Tis the season of celebrating with nanny families and the little ones. So the question that comes up year after year is always the same. “What do we get from the family?” and “what’s appropriate for the nanny?”
This can sometimes be a hard question to navigate. How long has your nanny been with you? What’s expected or industry-standard per se? The Nanny’s ask, “What's a good gift for the family, and is it expected?”
To try and answer this, there is no right or wrong gift! A gift is a gift of appreciation no matter how large or small.
We all know of course money for the nanny is always the number one gift, so how much should it be? Usually, the rule of thumb is 1 week’s worth of pay.
If you are wanting to do something more on the personal side here are some gift ideas:
Artwork from the kiddos.
A personal letter from the parent’s saying what you appreciate about your nanny, Pictures of your nanny and children, or a nice family picture. A weekend away, such as a hotel stay and some money for a nice meal out. Manicures and pedicures, because we all know a Nanny takes care of others before she takes care of herself! A nice hat and mitten set. Paying a few months of the phone bill. Tickets to her favorite theatre or an upcoming concert she may like. Plane tickets. Gift cards to her favorite stores, because we all know Nannies love a good pair of leggings and comfy clothes for the job!
So Nannies, what is the industry standard for you? Again any gift is a gift of appreciation so don’t feel like you need to break the bank. Families don’t expect you to come carrying a load of gifts at Christmas time. It’s so easy to want to spoil your little kiddos! Try to limit yourself to one meaningful gift for each child. If you have found something over the course of your employment, be it short or long that the kiddos love to focus on that, take the stress out of your shopping! Books are always a hit and you can personalize them whether you order them personalized or you write a special note inside. Create a book that has special outings in it, 1 for each month of the year so the kids can choose what their special outing will be. It gives them something exciting to plan for!
As far as for the parents, if you choose to also give a gift to them: Photo albums so they can see what you have done throughout the year. The kids love to go back and tell them all about that day! My previous nanny kiddos still take the photo album out 3 years later and talk about those days!
Make a homemade Christmas ornament, one I have always loved is creating one that is clear and you cut a string or ribbon that represents how big the child is that year, and next year you add a new string to it! They love to see how much they have grown.
Clay handprints A night out with your services provided free of charge A gift card to their favorite restaurant A favorite bottle of wine. Pictures of the kids done with a photographer. If you use their vehicle for work, get it detailed and cleaned for them.
Most of all though remember Christmas season is about spending time with the ones we cherish.
There is no right or wrong gift!!
Enjoy the season and hug the ones you love! 2021 is a lot different than we suffered through in 2020!
