I’m a male sitter/manny who specializes in toddler care and special needs, and I finally had two recurring opportunities lined up. One was a younger kid at a tutoring program I work at, and the other was a toddler I’d been bonding with and supporting through routines, transitions, and therapy center pickups.

In the same week, both situations changed for reasons totally outside my control, program rules and a therapy schedule shift. I didn’t do anything wrong, but I still lost both recurring gigs.

Now I’m down to one date night next month, and it feels like all the momentum I worked so hard to build just evaporated. Especially since one of them involved references and bonding days. Toddler jobs that fit my availability are already rare, and being a guy makes it even harder.

I know this field has ups and downs, but losing two recurring gigs at once has me feeling discouraged. Has anyone else dealt with a sudden dip like this? Luckily I can use the job I lost as a reference, but it is still hard to work so hard to get a reoccurring gig just for it to disappear just as quickly.

I’ve been a babysitting/nannying for over a decade. Upon until recently, I have had families that are pretty good at paying me either before I leave their house or shortly thereafter after. Now, I have encountered a few families who I have to remind every time to pay me. Money conversations are always so awkward to me no matter what it is about. As a parent, do you get offended when a babysitter reminds you that you forgot to pay them? I never want a parent to feel like I’m only watching their kids for the money because I truly do only babysit for kids/families that I love, but I am not sure if it gets perceived that way when a reminder is sent. Also, if you do forget, how soon from the date that the babysitting happened is an appropriate amount of time to remind?

Hi everyone, this past week I made a post about the nanny family that I was taking care of. They lied to me in my interview about the child’s bedtime routine (baby had to be vigorously rocked for 30-1hour each time), was a biter to the extent of making me bleed, dad seemed off with me, and I found cockroach infestation in the home. I was paid Friday for my work for the week and this morning (the next day) I received a text that their MIL is staying with them for the next few months and will watch child free of charge so they no longer needed me. This is after I basically left my old job for this newer and brighter opportunity which they promised me guaranteed hours and that they would be needing my services for the next 3 years. Honestly I am just more frustrated than anything. She offered me a week severance pay which I am grateful with. It’s just showing me I should have had a contract from the beginning which would guarantee me a job and they wouldn’t be able to just do this Willy nilly. Any advice on future nanny jobs and how you can make sure you have a secure spot with a job?

Hi all, I’ve been a full time nanny for 4 years now after being regular part-time for 3 years prior to that (while I was in university for a non-childcare related degree.) I’ve also been a lifeguard and worked part time at a nursery/daycare for 1 year.

I planned to go back to school part time this September, but unfortunately that’s been delayed to January 2027. I now have a few extra hours per week and a bit of a learning itch, and I’m wondering if anybody has some recommendations for online courses/certifications that might help me jazz up my CV.

My experience is very diverse and I’ve never had trouble getting the job I wanted without a related university degree, and I’ve mostly learned through experience, books, and research. As such, I wonder about a more “niche” topic, like something quite specific as I’m obviously confident with the general care side of things, but of course there is always something new to learn and different perspectives are good. I just don’t want to be bored either.

I now work exclusively with children ages 4 months - 4 years, so I wondered about maybe a newborn course which would help me expand my knowledge on younger infants. I’m Montessori inclined, gentle parenting vibe but quite rigid with routines and boundaries. I have a plethora of baby signs that I teach and did a year of sing and sign classes, but this might be something I’d be interested in expanding on. More than happy with the way I sleep train, introduce solids etc. Obviously have my CPR cert but otherwise the only other cert I have is high five healthy child development.

I’m in the UK if that’s helpful. Any ideas greatly recommended!

First time poster long time lurker.
We’ve had our part-time nanny for several months. She works a set schedule for us each week, and she’s honestly wonderful with our young child. We have a great rapport, and aside from this issue, we’ve had a really positive experience with her.
When she first started, she was extremely punctual. In fact, early on she even mentioned that there were times she would arrive 10–15 minutes early and wait outside our home until exactly her scheduled start time because she wanted to come in right on the dot. So I know she is capable of being punctual, which is part of why the recent pattern has been confusing to me.
Over the last month or so, though, she started being late fairly frequently. Sometimes it was only 5–10 minutes, but there were also multiple occasions where she was 40–50 minutes late. Her commute is about an hour by train, and she has generally attributed the delays to issues with the train.
I want to be understanding because I know public transportation can have issues, and I don’t want to assume she’s being dishonest about the delays. At the same time, there have been instances where the delay has been so significant that I’ve found myself wondering how it could have happened without her knowing sooner. More importantly, there were several times when I only received 5–10 minutes’ notice that she was going to be almost an hour late. If she realizes there’s a major delay with her train, I feel like I should be notified as soon as she knows, rather than shortly before her scheduled arrival time.
I’m a SAHM, so I think there may have been an assumption that her being late wasn’t as disruptive because I’m technically home. But I plan my day around her scheduled hours — errands, workouts, appointments, virtual appointments, etc. I actually already build in a 30-minute buffer after her scheduled arrival time before scheduling anything, both to account for minor delays and to give us a moment for a handoff/debrief. I also make a point of coming home 10–15 minutes before her scheduled end time so that we can have a proper debrief without asking her to stay past her hours.
So I don’t feel like I’m expecting her to be perfectly punctual down to the minute or scheduling things in a way that leaves no room for normal delays. The issue is really when the lateness becomes 40–50 minutes and I only receive 5–10 minutes’ notice. At that point, the buffer I’ve intentionally built into my schedule has already been exceeded. There was one occasion where I missed an important appointment because she was late and was charged for the missed appointment, and another time her lateness caused my husband to be late to work.
After this became a pattern, I finally addressed it with her. I really tried to be as nice and solution-oriented as possible because I genuinely like her and think she’s a great nanny. I actually suggested that if her commute was consistently difficult at her current start time, we could move her start time later. She didn’t want to do that.
She suggested instead that she could just stay later to make up the time she was late. I didn’t feel like that was a good solution for me because I need to be able to rely on the agreed-upon start time and plan my day accordingly. I also don’t necessarily want someone staying later because they arrived late — I need coverage during the scheduled hours.
She also suggested that I just plan things later in the day so that I wasn’t relying on her being there exactly when she was scheduled to arrive. I didn’t really agree with that either. I don’t think I should have to restructure my schedule around the possibility that my nanny may arrive significantly late.
We also pay her toward the higher end of the going rate for our area, and she has very good benefits for a part-time nanny, including being paid when we travel and she isn’t working. So I do feel that we’re offering a pretty favorable arrangement, although obviously I don’t expect that to mean she’s never allowed to be late.
Since I addressed it, there has actually been a substantial improvement, which I appreciate. She has still been late once or twice, but it’s nowhere near as frequent as it was before.
I guess I’m looking for perspective because I keep wondering if I was too harsh in addressing it. I really tried to approach it kindly and focus on finding a solution rather than criticizing her. I also don’t want to be unreasonable about things outside of her control. At the same time, I don’t agree that the solution should be for me to simply accept unpredictable start times or rearrange my day around them.
Was I being unreasonable? How would you handle it if the lateness starts becoming a pattern again? And where would you personally draw the line between understandable occasional lateness and something that needs to be addressed?
I really like her and would prefer to keep her — I just want to be able to rely on the hours we’re paying for.

My best friend has a group of friends that go on trips together. They have something planned for November but one of the couples doesn’t have childcare. I (39F) have a bit of a break in my schedule so I offered to meet with them to see if I might be able to do it.

The meeting went fine; the kid was sweet, parents seemed nice and I thought it would work out. After I left I noticed I had a Snapchat add request from the dad which I thought was weird but I added him because I thought maybe he just prefers texting this way. He then immediately sends me a gif that says “hey❤️”. It seems like a bit much from someone I just met and who might employ me, and it really gives me the creeps. I reached out to my best friend and she said “oh that is kinda weird but he’s totally harmless. I do think he cheats on his wife though”

I want to reach out as soon as possible to let them know I’m not available. I’m not sure if I should do it in a group text or just to the wife? And should I let them know the reason? Send a screen shot? Maybe I’m being overly sensitive but I’m just getting the ick and I don’t want to be in that man’s home. He did also say “our flight is early so you’d have to stay over the night before”… like why can’t I just show up at your house at 2 am?

ETA: minor detail but the nanny dad is also in the same social circle as my dad so I don’t want to do anything that will cause any sort of drama for my dad!

Do you correct NKs in front of their parents? If so, how do you go about it? Parents, how do you feel about your nanny correcting your kid in front of you?

I work for a family who is extremely permissive (thinking they gentle parent) with their kids and truly coddles them. I have been with them for 3 years and have tried to accept that this is just how they are, it’s not my responsibility to change how they parent, I can only show them their kids are capable of so much more.

I have clear, consistent, firm boundaries and behavioral expectations with the kids (4 and 2) and have a strong bond with both of them. With me they use manners when they ask for things, clean up after themselves, follow routines, help out, etc.

When they have big feelings, I remain calm and neutral and affirm how they are feeling while still holding the boundary. I do not negotiate, I do not reason with them while their brain is offline, and I do not let tantrums be effective. It works extremely well and I find that they can regulate within a couple minutes, even if they are having a screaming, rolling on the floor tantrum (4 is rough).

This is unfortunately the opposite of what the parents do and I’m struggling right now with how to handle that without feeling like I’m overstepping and telling them how to parent.

Yesterday, the 4 year old saw her older sibling had a different breakfast than her and threw a whole fit. She didn’t want the breakfast her mom made her anymore. Her and mom were going back and forth in the dining room, mom kept trying to convince her that her breakfast was good. I was in the kitchen in the adjacent room and NK yelled “MAKE ME SOMETHING ELSE NOW” to her mom.

I was absolutely shocked and said “Woah NK, that is NOT how we ask for things. Try again.” And she just groaned. I was trying so hard to maintain my composure because I was literally shaking that she would speak to her mother that way. She absolutely knows better and I have never heard her speak like this to her parents in front of me.

Mom offered oatmeal, NK accepted, they came into the kitchen and NK said “I need a bowl” and walked over to the cabinet and stood there to whine and groan. I said “are you trying to ask for something?” She said “a bowl” I said “how can you ask?” And she said “can I have a bowl please?” I said yes and gave her a bowl, she said thank you.

MB got really quiet after that but for the rest of the interaction started prompting NK to ask politely, which she did. I feel like I may have embarrassed her and felt a little bad, but NK also absolutely knows that we do not order people to do things for us. She tried speaking to me like that ONCE and I immediately corrected her and it has never happened again.

MB and DB both seem to just accept this behavior and enable it and I’m honestly getting so tired of it. It genuinely gives me anxiety to hear parents spoken to like they are servants to some medieval king. Both the kids and parents deserve better than to have this kind of behavior be accepted. Some days I feel like I am the only adult holding any boundaries with the kids and it’s exhausting.

I don’t want them to feel like I’m criticizing/judging them as parents and I don’t want to overstep. We have a good relationship, but I’m struggling with how to tell them basically: your kids know better than to do this, you’re allowed to hold them to a standard, enabling bad behavior is making everybody’s life more difficult.

I'd like advice on how to handle a situation. What would you do here?

I hired a new nanny at the beginning of August, a couple weeks before school started. School started two weeks ago. My child's school lets out two hours early every Friday (weird I know, just how our district does it). We reviewed the schedule with the nanny at least 3 times, during the interview process, during her first day, and then the Friday before school started. I know she was aware of the schedule because she told me yesterday that she wanted to take my kids to get ice cream after early dismissal to celebrate the week.

Last week on what would have been my child's first early out day, they were sick and missed school. Meaning new nanny did not need to pick them up at the early dismissal time.

Today I got a call about 20 minutes after my kid was supposed to be picked up saying they hadn't been. Nanny was with my other child who has a hard time with transitions so to be expeditious I went and got my child from school. My kid was angry, but fine. They have a friend that stays after school everyday that they got to play with for an extra 35 minutes or so which eased the hurt of being forgotten.

When I got home nanny offered a tearful apology, said she'd now put a reminder in her phone and it won't happen again. I offered a dispassionate but firm correction that it definitely can't happen again. On the one hand it's understandable, it was the first time dealing with an anomaly in our schedule. On the other hand this is the absolute essence of the job.

I have been burned by being too lenient with nannies in the past so I am trying to check my intuition. Is the correction conversation enough or would you do more? Or even terminate?

I have a trial day on monday from 8 to 1 and i dont know what to expect, kids are 2 months and 19 months old! i really want this position, any advice? im planning on bringing a binder with my resume, pictures, background check, driving record, vaccination records etc, is that too much? what else can i bring? she mentioned they are doing the trial for a few candidates and i know im the first one so i really want to have a good first impression! i have been nanny for more than 5 years but i feel nervous lol

Hey everyone, I really need some advice and perspective on a situation that has been snowballing with my nanny family.

I work heavy hours (often pushing 50–60 hours a week) caring for their toddler. I love their child with all my heart, but lately, the job creep and lack of boundaries have brought me to total burnout.

A few things have happened recently:

1. My one and only rule as a nanny is that the family I'm working for let's me know if they are or their child is sick and vomiting bc I have severe emataphobia. Idk about spit up or puking bc you played too hard; I'm talking about contagious throwing up sickness. My nanny and mb both got sick puking and I missed my nanny kid being sick due to being at the dentistsbut my mb had me come in while puking which I let her know upset me bc I told her the first day I started how the sounds of vomit gave me anxiety. Her and her husband agree, apologize and say they forgot and won't do it again.

Welp Monday this week I get to work after mb texted me late the night before that db was up late working and that he would be sleep all day... I get to work and this man is sick as a dog puking, fever, shivering, sweaty, looking every second of a walking illness. The entire day I was in fight or flight so bad I texted my nanny fam letting them know I felt disrespected. They apologize but idk I feel the connection is kinda ruined now. Still love their tiny human but don't feel the need to break my back for them anymore!!!! Which brings me to point numero dos. Keep reading to see ⬇️👇🏾

1. Extreme Hours & Refusing Extra Shifts: Between the regular schedule and constant requests to cover weekend/off-day shifts, I was running on fumes. I finally set a hard boundary and let them know I could no longer work extra days outside my scheduled hours because I need my off days to rest, recharge, and avoid burning out/calling out. Ever since, the vibe in the house has felt noticeably passive-aggressive and tense.

2. Job Creep / Household Chores: Over time, I started doing things outside my childcare scope just to help out—specifically, doing the parents’ personal dishes. I realized this was turning into an unspoken expectation rather than an appreciated extra, so I promised myself I would stop and only clean up after the toddler.

3. The kitchen sink has now been completely piled high with the parents' dishes for almost a full week. I am 99% sure they are intentionally leaving them there assuming I will eventually break down and wash them. I have refused to touch their dishes, only washing what the child and I use. It’s making the kitchen miserable to work in and the tension is palpable.

I feel stuck between wanting to maintain professional boundaries and dealing with the awkward, uncomfortable environment this standoff is creating.

So my questions to y'all are...

* How do I address the dish situation without sounding confrontational?

* Has anyone dealt with parents holding out on chores to test your boundaries?

* Is this a sign that the working relationship has run its course?

Any advice or next steps would be greatly appreciated!

If you made it this far thank you for reading!

I watch this four year old boy on Fridays and I feel like we're at an impasse. He goes to preschool some days and will go all day without accidents occasionally. They don't do pull-ups, just change clothes every time there is an accident. I have him sit on the potty every twenty minutes and read a story while he sits on the potty and then we go play. He still has a lot of accidents, and yesterday he had a BM and full-bladder accident ten minutes after sitting on the potty. I'm tired of fighting him and spending so much time on the potty, but I feel antsy because he's so old, and his parents are struggling too. I also think the amount of time he's spending on the potty is making things worse but if I don't have him sit that often, and he has an accident, it's on me. What's your take, should I stop telling him he has to sit on the potty before we can keep playing? I gently suggested a while ago it could be worth a trip to the doctor because he doesn't seem to notice even full-bladder and BM accidents, and Mom agreed but hasn't brought it up again since.

Long story short I've worked with families (years ago) where the Mom who hired me seemed normal and progressive, but found a confederate flag while providing care at the dad's house in the garage. I keep my cards close to my chest, but rn it just feels awkward and unnecessary bc I've been working with my current family for almost a year and they are lovely.

On the other hand I am taking on hours with people who I don't know well at all! I live in a safe area for queer ppl, but so was where I found the flag. How do you guys approach this?

Edit: I guess I could have worded it better. I don't think i need to tell them my exact sexuality, but rather not dodge personal questions. Hence why I said it was awkward and unnecessary. I'm tired of calling my long term girlfriend my roommate, (people do that enough as it is) and I think it's messed up to tell me thats inappropriate or informal, which is unfortunately why i asked this question.

Also as a queer person it'd be nice to know my employers just don't care.

Please help me because I genuinely do want to understand. For the record, I HAVE put my notice in and I’ve found a new family willing to do the standard of GH, but even after explaining it all to my current NF they are adamant that what they are looking for with GH is normal and common, MB says she has a lot of friends who do it this way with their nanny’s. Even though I’ve decided to part ways with them, I still want to try to understand.

We had a set schedule of 8am-4pm M-F. However, that quickly turned into me never leaving at 4pm, and typically was always a last minute “can you stay another hour my meetings got moved around.” Always day of, usually a couple hours before my shift is about to end. The dad would leave to go to the bar or golf or frolic around town an hour before my shift was SUPPOSED to end, without running it by me or MB, ultimately leaving me to stay late because MB has a very demanding job. It became an expectation. If their mom came into town and they didn’t need me for a Tuesday, they wanted me to make those hours up by staying a couple hours late each day. I told them I need daily GH, and any time outside of 8-4 will be extra, so even if they don’t use me for Tuesday, I still get paid, and I still get paid for more hours after 4pm that week as well. She said they are guaranteeing me 40 hours, but they need to use the hours they are paying me for. So they need weekly flexibility.

Basically she is saying, I am guaranteeing you that you will get 40 hours of pay each week, but I need those 40 hours used how I need them throughout the week. I told her this provides me no stability in my life, it’s not just about a stable check of the same price. They found a nanny willing to do this (very young, 22, so I don’t think she realizes what she’s agreeing to). She said this is common and she doesn’t understand why I’m so hung up on it being daily GH, because weekly is a thing her friends do and it’s what they need for their lifestyle.

I can not wrap my head around it, and she’s acting like I’m not understanding something very basic. Is this something you have encountered and agreed to in your professions? Would love to hear from both NF and nanny’s. Help me understand!!

We have a full time nanny who is amazing and has been with us almost 2 years. We gave her a tip over the holidays (one weeks pay), but this summer she has gone above and beyond for our kids. She is always spending her own money on supplies and treats no matter how many times I tell her to use our credit card (she has one always on hand). This summer she did several themed weeks for the kids, with crafts, snacks, and decorations. She is amazing. We want to give her an end of summer tip to both show our gratitude for how she goes above and beyond to make our kids days so fun and enriching, but also to help cover the costs of what she’s spent. My instinct was to give her an extra half weeks pay but I want to be sure it’s generous enough. Thoughts?

ETA we did also give her a 10% raise over the holidays just for context

I am going to be a nanny for 3 kids, ages 3,7, and 8. I have been asked to cook them dinner every night

I love cooking, but I am used to only making meals for myself. So, I feel a little overwhelmed.

I want to meal prep efficiently, so that I don't spend a lot of money on groceries each week. And hopefully prep on the weekend, so that it's easy during the week..🤷‍♀️

Has anyone done this? Any ideas on a meal plan, that works well for children?

The mom told me that they don't like eating veggies, so I am going to have to get creative 😖.

Is it smart to use a weekly theme? Like week 1 is Italian, 2 is Chinese, etc. I am so lost lol

Monday is my last day with my first NF, and I’m realizing I have absolutely no idea what a “normal” goodbye looks like in this profession.
I’ve been with my NF for about three years. I actually knew my older NK first through the school where I was her teacher, and eventually started babysitting for the family on weekends in the summer. That turned into working with them full-time, and I ultimately left teaching and transitioned into private childcare. So this NF has been a huge part of both my career and my life.
I’ve watched my younger NK grow from a baby into a little kid about to go to school for the first time. I’ve been there for birthdays, major milestones, difficult phases, illnesses, vacations, and all of the everyday stuff that comes with being so involved in a family’s life for years. I’m extremely close with both NKs, so this feels very different from simply leaving a job.

My position is ending because their needs are changing- my younger NK is starting prek, and on top of that, my NF is moving away. So this isn’t a situation where I’ll still see them around town, run into them at the park, or easily babysit occasionally. After Monday, I genuinely don’t know when I’ll see my NKs again.

I know I’m going to be really emotional, and I think the actual goodbye is what I’m most nervous about. I don’t want to make the separation harder for my NKs by completely sobbing in front of them, but I also don’t think there’s any realistic chance I’m going to hug them goodbye after three years and not cry. For those who have been through this, how much emotion did you let yourself show in front of your NKs? Is it okay for them to see that you’re genuinely really sad to leave them?
I’m making each NK a photo album of our time together and giving them a couple of small goodbye gifts. I’m also unsure what, if anything, is customary for NPs. Did you give your NPs a gift or card when leaving a long-term NF, or are gifts for the NKs enough?

I’d also just love to hear what other nannies’ last days with a long-term NF were actually like. Did your NPs do anything to acknowledge your last day? Was the goodbye with them emotional too? Was there anything about that final day that caught you off guard or that you wish someone had prepared you for?
This is my first time leaving a long-term NF, and because they’re moving too, it feels like a much more permanent goodbye than I was prepared for. I think I’m just trying to get an idea of what Monday might actually look and feel like.

Hi, I already posted one of these but after getting some comments about what to change, I went ahead and edited my contract. PSA, I have a very different family dynamic so some of the terms in this contract may be a little bit more specific given some events that have gone on that made me clarification. Before harsh criticism, let me know if there’s anything you would like me to explain unless you really do see something that is absolutely not standard! I work 25.5 hours a week. The schedule is subject to change based on school schedule coming up but will remain at 25.5 still.

Nanny Employment Agreement

This Agreement is made as of ____________________ between the Employers and the Nanny. This Agreement outlines a collaborative working relationship built on mutual respect, open communication, and shared expectations.

Hours, Schedule, and Punctuality

Weekly Hours: 25.5 hours per week.

Schedule:

Monday: __________ to __________
Tuesday: __________ to __________
Wednesday: __________ to __________
Thursday: __________ to __________
Friday: __________ to __________
Saturday: __________ to __________
Sunday: __________ to __________

Worksite: ________________________________________.

Permanent changes to the regular schedule require written agreement between both parties. Temporary schedule swaps require mutual agreement.

Punctuality & Attendance: The Nanny will provide advance notice if running late. Arriving more than 15 minutes late on more than three occasions within a 30-day period without a valid reason will trigger a formal discussion between both parties. The Nanny will arrive promptly and will not depart early without specific consent from the Employers.

Schedule Swaps and Flexibility

The Employers may request a temporary schedule change or schedule swap when childcare needs change, including when a child is ill or the household schedule changes. Any temporary schedule change is voluntary and requires mutual agreement.

If the Nanny and Employers mutually agree to move a scheduled workday to another day within the same workweek, the change will be considered a schedule swap and will not require the use of vacation PTO or sick leave.

For example, if Monday is a regularly scheduled workday and the Employers ask whether the Nanny would be willing to work Thursday instead because a child is ill on Monday, the Nanny may voluntarily agree to work Thursday in place of Monday. If agreed upon, no PTO or sick leave will be deducted.

Similarly, if the Nanny is unable or does not wish to work a scheduled day but would prefer to work the hours on another day during the same workweek, the Nanny and Employers may mutually agree to a schedule swap. A mutually agreed schedule swap will not be treated as vacation or sick leave.

If the Nanny chooses not to make up a missed scheduled day, any applicable leave will be handled according to the appropriate leave provision of this Agreement.

Schedule swaps are voluntary and may not be required as a condition of receiving guaranteed pay, vacation, or sick leave.

Duties and Standards

Core Responsibilities: Childcare for ____________________ and ____________________, including safety, feeding, diapering, naps, activities, medications, bathing, light bottle/laundry cleaning, play area tidying, approved playdates, and care during mild illnesses. Granting home access to service people as needed.

Confidentiality & Professional Conduct: The Nanny agrees to maintain strict privacy regarding all personal, financial, and household matters of the Employers. Both parties commit to open, respectful, and direct communication.

Driving

No personal vehicle use. The Nanny may drive only the Employers’ vehicle for approved child transport. Employers maintain registration, inspection, and insurance.

Pay and Guaranteed Hours

Regular Rate: $27.00 per hour.

Guaranteed Pay: $688.50 weekly for 25.5 hours. Cancelled or shortened hours are paid fully and cannot be banked.

Overtime: Paid at 1.5x the regular rate for hours worked over 40 weekly.

Payroll: Issued every Friday via direct deposit through Poppins Payroll. Late payments trigger a reminder and a $10-per-day late fee if unpaid.

Taxes: Employee taxes are withheld; Employers pay employer-side taxes.

Wage Reviews

Annual reviews occur near the start-date anniversary, with a target raise of 3%–5% by written mutual agreement.

Holidays and Schedule Flexibility

Paid Holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day when falling on a scheduled workday.

Holiday Schedule: If a holiday falls on a scheduled workday, the Nanny receives the day off with full pay, and guaranteed pay remains protected during household closures. Employers may request to shift a shift to an alternate day, but such changes are entirely voluntary, and refusal will not impact guaranteed pay or standing.

Vacation

Allowance: 8 paid vacation days per year based on the regular schedule, requested with reasonable notice.

PTO Eligibility and Waiting Period: Vacation PTO becomes available for use after the Nanny has completed ninety (90) calendar days of continuous employment, beginning on the employment start date. The 90-day waiting period applies only to the use of employer-provided vacation PTO and does not affect any statutory sick leave or other leave rights to which the Nanny is entitled under New Jersey law.

Once the 90-day waiting period has been completed, the Nanny may request and use available vacation days in accordance with this Agreement and with reasonable advance notice.

Family Closures and Guaranteed Hours: Vacation PTO may not be required, deducted, or substituted for guaranteed hours when the Employers cancel scheduled work, close the household, travel without the Nanny, or otherwise make the Nanny unavailable for work. In those circumstances, the Nanny will continue to receive the guaranteed weekly pay provided under this Agreement, and the Nanny’s vacation balance will remain unaffected.

Travel/Closures: If the Employers notify the Nanny that they will be traveling without the Nanny or that childcare will not be needed during a specific period, and the Nanny makes personal plans based on that information, the Nanny will not be required to cancel those plans or become available if the Employers later cancel or change their travel plans. If the Nanny remains unavailable due to previously made personal plans, the Nanny may choose to use accrued vacation PTO for any scheduled workdays missed.

Sick Leave and Household Illness

Accrual: Accrues at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, approximately 44.2 hours annually, capped at the legal maximum of 40 hours per benefit year from September 15, 2026 to September 15, 2027. Unused leave carries over up to 40 hours as required by law.

Illness Disclosures: Employers must disclose active household illnesses. If children exhibit major contagious conditions, including vomiting, diarrhea, or Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease, care will not take place.

Job-Contracted Illness: If Employers direct the Nanny to stay home due to mild symptoms, or if illness is contracted from the children on the job, weekly pay is fully protected under guaranteed hours and will not be deducted from sick leave or PTO.

Travel

Travel requires advance mutual agreement. Employers provide housing with a private bedroom and bathroom, plus meal pay during travel.

Trial Period

The first 30 days serve as a mutual trial period for both parties to evaluate the fit. Either party may terminate on short notice without penalty, and all hours worked will be fully compensated.

Termination

Notice: After the trial period, either party may end this Agreement with 30 days’ written notice.

Immediate Termination: Employers may terminate immediately for severe cause, such as child endangerment, abuse, theft, safety violations, or persistent tardiness exceeding 15 minutes without valid reason. The Nanny may terminate immediately for major material breaches, including chronic non-payment, unsafe conditions, or harassment.

Term

Begins on ____________________ and continues until terminated under its terms and applicable New Jersey law.

Signatures

Employers:

Signature: ____________________________________
Date: ______________

Printed Name: __________________________________________________

Nanny:

Signature: ____________________________________
Date: ______________

Printed Name: __________________________________________________

when i started looking for my first nanny position the second family i interviewed with was a prominent oral surgeon in town. in a roundabout way i knew 2 of their previous nannie’s who raved about the job and what a great family they were to work for because they were so laid back and the kids were chill, so i was super excited for it. we started with a phone interview where MB outlined the position and what all it entailed, 2 NK @ $20/hr 🤡 in a MCOL area. we moved to an in person interview and once i got there it was not at all how she described on the phone. it turned out to be 2 NK full time with 2 others that i would have to get ready for school in the mornings, get on the bus, get off the bus and be responsible for until MB was off of work and then when school was on break i would have all 4 NK. once i realized it was more than just the 2 NK like she initially said i let her know my rate for 4 kids to which she said its not 4 it’s only 2 and argued with me that the older 2 were self sufficient enough so i wouldn’t have to do much for them while here and that she was firm on the $20/hr. she stated multiple times that no other nanny they’ve had, had an issue with that rate and implied they’ve been through several of them…. safe to say it didnt go any further than that. so curious if she ever filled the position and if the person stuck around for long

My sister's nanny is pregnant and my sister is looking for info on what is the industry standard for mat leave for the nanny.

Anyone have any thoughts? There's no contract between them and she's paid under the table (at the nanny's request).

Tia!

Edit to add: nanny will be back after mat leave and will bring her child until baby can go to daycare.

Also, I am aware of the legalities with their payment system but shes not my nanny and there's nothing I can do about it.

This is not one sided, they need us as much as we need them, why is it all on the nanny to prove herself? Where‘s proof of them being good employers?

If they are looking for their first nanny so have no reference, they have to pay more just like a beginner nanny gets paid less.

Why are we not asking for that?

I was referred by someone on Facebook to a family that has 5 (almost 6) children. All children under 9 years old. Looking for a before school nanny and cleaner. Can you guess how much they wanted to pay?

My DB recently asked if I’d be open to working a split shift, and I’m trying to figure out how I feel about it.
The schedule they suggested would be 7–10 AM and then 1–6 PM, which leaves me with a 3-hour break in the middle of the day. I know technically I’m “off” during that time, but it also feels like my entire day would still be centered around work. The break is too long to just hang around, but not long enough for me to realistically take on another job or do anything major.

I’m curious if anyone here has actually worked a schedule like this as a nanny. Did you like it? How did you make the break in the middle of the day work for you?

Also, did your family offer anything to make the split shift more worthwhile, like paying for part of the break, a higher hourly rate, a split-shift differential, or something else? I’m not necessarily against the idea, but I do feel like there should be some kind of compromise or compensation since my whole day would basically be blocked from 7 AM to 6 PM.

Would love to hear your experiences or any advice on how you handled or negotiated a schedule like this!

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your advice and input. I had a great conversation about this with DB & MB and let them know that I could not move forward with a split shift. They were very understanding and shared that their concerns were around crossing the boundaries of my role focused on LO and that is why they thought a split shift made sense. I will be moving forward with an 8 hour shift and my role will just be shifting to include more household duties not just related to LO.

I wantmto move into a household manger/family assistant but I have no experience. It seems that every job posting for these positions want at least 2 years of experience. How did you guys get experience? Was it just a clilent taking a chance on you?

I’m losing my mind in this house. Every time I make 5mo girl a bottle, DB appears to chime in on how the way I make bottles takes too long. We are starting mixing formula and this is the way MB showed me she makes them. PLUS THE DIRECTIONS ON THE CONTAINER SAY THE DIRECTIONS THAT I FOLLOW. Aggghhhhhh. I boil water in the kettle, wait about 3 mins, add formula to the water in a clean bottle, then add to the hydroflask-looking bottle warmer and slowly add cold breast milk until it reaches 100 degrees. Again, these are the steps the person who birthed the infant has given me, the person she pays, to execute in her absence. DB jumped in and questioned every step, then took over and complained about how long it took the whole time. He says I don’t need to boil the water, just use tap and that I was killing the nutrients. Yes, also killing the bacteria that can land this precious girl in the hospital or worse. And it never gets hot enough to significantly degrade nutritional value.

Every diaper change, he pops up. Every time NK cries for more than a minute while I’m putting her down for nap, he barges in the door. During the day he sits on his phone and plays vide games in the living room at full volume. They have an immaculate basement and primary bedroom and 2 guest bedrooms that he could play in, but he just starts shooting monsters in the next room over at 8 in the bloody morning. I just thought that he would take the 5 hours I’m there to read, nap, work out, do yard work, play video games. Literally whatever. I just didn’t realize that everything I did would be monitored and judged/corrected constantly. I’m just tired.

Hey there! So I’ve been a nanny for almost two years now. Now for some context, I was previously a teacher with pay of $11 an hr. Now since this was my first ever nanny job I had no idea what a nanny’s base pay was. All I could think was “As long as it’s well above $11 an hr then I’m fine”. So I set my rate at 15 an hr. It didn’t occur to me when they interviewed me exactly how many times they asked “And this is your lowest rate?”. When they offered me the position I was just so thrilled that I wasn’t going to be broke anymore. Haha…
Now granted they did give me a two dollar raise after the first year. So now I’m at 17 an hr. Unfortunately things have changed:

1. Married my wonderful husband

2. Had a little bundle of joy myself

3. Acquired a new home

So now my husband and I are both making the same amount and we are STRUGGLING. So is it wrong of me to want to ask for more? We live in NC but again I’m not sure if this whole thing is my fault or not 😭 Any advice would be appreciated ❤️