Ever take your own sitter with you?...

[mom2hac]

We just had our 3rd daughter, so now we have 3 in range from 2.5 mos to 9 years. We are considering the Liberty for right before Christmas, and booking 2 adjoining rooms and taking our babysitter with us. We would keep the baby with us at night. But we are just figuring this is the only way we'll get any "alone" time, (or be able to party at Carlos-n-Charlies!), and may be more cost effective than after hours care for 3 kids anyway! Has anyone ever done this? Besides the cruise/airfare, how much would you pay a teen (15-16 at cruise time)? Any tips or things I should watch for or be aware of? Thanks!

 

Jen

[Pudgesmom]

i have not done this, but it might be a good idea.

 

You should probably find out what entry requirements you will have for a non-dependant child traveling with you. Some countries have very strict, specific rules due to child custody issues.

 

I would make sure to allow the teenager some time off - also a good form of compensation. You might want to consider a per hour rate during the time she's actually watching the children.

 

Lastly, I would set some parameters on behavior with the teen's parents, and then discuss these rules and consequences before the cruise!

 

Beth

[mom2hac]

Thanks...I had SO not thought of the permission to travel letter that I am sure we will have to have! Whew! thanks a ton for that one!

 

I had already considered the time-off option...we don't plan to "dump" our kids on her at all, as we enjoy them! It's just that we enjoy some adult time, too. And I want the baby especially to be able to be in the room and comfy instead of group sitting during after hours. Plus, I LOVE to lay out in the sun, and it's hard to ever get to do that when you have to watch the little one! I will probably encourage this girl to do an excursion with other teens if she wishes, in port as we keep the dd's with us then.

 

I just am having trouble with the pay $$$ question. Per hour, or flat rate?! Any other suggestions?

 

Jen

[Copper_beeches]

Hi There, I worked as a nanny for several years, and often travelled with the family. The mother and I agreed on time/compensation, but the father thought that as I was "on vacation" with them, the travel should be quite a bit of the compensation. The trouble with that is I was on their choice of vacation, doing what they wanted to do, with their friends... with hours off at their discretion...It got ugly at some points since he expected to just leave me with the children whenever he wanted, without considering how many hours I had already been with them that day.

 

Here's what I would suggest. Have a set number of hours per day you expect her to work, and stick to that. Instead of having hours off, have hours on, and the pay for those hours should be similar to what she'd receive at home. It shouldn't be less than 2/3 of her regular rate in any case. The cruise should be a bonus, not really part of her salary, the cruise was your choice, and you want childcare... for her to provide the child care she has to be there it's not her fault the cruise costs money... does that make sense? It's not as though she's asking for a free cruise in exchange for providing childcare...

 

Of course since she's younger, and not a professional Nanny, this might not really be the case, and she may be perfectly happy to accept the cruise as part of her pay. When I travelled what it worked out to be was I got my regular salary, plus overtime for any extra evening hours, plus things like lift tickets, or parasailing trips etc. You might agree on an hourly rate that is the same or less than she usually would get, and also offer to pay for excursions either with you or other's her age... remember that she may not be allowed on excursions without you since she's a minor, so will likely need to be with you in port since you'll be her legal guardian for the trip and responsible for her in a foreign country. She shouldn't need to pay for any expenses (food/trips) incurred by being along with you, and it should be clear if she is responsible for the children only on particular hours when she's left alone with them, or if she's expected to be responsible for them any time she's with you as a family as well. All teens are different, she may find a group she enjoys right off the bat, but if she doesn't, you'll need to include her in your family in an "off-work" capacity or she'll be unhappy.

 

This is all just my opinion and experience of course! I'd suggest you sit down with her, her parents, the trip itinerary and a list of the shore excursions and see if you can't map out a schedule before you go, and agree on the hours and salary all together. For 3 kids as young as yours, I would think that $10 an hour would be acceptable for a teen as an hourly rate on top of any extras she'd get... I don't think it will save you too much money, but it might add to your piece of mind knowing who you've got looking after the kids and you'd have much more flexibility...

 

Hope this is helpful!

[mom2hac]

That's what I was looking for, I huess..the voice of experience! Your post was enormously helpful, gives me many good "starting points". I definetly plan to sit down with her parents and map it all out before we go, I just didn't want to be too cheap and at the same time didn't want to over-do it and set a bar that would only raise higher in the future, KWIM?! I am printing out ALL these posts so when the time approaches I'll remember..thanks again!

 

Jen

[mom2hac]

(mental note to self...slow down!)

 

Jen

[l929]

Hi,

I was hoping you can offer some more advice as a nanny. This is slightly off topic, but here goes anyway. I am thinking of taking my full time nanny to Disney with us in December. This is a little more complicated than going on a cruise b/c there are so many other expenses, food, park admissions etc. The reason I want her to come is to watch the kids (who will be 10 months and 2/1/2) at night so DH and I can go out to dinner and also to watch them a couple of hours a day so we can relax a little. Her hours normally during the week are 7-7 sometimes later. She lives with us M-F. I was just going to pay her her regular salary plus all of her expenses, but after reading your post I'm wondering if that is not enough. Also, does this count as her vacation? She has already referred to it as her vacation, but I keep telling her she is going to be working. Or should I just not count it so she does not request time off when I need her to work. I'm afraid I will spend all this money to bring her and she will want to go off and do her own thing.

Thanks for any advice.

[elaineof6]

My teenage daughters have gone "on vacation" with friends, for the purpose of being the babysitter. The friends paid my daughter's travel expenses (airfare/lodging), and for any meals they ate as a family or were consumed by the children/sitter when the parents were dining elsewhere. Since these were friends of the family, my daughters loved these children, and my daughters got a "free" vacation out of it, there was no additional compensation. My daughters took their own spending money for things they might have wanted (souveneirs, etc).

 

HOWEVER---- If I employed a nanny and required him/her to go on vacation with us, I would expect to pay for travel expenses, plus for her professional services. A full-time, professional nanny is NOT the sixteen-year-old down the street, as I'm sure you know. I think the point about it being YOUR choice of locations, and her still having to work, is legitimate. If she's being brought along for the purpose of watching the children, it's not a vacation. How much free time will she have to herself?

 

Now then, since your situation is somewhere in the middle, I think that $10 an hour while she's with the children would be very, very good (that's much higher than the going rate here where I live). Also- the advice about setting times and required hours in advance is wonderful, and it looks out for everyone's interests. I think I would also throw in one fully paid shore excursion of her choice, courtesy of your family (check the rules, of course).

 

I also encourage you to sit down with both the girl and her parents to work out the details. I'm sure they don't want her to be taken advantage of, just as much as you don't want to take advantage, only to get what you're paying for. The parents might be like me, in that they were thrilled about the opportunity for travel for the girl, and maybe they'll throw in some spending money for her too (I did)- $200 spending money is a LOT cheaper than financing her entire vacation. :)

 

By the way- my teenagers are offering to go with you for $50 a day for up to ten hours of care, if you'll pay the travel expenses and provide one shore excursion. ;)

[Copper_beeches]

Hi,

I was hoping you can offer some more advice as a nanny. This is slightly off topic, but here goes anyway. I am thinking of taking my full time nanny to Disney with us in December. This is a little more complicated than going on a cruise b/c there are so many other expenses, food, park admissions etc. The reason I want her to come is to watch the kids (who will be 10 months and 2/1/2) at night so DH and I can go out to dinner and also to watch them a couple of hours a day so we can relax a little. Her hours normally during the week are 7-7 sometimes later. She lives with us M-F. I was just going to pay her her regular salary plus all of her expenses, but after reading your post I'm wondering if that is not enough.

If she is working the same number of hours she regularly works or less, and you are paying her the regular salary plus all expenses as well for things that she does on the "off-hours" that should be acceptable, and shouldn't require extra compensation unless there's something important at home that she will miss being able to do on those off hours... though if she lives with you during the week, and doesn't usually go out at night, it doesn't sound lkike this is the case. This would all need to be worked out between you and her though before you go...

Also, does this count as her vacation? She has already referred to it as her vacation, but I keep telling her she is going to be working. Or should I just not count it so she does not request time off when I need her to work. I'm afraid I will spend all this money to bring her and she will want to go off and do her own thing.

Thanks for any advice.

No, if she is working, this is NOT her vacation, but again, you need to make that clear to her before you go... Yes, she will still be in a resort or whatever on her off hours, so maybe she's just thinking that it will be great, but it should be really clear that she's expected to work, what hours you expect to need her, and what the rate will be for any hours over her normal weekday will be, what perks you'll expect to pay (park admissions, cabs if necesarry etc) On longer trips, when there was not going to be much for me to do on my off hours, I would get a flat rate over and above my salary (about $250 a week, this was the mid 90's) which was "hardship pay" if you're at Disney, chances are that's not necesarry, she just shouldn't incur any expenses there that she wouldn't have to deal with at home.

 

Hope this helps!

[cruizinrican]

I did have a nanny at one point right after my third child was born. And since we love to cruise it was only likely that we would bring her on the family cruise vacation as well. Since I wanted to still go but didn't want to leave my baby behind, as I was breast feeding.

 

We did go on a 7 nighter in two adjoining rooms, nanny and 2 older in one room and baby and us in the other. We worked out what we would pay her (her same rate as she got when we were home), pay for her cruise as an extra bonus and what hours during the day we would use her and what hours a day that she would be off to do her own exploring. We decided that the first 5 hours we were in port we would use and she would sit. Then we would return to the kids and then she would go off for the remainder of the time in port. At night we would eat as a family in dining room except formal nights (she hated to dress up so this worked out great) Nanny would eat with children in buffet area. Also since the others were old enough to go into the kids group, they spent alot of their time there (by choice) so Nanny mostly was with 6 month old. And since she was 23 at the time, we didn't need her parents permission to bring her along, though they did agree it was a fabulous idea. And again, we only went to the after dinner shows and then went back to cabin so our Nanny went dancing several nights until the wee hours.

 

We all had a blast and we were very fortunate to have here available to join us on our family vacation since it was only fitting she come bc she too was part of our family. It was a wonderful week for all! I think you will enjoy your too. Just make sure everything is explained prior to booking what hours she is expected to work, her pay for those hours, her sail and sign charge card (are you paying or is she), lay it all out and even type it all up afterwards like a contract and have all parties sign. We did and we had no problems, everyone know what was expected of them and was happy with the arrangements.

 

Good luck!

[FamilyGuy1010]

Why not invite a family member or two along by paying their fare in exchange for sitting services? That's what I did in March. My mom and dad are happy to go...they even paid their own airfare.

[smores]

we invited a grandma (52 year old woman i work with who loves kids) to join us on our liberty cruise 8/1/05. we are paying for her room/airfare etc. the kids want to stay in her room and she wants them to do that--she is so good with the kids. she doesn't want any pay beyond us covering her expenses--she is just so excited to go to europe. we will bring her and the kids on our tours also. i think this is the best of both worlds because my kids will not sit thru a long formal dinner--this way my hubby and i can spend time together. (by the way one kid is too your for camp carnival--so she will be a busy nanny! and she is ok with that). see if you can find someone like this. i think teenagers might feel that they are missing out on some fun on the boat while they are watching the kids. plus, it's nice to have an adult that is responsible if the kids and nanny are going to go to the beach--wouldn't want them to miss the boat. . .

 

4 yr ago we brought my parents with as baby sitters but, felt kind like they were tied down a bit watching my daughter. this way (with a nanny) we have an agreement up front as to our (and her) expectations