so they couldn't really have used their own 2 weeks choice as my holiday as they couldn't give me set dates - if they had given me 2 weeks from baby's due date I would have been back at work when he was 3 days old as he arrived late.

I've had several siblings arrive in jobs and always been paid in full if they wanted any time off and have some privacy /family time

Tho generally I still come in as older children still had school /nursery and various activities

You need to speak to your nanny how you want things to progress. Maybe she can get her child to go to play dates for a few days each week so you have some privacy

"I don't know if this is an appropriate/legal thing but could your nanny take you DD to her house for a while?"

No, various legal issues. A nanny cares for children in the child's own home, not in the nanny's home.

I wouldn't say she's a great boss for paying me my salary when she effectively shut the office. That's just good practise. You wouldn't be happy if your boss told you tomorow that in 6 weeks time you were going to have 2 weeks unpaid holiday. Could you afford to do that?

She is a great boss generally.

I don't know if this is an appropriate/legal thing but could your nanny take you DD to her house for a while?

You can ask your nanny to take some time off as annual leave. If you have a 50/50 agreement then it would come out of your share.
You can give them additional paid leave. It would not be fair to make them take unpaid leave as you have a contract with them which probably provides them with an annual salary split in to monthly/weekly an hourly amount.

You could in theory make them redundant. Then rehire them a few weeks later. This is not suggested - for one thing they may not want to work for you again and they may not be available.

When I have had a boss on maternity leave I have been paid as usual and have come in to assist with older children, taken annual holiday or had additional holiday.
Could you ask your nanny to come to work but to take your DD out on a trip lasting a large part of the day - during school holiday? That would then keep her entertained and give her time to do things that may be harder to do with baby in tow?

In fact my boss took 2 weeks later in the year to introduce dc2 to family and I was paid as usual.

Yep.

I have 5.6 weeks holiday entitlement. 2 weeks my choice, 2 weeks theirs plus bank holidays.

If you want to use these 2 weeks as your choice of holiday thats fine but if you've already chosen your 2 weeks then its normal pay as she's available to work but youre choosing not to use her.

mb is mum boss

Yes, I was paid for that time.

If you have your dh at home and will be having visitors and would like some family time and privacy then have a think about whether you need your nanny there in the mix or not - if she's there you are paying her, if she's not you are still paying her - so it's no extra expense. You could maybe decide that you would like her to work mornings or afternoons instead of full days. It may be nice for nanny to take your older one out so she gets to have a run around and let of some steam (and hopefully tire her out ) and you and dh can just cuddle up with the baby and relax a bit.

No not at all hence why if they were downstairs I would go up and viceversa.

2up2down kinda house.

I was on full pay for maternity leave and would have been even if I'd been given 2 weeks off at the beginning.

MB [Mum Boss] also not rolling in it.