Welcome gift for nanny

[MollyMarples]

We’ve hired a nanny, she starts next week, it’s her first job a nanny, and she’s only young.

I wanted to get her something to welcome her. So far my only idea is some slippers to keep here at our house. Any other ideas?

Starbucks/costa gift card
Maybe a justeat one

Do you know what size feet she has?

We’ve had nannies before and have never got them a welcome gift. We just went with a good tour of the house, a folder with useful household info/routines in, and letting her know the expectations and ground rules

Not yet but at Xmas Just put some nice toiletries or towels in her room

Our nanny was delighted when I left her a folder which had emergency information for the DC (full names, date of birth, medical history), a guide to the house (everything from how the hob worked to where the stopcock was), a summary of their weekly schedule including names of who they particularly liked at each activity and that sort of thing. We also gave her some shelf space in the shoe cupboard and in the kitchen.
We didn't get her a gift and, whilst she was brilliant and we were all disappointed when she moved on to a new role a few years later, I am glad we didn't. You are an employer; she is an employee. It is easier to have those slightly difficult conversations which you will inevitably need to have if you keep that relationship clear instead of taking the approach of "nice young girl who is doing us a favour and needs a bit of looking after".

Hard echo of the post above. Your best “gift” is to be an effective employer with clear holiday/ expenses / payroll processes and paying the correct amount on time. You don’t get gifts from your employer in the first day of a job.
since she’s totally new at this role (as it sounds are you) clear boundaries and expectations are all.

My nanny family bought me a mug and nice pen to keep at their house when I first started I used the mug the whole 4 years I was there. The pen I used for filling in the contact book we had. I also had my own drawer there for my own personal bits.

What gift did you get OP when you started at your place of employment? What did DH get? And that's the point.

If you're a family of personal mugs rather than a matching 6 piece set, get her a mug. Both mainly do she doesn't use yours

I largely agree but a friend of mine works in HR for a well known company and they find out employees favourite cake and include it in a welcome pack on their first day.

That’s creepy a.f - the Hr team are creeping around social media to find out cake preferences?? It’s also twee as anything. Cupcakes! Welcome to your 60 hour weeks with poorly miscalculated overtime but CAKE!
(I have been given corporate branded stuff on first day. Fine, but it’s hardly a “gift”. Employers should be professional and unless you’re a baker, hard to see cake fitting into that)

DS chose a keyring with her first name initial on from smiggle, which went down well. She put her copy of our house key on it.

What's that got to do with anything? Are you against the idea?

I would feel extremely awkward if an employer bought me a gift when I started a new role.

That’s very sweet - something from the child to get them bonding is lovely (won’t work if child is a baby and you’re pretending the baby chose it of course)

If anything maybe a nice box of artisan cupcakes/brownies and a luxurious candle/shower gel but you’d have to check if they preferred eg vegan food items and if they liked or were ok with the candle etc. I’d probably wait til they started to get a gift.

I'm going to go against the grain here. A nanny may be an employee but they are a bit of a crossover with the family, aren't they? I never had a nanny but I would have wanted my children to love them and vice versa or you are leaving your children all day long with a business transaction? The keyring idea upthread seems perfect. I don't know any young people who wear slippers.

No, they ask them. No creeping around involved. So it isn't a surprise as such but it's still a nice touch.

I think the mug idea is good. Possibly a key ring with the house keys on. A loaded card for coffee, lunches could also work. Nothing too personal at this stage. You can always pick out a nice Christmas gift once you know them a bit better.

Slippers to keep at your house aren’t really a gift- I’d take that as an instruction to only wear slippers m, which is fine if you want her only to wear slippers in your house, but it’s not a gift so she’ll probably say ok rather than thanks.

If she's live-in then get her some nice toiletries for the bathroom and a candle for her bedroom .

If she's live-out then ask her what she likes to drink through the day and what she likes to eat and make sure your cupboard is stocked with those things. A keying with her name/initial for your house is a lovely touch. If she wants hot drinks I'd want them drunk from a travel mug and so would provide a nice one of those too (also means she can take a hot drink out with her when needed).

Not a present as such, more a few items to help her day to day run smoothly.

@Worddance this is a thread about gifts for nannies…I was sharing our experience, which has been echoed throughout this thread, that gifts aren’t the norm…

Well I think it's a bloody nice idea!

She wasn't asking about the wisdom of giving gifts at all, just asking for ideas! It's a thread about what to give a nanny, not whether to give gifts. I have had nannies myself so you're in no position to tell me what is and isn't done.

I’m always surprised when people on here compare nanny jobs to other jobs. It’s not at all the same as say working in an office or factory 🤷🏻‍♀️ yes it’s still an employer/employee relationship, and of course it’s important to have boundaries, but when you’re nannying it often becomes so much more than just a job. These people are in your home, taking care of your most prized ‘possessions’! It’s not the same, not even a little bit. OP I think it’s an absolutely lovely idea and what a lovely boss you sound like you’ll be. Agreed that slippers are a nice idea, especially as we’re headed into winter. Also a nice Keyring for her copy of your house key, and her own mug for her tea or coffee, some nice biscuits or cakes. Good luck and I hope it works out great for you 😊(ex nanny of 20+ years)

I got given slippers. Loved them as hate cold feet

I think I may have mentioned I wear slippers

Got a lovely Furry pair

Made me feel part of the family