nannies please tell me your christmas expectations during a credit crunch....

[woodstock3]

i've read on here that a week's bonus seems to be standard christmas present. we love our fantastic nanny and want to show her we appreciate her but this christmas we are frankly skint - dh's job is extremely rocky and am having to cut back hard everywhere just in case. i just can't afford an extra week's pay.
i have not told her that times are tight because i dont want her to worry that her job might not be secure if dh's isnt (tho she is not stupid and has no doubt noticed me manically turning down the heating....).
so nannies, would you be offended/miffed/wonder if you'd done something wrong if you didnt get a bonus? she will get a present and she'll get more spent on her than anyone else in the family - we will probably do spa vouchers or similar. is it better to explain that we'd like to give her more but can't right now, or just to keep quiet?

Personally i'd explain.. especially if shes been given it before.

I'm sure she'll have the good manners to understand and at least she'll be sure that its the only reason she's getting less than usual... hope you see what i mean.

ABC

If you've given a bonus before then maybe a little word would be good.

If not give her a gift and tell her she's worth so much more than any gift can express. Would make my Christmas to hear that

As for the week's bonus being standard - maybe in London or high earning families. I've had smellies, chocs & booze(!hic!) and best of all has been a beautiful collage of photos and pictures done by the children I looked after, I've never had a monetary bonus at Christmas but have always been delighted with what I have received. I've worked for families that aren't much better off than my household, they have just decided that a nanny is the best childcare arrangements to suit their family.

Oh - and I'd be mortified if my bosses spent more on me than on anyone in their family. There are plenty of ways of appreciating your nanny without being extravegant moneywise.

Ive not had money bonus at xmas from a nanny job either. Have been given a tip when babysitting. So I don't think a weeks bonus pay is typical.
I'm probably had to buy for, tend to get wine and chocolates.

Depending on her financial circs, she might rather have some money or "spendable" M&S type vouchers than spa vouchers - even if you cant give a full week's bonus. eg a £50 bonus/voucher and nice box of chocs or wine and hand-made card etc. But then its horses for courses - just that an ex-nanny I know said she always wished that she had been given the cash rather than some fancy gifts. Just a thought.

i dont normally get a bonus (definitely not a weeks wages!)

something handmade by the children would mean SO much more to me than anything money can buy.

this is the first christmas she's worked for us so she isnt used to a bonus. she seemed surprised when we got her a birthday present!
ds is only a baby so a bit young to make anything (well not that anyone would want....) but i think we'll go with some vouchers and maybe some surprise extra time off. thanks all.

without sounding petty/greedy etc

i have always been given a bonus - at every xmas for 17 years as a sole charge nanny

BUT also understand there is a CC.therefore, if I wasnt to get one (as normal)if my mb said they were streached i would underestand - but if they didnt say anything i would wonder if i had done something wrong - but not offended - as i have always had one

but it isnt all about the money - i also normally get a lively card and gift/sometimes home made from kids - which means alot

but guess if you are used to it (as the same if you worked in the city and got a nice bonus, you kinda get used to it) and if you didnt get one, and didnt get an explanation - you might wonder why

Blonees, when you last changed family, how did the current family know that you would expect a bonus at Xmas? Is that something you talk about at interview?

not at all Nick - thats being cheeky - would never ask for it - though i do ask for many things at intereviews,a bonus isnt one

they didnt know - guess they just do give bonus's - maybe they spoke to other friends with nannies

i dont expect it, till I have it - does that make sense?

if i left this job and didnt get one the 1st year with a new family, then fair enough

when i changed 3 years ago, i did wonder if i would get a bonus, but didnt expect it - as you never know, and some of my friends dont get them, as like some on here dont

but first christmas i was there, i got a lovely pressie made by children ( which mb obv made effort with, and i LOVE it) is on my book shelf, and also some lovely lush stuff from mb/db and they gave me an envelope stuffed with cash and said thank you very much for all your hard work this year

so as they did it that year, and last year, i kinda expect it this year - unless they said something

does that make sense?

You are slightly governed by what you did last Christmas, if she was working for you then.

If she wasn't, totally up to you to set the Christmas gift custom, so no need to give her a week's pay (it isn't standard practice imo). If you did give her a week's wages last Christmas, explain the situation this year, and do it before Christmas, and explain that you can't afford it this year, in case she's counting on the money.

If you can cover it yourselves, give her a voucher for 2-3 days' extra free holiday. Agree that the cards from children mean the most. A pile of small presents can be nice - can you and the children make her a stocking? You can fill it with cheaper stuff - smellies, lipbalm, a nice nail polish, socks, an orange in the toe

I would not expect a bonus this year. I know my employers can afford it but in all honesty if they couldnt I would like most of all a thank you. I know I am an employee but we all like to be told we are doing a good job every once in a while (the parents work ALL the time so I run the house). Other then that an extra couple of days holiday would be fabulous. If she is from another country e.g Australia or NZ then give her the national day off, buy some goodies from the Australia shop etc. The little things mean the most. Rather that then something huge and has no meaning.

well I didn't get even a 'happy birthday' + my pre-xmas 'bonus' was being given my notice due to the credit crunch so if I'm honest, I'm not full of any festive joy right about now.
I'm still going to give them a scrap book of pictures of what myself+their DD have been upto though!

well I didn't get even a 'happy birthday' + my pre-xmas 'bonus' was being given my notice due to the credit crunch so if I'm honest, I'm not full of any festive joy right about now.
I'm still going to give them a scrap book of pictures of what myself+their DD have been upto though!

aww i think the stocking with little bits n bobs is a FAB idea!!

I would love that

TBH i would be if given a weeks bonus @ xmas !!

It just seems a tad OTT to me ?? but i spose those that can afford it, and the nannies that work for them its the "norm" ?

I think a whole weeks bonus is a bit OTT. I have always been given a nice present and a card either drawn by the children or they've done a picture/colouring etc.

Over the years i have had wonderful gifts but never a money bonus and i would be so embarrassed to receive such a gift.

my fav gifts have been the ones that show me that my bosses know me, like one year my mb got a signed copy of a book i wanted.
then there was one that got me a beautiful make up set but she knew i did not wear it.
that sounds really ungrateful

i think a nice gift is all thats needed maybe a nice hamper if she lives by herself/with oh. you could make it yourself by nice basket and fill with yummy treats.

I am sure she would rather her job than you trying to find the money for a bonus and in a months time not being able to afford her.

i cant beleive i seem to be the only nanny who get a cash bonus

I always got a cash bonus at christmas too,sometimes £50 ,in my last job it was a weeks salary.
I would never "expect" it though and agree something made by the children is priceless.
Never underestimate how much saying thankyou every day means, i would have and did bend over backwards for my last employers .

A week's bonus? Fuck me! Just how rich are the people you work for? I've never had a week's bonus in any job I did! I thought I was generous with a £25 M&S voucher, a box of nice biscuits and little presents for children.

i do tend to work for rich famillies - ie one if not both parents have good jobs in city, children often go to private schools etc

but thats as i work in an area that is close to london, has good train links - 22mins - and many of my employers have moved from london to my town when they have famillies

i prefer to work for a rich family that dont begrudge paying me, can afford to pay me ( have had friends been paid late/not for a week etc parents said they couldnt afford it)

and i find that mums who like to work, and want to work, rather than have to work, are better to work for

does that make me sound bad?

i have LOVED all of my jobs, stay for 4/5years in most and keep in contact with ALL of my famillies/charges - so my thorey works for me

No, you don't sound bad at all! My nanny has worked for rich people in the past and has enjoyed the trappings that came with it. Including a works night out with the butler and housekeeper .

It would be nice to be in that league!

thanks - was feeling a bit of a selfish greedy cow

no housekeeper/butler but do have cleaner/ironer/gardener/man who cleans/hoovers/washes cars
but i dont go out with them, but very happy to have a glass of wine with my lovely bosses

I think it depends how long you have been with the family.

I got a box of chocs and £100 from one family, a scarf and gloves (from Harrods) from another that I still wear.

I think there is something wrong about spending more on the nanny than on a relative though.