The Ins & Outs of Overnight Nannies
Sometimes work, anniversaries and far away friends call us to travel sans kids and leave the question “Who will stay with my children?”
Cue your nanny to the rescue.
Often, I get asked “Do people really do that?” referring to nannies who don’t mind spending a few nights in someone else’s house to care for their children. Any nanny who feels connected to the family she works for, usually doesn’t mind working overtime in order for the parents to have some time to themselves or travel for work. Parents return refreshed and happier, kids have a fun stay-cation and the nanny gets extra income plus a fun experience with the kids. Everyone wins.
How do I pay for overnights?
There are a lot of answers out there for this but I find that the easiest way to approach overnight needs is to pay a flat fee for the time period the kids will be (or should be) asleep. This rate is dependent upon the age of children and bedtimes. If you have busy toddlers who will keep the nanny working past 9pm and potentially up throughout the night, factor that in and pay on the higher side. If your kids are older and more self sufficient at bedtime and you’re paying her to make sure they don’t burn the house down, the flat rate can be lower. Remember that your nanny will still be working after your children are in bed: cleaning up the house, doing laundry or other tasks that need to be done, and preparing for the next day. The average rate is $75-$150 for the overnight period (typically 9pm-7am).
Weekends
Maybe you’re invited to a can’t miss wedding out of state and need the nanny Friday-Sunday, you should take into consideration if this will make for one really long week for the nanny. If she worked 40+ hours Monday through Friday and you plan to be gone the entire weekend, factor that into her rate. If your kids have a vibrant social calendar, make sure to leave behind everything needed for the birthday parties, play dates and sporting events. It doesn’t hurt to have the fridge stocked as well.
Weeknights
Sometimes getaways aren’t planned by you but by your employer and it happens to be at the same time your spouse is visiting their parents, so you’ll need someone to get the kids to and from school. If your nanny currently only works as an after school nanny, you may need to consider having her “on call” while you are away in order to have her available the entire day. Some families will pay the nanny her normal hourly rate while the kids are at school to ensure she is available for any reason. The nanny can run errands for you during this time and act as a household manager.
What if I don’t have a nanny?
Maybe your children attend after school programs and you do not have regular childcare in the home but find yourself needing overnight care, use an overnight nanny. I strongly recommend hiring this individual first as a permanent sitter. who you will regularly use for date nights and also someone who is responsible, experienced and available for overnight care. Olive.You.Nanny is happy to help you find the perfect person to meet your overnight childcare needs!