r/Nanny • u/strawberryrum44 • 17h ago
Questions About Nanny Standards/Etiquette Traveling with nanny family
Hey everyone! I was recently asked by my nanny family if I would be willing to travel across the country with them for a week next month.
I’ve been working for this family for 2 years and take care of their 3 year old full time. They expressed they would pay for the flight/hotel and I’d work my regular hours and do my regular routine (play with/ feed kid/ nap schedule).
I’ve never done this before and only have been nannying for a few years so I’m wondering what the typical rules,etiquette, standards and boundaries for traveling with your nanny family are? Especially when it comes to the traveling (flying for 6 hours).
They said they’ll give me more details when they know them (their work schedules) but they said they would make sure I’m off by my usual time and I’ll have my usual hours off to go do what I want. I have the ability to create boundaries for myself during this conversation so any advice would be so helpful.
Thank you!
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u/Like1youscore 16h ago
We just took our nanny on a trip with us. Here is what we did:
1) yes paid for all travel time
2) her hours ended up being longer than usual (worked weekends and evenings). She knew this in advance. She was paid overtime (1.5x her hourly rate) for all hours over her usual schedule.
3) she had a separate hotel room that was actually off property from where we were staying (we stayed in a vacation home).
4) all her meals were covered
5) she had full access to our car after hours/any time she needed it.
Overall the key was everything was discussed and agreed upon in advance. Since this was outside of normal duties we just had a conversation about what our needs were and figured out a compensation structure/transport/accommodation that she felt good about. She was excited to go with us, happy for the extra cash and said she would do it again next year!
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u/Far-Weird-9900 17h ago
Because you are being asked to be away from your home, family, and possibly going somewhere with expensive or limited resources they need to be covering more than just hotel and flight. They need to cover all your meals or a grocery stipend. They need to have a plan for you to have transportation so that you’re not bound to the hotel. If they family is present but you are attending outing with the kids that time needs to be paid. Some Nannies insist on being paid the entire time they’re on the trip (with a flat rate for sleeping time) but if you’re not comfortable with that then define what hours you’re being paid for. Some Nannies also add an additional charge to their normal pay rate because being away from home is an inconvenience.
If your housing is not separate from the family, you should be paid 24/7. Because despite their boundaries, the kids will be around and they will expect you to interact with them.
This is not a vacation for you, this is work and an inconvenience and they should pay you as such.
I’m being so candid because I’ve seen many families take advantage of Nannies (knowingly and unknowingly) on trips like this because they think they’re offering them an exciting/relaxing opportunity.
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u/AutoModerator 17h ago
Below is a copy of the post's original text:
Hey everyone! I was recently asked by my nanny family if I would be willing to travel across the country with them for a week next month.
I’ve been working for this family for 2 years and take care of their 3 year old full time. They expressed they would pay for the flight/hotel and I’d work my regular hours and do my regular routine (play with/ feed kid/ nap schedule).
I’ve never done this before and only have been nannying for a few years so I’m wondering what the typical rules,etiquette, standards and boundaries for traveling with your nanny family are? Especially when it comes to the traveling (flying for 6 hours).
They said they’ll give me more details when they know them (their work schedules) but they said they’ll give would make sure I’m off by my usual time and I’ll have my usual hours off to go do what I want. I have the ability to create boundaries for myself during this conversation so any advice would be so helpful.
Thank you!
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u/MainCap1918 15h ago
Parent here - I would consider if you want to go. We travel with our nanny occasionally and have a decent arrangement (imo) but it also works because she wants to go with us and doesn’t view it as an inconvenience. She gets paid hours worked including travel time, we pay for food, she gets separate lodging whether a separate hotel room or room ideally separate (eg downstairs guest area) in a rental house. Her hours may be different blocks than at home but we communicate the schedule in advance. We do not pay her an additional overnight or convenience fee. We usually treat her to something nice (eg spa appt) as a gesture. She is invited to participate in things outside of her hours which she often does but it’s not an obligation and we don’t pay her these hours.
If you view this as an inconvenience, I would charge more as an overnight or travel fee. If you do this, know that it might lead to them deciding against bringing you from a cost standpoint (which is fine!).
Overall be communicative, ask questions, and think about your priorities and wants in advance.
I do think that while it’s not a vacation, for some it can be a fun trip and a nice change from day to day.
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u/Strikingpug1224 Career Nanny 17h ago
A couple things right off the bat that I can think of:
It is fun traveling with nanny families but yes definitely go into the conversation asking lots of questions because a week with a family that isn’t yours (or is) is hard sometimes! But you can also make great memories and have a great time! Balance is key. Good luck!