Tips for Traveling with your Nanny
It is that time of year again. The kids are out of school and you’ll all be headed out on vacation soon.
Maybe you’ll also have your Nanny or Family Assistant for help along they way. If so, remember that this trip will be work for her; it will be part of her job, and you should plan accordingly. While she will of course have downtime, you and your Nanny should set plans and expectations from the start. You might even consider a separate written agreement for just vacations. The last thing anyone wants to experience is a disaster vacation that should and can be peaceful!
Listed below are just some of the items you should discuss with your Nanny or Family Assistant to help ensure successful travel. For your employee, this will essentially be a business trip, and you and your employee should both think of it in those terms.
Expenses: As your employee, your Nanny’s expenses for flight, hotel, and meals or activities where she is helping with childcare or the like are business expenses, and you should plan on paying for those items. Consider a per diem for other items such as food while she is not on the job. This may be the single most important conversation to have because it is such fertile ground for misunderstandings. Be very clear about who pays which travel expenses.
Salary: It is important to remember that while this is your vacation, it’s work for your employee. Yes, it is nice for your Nanny to get to go somewhere exotic, but it is also their job. Consider and talk to your Nanny about hourly pay for hours worked, a flat daily rate or a flat fee for the entire trip. Do you have an expectation for “24/7” support? Will there be set hours? Overtime? Compensation should be outlined from the start.
Hours: The fewer surprises you have on vacation the better. If a “24/7” mentality and full-time on-duty expectation is required, your Nanny may not find this to be a suitable trip. Desired hours, allowances of alone time and duty expectations are crucial to the success of a happy trip for everyone.
Duties: If your have your regular Nanny with you on vacation, you may have fewer issues than you might with a Nanny hired just for this vacation. A tentative schedule of activities, what your Nanny is expected to cover and what her duty hours will be will a benefit to you, help set her expectations, and make the entire trip smoother. Are clothing, feeding, bedtime, swimming or other activities expected duties? Even if your itinerary and plans are not set in stone, bringing these expectations up for discussion can help with boundary expectations for both parties.
As long as everyone is on the same page, vacationing with your Nanny along can be a very relaxing experience. Being clear about your expectations will help her decide if she will be able to help in the way you need. It’s best to find out if a situation is not the right fit before a commitment is made and especially before you reach your destination!
We hope you have happy and safe travels!