The PSP Guide to a Nanny Share 2017.09...A nanny share is a creative childcare arrangement, an alternative to hiring a nanny for one family’s child(ren) or sending children to daycare/preschool

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Copyright 2017 by Park Slope Parents. Duplication, reproduction, or usage thereof without permission is prohibited.

THE PSP GUIDE TO A NANNY SHARE

Updated 2017

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CONTENTS:

Benefits and drawbacks of a nanny share …………. 3

Step 1: What to do BEFORE Considering a Nanny Share …………. 4

Step 2: Start With Finding, the FAMILY – not the Nanny …………. 4

Step 3: Write Up and Talk Through the Details …………. 6

Step 4: Write Up and Talk Through the Details …………. 6

Step 5: Find the Nanny …………. 7

Step 6: Nurture the Nanny …………. 7

Voices of Experience: General advice …………. 9

Voices of Experience: Why Nanny Shares Ended …………. 14

Voices of Experiences: How and What PSP members PAY …………. 15

Appendix: sample of the nanny share work agreement* …………. 18

*Legal Disclaimer: Disclaimer: The sample work agreement has been written for educational purposes only and is not meant to be legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice

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THE PSP STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL NANNY SHARE

A nanny share is a creative childcare arrangement, an alternative to hiring a nanny for one family’s child(ren) or sending children to daycare/preschool. With a nanny share, two or more families have at least one nanny who takes care of children of families involved in the share at the same time. You can have a “full” nanny share which means that one nanny takes care of two families’ kids at the same time, without any individualized care (easier to figure out financially, but not always practical). Another option is a “partial” share, when a nanny takes care of two families’ children sometimes individually and sometimes together.

BENEFITS of a nanny share

Although many people think sending kids to daycare/preschool is a cheaper option, it is not always the case. Factoring in school holidays and kid sick days, a nanny share can be as or more cost effective than these other arrangements. And, in general, it is considerably less costly than having a full time nanny for one family. In addition to cost savings, socialization and higher salary for the nanny are frequently mentioned benefits of the nanny share, compared to the full time nanny. In addition, if there are two families/four parents involved it can be much easier to cover times when the nanny is sick or otherwise unable to work, since the parents can all take turns taking days off.

For some families, however, the cost savings and practical advantages are not the only reason to choose this arrangement. As one of our members has said, “there are impossible-to-calibrate pluses and joys of having a nanny share beyond the monetary benefit” including parenting support from the other family, sibling/cousin-like relationships when ‘real’ family is far away, and the ability to have your child(ren) very comfortable in someone else’s home (see comments below for more on this).

How much should I expect to pay? Pay Range is typically $22-$26 an hour for 2 kids ($11-$13 an hour for each family). Full-time rates are generally slightly lower and depend on tenure of work, nanny’s experience, and other situational factors.

DRAWBACKS of a nanny share

Even with the benefits, there are drawbacks. Coordinating schedules, negotiating differences in parenting styles, and the question of what to do when one child is sick add to the complexity of making a nanny share situation successful. If the nanny does not work only for you, you may be affected by another family’s difficulties and scheduling challenges. In a nanny share, your child does not get one-on-one attention from the nanny (although learning to share attention can be seen as a benefit, particularly if parents are planning on having a second child at some time). Differences in income, job situations, and travel schedules can create stresses and frustrations. Paying on the books can also be much more complicated in this type of childcare situation.

Even with the drawbacks, a nanny share may be a great option for your family. Data from previous nanny survey’s asked people for advice from their personal experience about how to make a Nanny Share work and helped us develop the following STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL NANNY SHARE.

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STEP 1: BEFORE Considering a Nanny Share

Make sure you understand the complexities of a nanny share. While the cost-savings and improved opportunities for socialization of your child sound attractive, this is not something to enter into lightly. A nanny share is a serious commitment between multiple families working with one nanny. Before you decide on a nanny share, think about the following questions:

• Do you want your kids to have a built-in playdate every day, or would you rather they spent more time alone (or with a wider variety of children)?

• Do you value the "it takes a village approach" or would you rather just have the simplicity of dealing with your own nanny?

• Are you willing and able to sync up some of the vacations or are your vacation dates inflexible? (If you don’t sync vacations it’s unlikely the nanny will get any vacation time.)

• Are you comfortable raising issues when they arise or do you have a tendency to let things stew?

• Do you have a tendency to micromanage and therefore may not be able to let go of day-to-day details with another family?

• Do you want the family you share with to have a child of similar age or different age? (Share families mentioned that both can work).

• Does it matter if the child of the other family is of the same or opposite sex? • Can you handle your nanny’s attention being divided between the children or would you prefer

your child get undivided attention? • How comfortable are you with your child being in another environment which, for the most

part, you can’t control? • If you plan on alternating homes or using the other family’s home, are you prepared for drop

off and pick up? • How flexible can you be about extracurricular activities? • Would you prefer to come into an existing nanny share situation or would you rather start from

scratch with a new family and new nanny? • Are you planning on having more children? (If you are starting the nanny share with one child,

but plan to have more children, be prepared for the additional complication. When you have your own nanny, adding one child is generally not a big deal. In a nanny share, it is certainly doable, but more complex.)

Bottom Line…This is a great arrangement for people who want all the advantages, not only the financial ones, and who go into it with a clear understanding of the effort involved.

STEP 2: Start by Finding a FAMILY, not the Nanny

“Similar parenting styles” is the single most frequently mentioned key to a successful nanny share. As one person said, “Don't think just because it's not you and the other parents spending your days together that it will work out for you to share a nanny if you don't see eye to eye on all issues regarding your children's care.” Spend time with the other family to make sure you are compatible. Consider getting feedback about the other family from others (former nannies, housecleaners, etc.);

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the other family may be charming but not a respectful, fair employer. From a few interactions you should be able to gauge the following:

Family Chemistry

• Do you like each other and each other's kids? • Do you feel relaxed around the other family? Do they seem relaxed with your family? • Are your children compatible as playmates? • Do you communicate well with the other family? • Do the parents of the other child get along as a couple?

Parenting Philosophies

• Are you compatible on sleep-training philosophies? (Is one child going to be soothed while another will cry until asleep?)

• Do you see eye to eye on screen time (TV watching and computers)? • What is each family’s attitude about treats? • What is each family’s eating style? (Is ‘on the go’ okay or would you rather have sit down meals

for your kids? Does all food need to be organic or not? Are desserts never ok, or occasional treats fine?)

• What are your beliefs about vaccinations (and could these beliefs affect your decision to have a nanny share with a family with different beliefs)?

• Do you see eye-to-eye on child-proofing, kinds of play toys, etc.? • What are your beliefs about discipline? Sharing? Are your views compatible?

Day to Day

• Do you live near each other? • Are your homes set up well for a nanny share? (Bear in mind a top floor walk up for a nanny

with 2 babies can be challenging, and you’ll need to have space for 2 kids to nap, eat, play, etc. There may be creative solutions for space challenges, but they are important to keep in mind.)

• Are your schedules more or less in sync? (vacations, work hours, etc) • How many late meetings might there be that could become an issue? After work events? Travel

for work? • Do you agree on where the child care should occur (Home A, Home B, some time at each)? • What is the environment like where the children will sleep and play? (Comfortable? Spotless?) • How often does each family want the kids to be outside? What kind of weather does each

family feel is appropriate for outside play? • Do you care if they nap at home or on the go? • Do the nap schedules need to sync up? (If they do it gives the nanny a needed break in the day) • How important are things like music classes or tumbling classes? (If families have different

disposable income for such things it could be an issue). • Do any of the children have special needs (dietary, emotional, learning, developmental, etc)?

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Bottom Line…If your gut says the other family is not a good fit, don’t do it just to save money. If you want to do this and you’re willing to keep trying, there is a family out there compatible with yours. Don’t just settle.

STEP 3: WRITE UP (and Talk Through) the Details

If the families seem to “fit,” the next step is working out the nuts and bolts. Draw up a contract (including a budget) between you and your share partner with all the potential caveats (leaving the share, vacations, children’s illness, nanny’s illness etc). State your “must haves” up front. The write up should include specifications for the following:

• How will you split the time at each family's home? • How will you accommodate different schedules? • How will you coordinate paying the nanny? (Make sure you’re in agreement about on/off books

issues.) • Who will be responsible for transporting children from one home to the other? • How will you coordinate weekly expenses and supplies, including diapers, wipes, formula, food,

etc? • Will you need special equipment, such as a double stroller or portable crib? (Having proper gear

is mainly an issue when the kids are babies.) • What will happen in the event of one family’s’ need to end the share? (e.g., loss of job, moving,

etc). No one wants to be left in the lurch. • Will the families provide petty cash to the nanny? How will/can it be spent? • How will you handle extracurricular activities/classes if the other family is not interested in

participating? • What additional perks will you provide the nanny (e.g., Metrocard, snacks, bonuses, raises, etc.)

and how will you coordinate? • How will you handle communication with the nanny? Will there be one point person, or will

both families speak to the nanny about changes together? (Any “policy directives” for the nanny should be coordinated between the families so the nanny is not getting conflicting messages. It’s less important that there be ONE PERSON to speak with nanny than ONE VOICE, agreed upon by both families.)

• How will you handle over-time, especially if only one family needs the nanny to stay later? • What are the holidays you have in common? Not in common? • What kind of trial period will you have to make sure it works? • What happens if one of the children is ill?* • Is this a ‘full’ nanny share (nanny only takes care of multiple children together) or are there

times when the nanny takes care of one child at a time? Questions specific to this case include: § Will you have some days that are ‘potential share’ days if someone needs extra hours

due to work? (If so, you may have a ‘priority family’ so there is one person who can get priority in case of a sick child.)

§ In cases when there are some nanny share hours and some individual hours, how will the two families figure out weekly pay for the nanny? (Some people have a spreadsheet that they use to enter the information.)

§ What is the minimum weekly pay that the nanny can expect to take home?

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§ Which parent gets “priority” in case of a sick child? § How will you figure out paying for holidays? If only one family uses the nanny on

Mondays, for example, more holidays will fall in that family’s time.

Bottom Line…If the details are in writing you’ll both be clearer on what to expect. That way you can avoid a later “but I thought...” which can lead to bad feelings and difficult situations.

*How do people handle the situation when one child is sick? Some consider it like a daycare situation and the parents of the sick child find other arrangements. Others decided that it depends on the illness; colds with runny nose are fine, but fever and vomiting are cause for separation. Yet other people allow the nanny to take care of both children, assuming that it’s highly likely that both kids have already been exposed to the sick child’s illness.

STEP 4: Pay Issues

In 2017 the going rate for a nanny ranged between $22-$26/hr* for the nanny when watching two or more children. If the nanny is only taking care of 1 family that rate is $15-$17/hr. Most nannies prefer to have “guaranteed pay” which is an amount they can count on each week. PSP members tell us that most often raises are typically $1 per hour per family, or $2/hour for the nanny.

There are also complications to pay that come with a nanny share:

• The Domestic Workers Bill of Rights indicates that if a nanny works more than 40 hours the nanny should receive 1.5 times her base pay. If some of those hours have been as a share vs. individual you’ll need to determine which rate is applicable.

• If one family is paying on the books and another off the books the bookkeeping becomes much more complicated.

(NOTE: The Nanny Pay Survey only represents one family paying a nanny so those figures are grossly under nanny share rates.)

STEP 5: Find the Nanny

People are mixed as to whether to interview the nanny together or separately. For situations where both families are starting from scratch, it’s probably best for both families to interview the nanny together. Regardless of how you decide to do it, when doing reference checks each family should speak with the references. It is important for both parties to hear feedback on the nanny.

NOTE: If you are coming into a situation where another family has a nanny already there may be a power differential in terms of comfort level with the nanny and pre-existing routines that the original family may expect will continue. This is not to say coming into a pre-existing condition will not work (and they surely do), you just need to state your expectations up front and the original family may need to be flexible during the transition process.

Ask potential nannies questions specific to the nanny Sshare (see also the Nanny Interview Questions on the PSP website):

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• What is your past experience with caring for multiple children, the same age or different ages? • How have you dealt with (or would deal with) napping issues? • Are you comfortable hosting a play date with an additional child? • Are you comfortable having more than one employer? The employers need to avoid giving

contradictory directions, but the Nanny will still have to be comfortable communicating with both sets of parents on basic things like how the day went, how the kids got along, whether lunch was eaten, etc.

• At what age of children do you feel comfortable taking two children to classes or other organized activities?

• How comfortable are you in taking two children on outings? • How have you handled socialization issues if the two children weren’t getting along?

After each interview, discuss with your family and the other family:

• What are the things that each of you think are the nanny’s strengths? Weaknesses? • What are your concerns about the nanny? • Will the nanny be able to juggle the demands of two children simultaneously?

Bottom Line…Both families have to feel super-confident in the nanny choice.

STEP 6: NURTURE the Nanny Share

Once the decision has been made, the trial period has been met, and the nanny share is in full swing, you’re not all done. Like any relationship, this arrangement requires maintenance to make sure it continues as smoothly as possible. Here are some guidelines to nurture the nanny share:

• Good communication is by far the most crucial part of having a successful nanny share! Keep the communication with your share family flowing. Emailing and texting can be a less-intrusive, less confrontational way of handling things and gives the other family a chance to think about things before making a decision. (Emails are also a great way to have a paper trail as well).

• Have realistic expectations. The beginning of a nanny share is a transitional period, not unlike a new day-care situation. There will be kinks to work out, and it will take time for the kids (and parents) to fall into a routine.

• Be respectful of both the other family and the nanny. Be prompt at pick-up, don’t talk down the other family’s parenting style to the nanny (go to the source if you have issues), and don’t criticize a child’s behavior in front of the children.

• Make sure the nanny is happy, and help in any way to make sure that the nanny likes the relationship.

• Keep a monthly calendar with key dates (doctors’ appointments, play dates) and location. Make sure all the parents in the share and the nanny have an up-to-date copy of the calendar. This will help keep everyone more organized and able to plan personal schedules better.

• Have monthly or quarterly meetings to make sure that things are going well and to modify things that need to be worked on.

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Bottom Line…If either family or the Nanny is unhappy it will influence (and perhaps jeopardize) the whole arrangement.

The benefits to having a nanny share go beyond just cost savings to a more “village” approach. While your experience might not be one in which your nanny share family becomes like ‘real’ family, there may be surprising benefits you didn’t figure you’d have. As one long-time nanny share mother indicated:

“In our nanny share I will tell you that we are now staying together not because there are any financial savings anymore (in fact there aren't), but because our families and kids are so close that it's difficult to imagine separating. Here are some of the PROS: the families get to know each other and each other's kids intimately; the kids are completely comfortable at each other's homes, and will clamor for sleepovers at very young ages (each of us was completely comfortable leaving our first-born with the other family when we went to the hospital to birth our second); the ability to share the sometimes isolating experiences of parenthood so closely with another family; if your child is an only child, the wonderful sibling/cousin-like relationships that can develop with the kids from the other family; and even if your child is NOT an only child, the bond that develops between the kids is unique and wonderful; the "family dinner" that can happen even when all the parents work too late to eat dinner with their own kids on weekdays... There are others, but these are the ones that leap to mind.”

GOOD LUCK in your decisions! Please let us know if you have a success story or advice you’d like to add by sending an email to feedback[at]parkslopeparents.com. VOICES OF EXPERIENCE: General Advice Responses from Survey Participants to the question, “What advice would you give to other people who are thinking about a nanny share?”

(NOTE: Recurring themes were summarized above but we include them here so you have a broader depth of responses given).

• “Find a family that lives very close by. Do the share with kids the same age. Make sure both sets of parents have similar temperaments (easy going helps A LOT). Talk about specifics, sickness, food, petty cash, how the day is spent. If they or you already have a nanny they love that is half the battle.”

• “Having a nanny and family who are willing to be very flexible is imperative. We have had to

work together as a team, and during one period when the other family was going through financial hardship, we increased our hourly rate temporarily in order to help our Nanny make ends meet. It has been wonderful to give our only child a lot of time for socialization and individual attention, while still affordable for us. Our Nanny loves the arrangement as well, and she is able to earn more money this way!”

• “Well, we really lucked into our situation. Family A really set it up, and they are good friends of

ours from way back and we just went with it, so we didn't have to interview or really make any

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decisions----and we totally love N and her family and it's obvious the kids love her, too. The only advice I would offer is that the share probably works best with families who have similar parenting styles, which we do with Family A. Some small conflicts have arisen with Family C, nothing major, but that's where the difference lies.”

• “Draw up a contract between you and your share partner with all the potential caveats (leaving

the share, vacations, illness, etc).”

• “Make sure to feel really comfortable with the couple you do the nanny share. Do not feel shy about honest, open communication. Make sure that your parenting styles and priorities are very similar.”

• “It works well if homes are physically close if they will be going back and forth. We bought a

double stroller. Close age is working well for us. Napping can be a bit harder if they are on different schedules. Similar parenting style and flexibility are probably the most important traits to make it work. We are extremely happy with how ours is going.”

• “I would say to carefully consider what will happen in cases of sickness, which occurs quite a

lot! And to communicate often and openly almost every day.”

• “Think long and hard about it. Parenting styles get more distinct as kids grow older, and that can fracture it. Additionally, get a reference from someone the other parents have employed--our nanny share people are extremely disrespectful to our sitter (leave the apt a mess, don't like when she takes vacation, don't pay her on time, short her on overtime, etc), and I think that would have come out had we talked to their cleaning lady, or former clients, etc. “

• “Be very clear about what your expectations are, and have quarterly or bi-annual meetings to

discuss how things are going.“

• “A good match and connection with the other family is essential. We have been very fortunate to have met another family very similar to us who lives two buildings over. Our schedules work out very well.”

• “It’s best when one or both families have a work-from-home/stay-at-home parent--or one with

a flexible schedule. It’s easier when at least one of the families can work around a more rigid work schedule for the other.”

• “It's important to make sure the schedules match for each family and that logistically, you agree

to either have the Nanny 100% at one house or another OR share houses. If the Nanny stays 100% at the other family's house, it's harder for the other family to assert their needs or preferences.”

• “Make sure you work out in advance what to do if one child is sick. Also, be sure your parenting

styles are similar and be up front if your family has special beliefs like about not vaccinating your child, etc. so everyone is clear before the share begins.”

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• “It really helped that we knew the other family really well, and that our kids have been friends

for a long time. What is unexpected (though we should have predicted it) is that our boy/girl four year olds are not getting along -- different temperaments and boy/girl interests.”

• “Pick a family who has similar values to you so that you can work things out when there are

disputes. Remember that in some ways kids in shares are like siblings, so you have to make sure it’s not all fighting and no love built between them or it might become abusive.”

• “Be willing to spend time negotiating with the other family about extracurricular activities, and

be flexible. For example, I wanted my child to take a language class on a day when the kids were together, so I offered to pay for the second kid, as a sibling, to go as well since that class was not a priority to the other family.”

• “If you are doing a share, every program you sign up for, every membership you buy, Museums,

Gym, etc, add the extra kid and your nanny to your membership so that the nanny can take both kids anytime without you. I recommend the Natural History Museum because it is open on Mondays when almost everything else is closed. If it won’t cost you extra, always add the extra kid, that really helps with flexibility.”

• “Now that we have a 2nd child it is becoming logistically too complicated so I need to find a

different child care solution.”

• “Flexibility is a must and seek out creative solutions and arrangements. For instance, our Nanny walks our share family child home one day per week. This is a plus for them not to have to pick-up, and allows our nanny to end her day a bit earlier.”

• “Remember that you and your share family are co-creating guidelines and boundaries for your children’s' care-- stay in constant touch! We've found that texting and emailing work great, but we do phone calls too and in-person chats during drop-off/pick-up.”

• “State your "must haves" up front. If there are things very important to you, that you are not willing to be flexible on (e.g., absolutely no TV, or must return home for naps), that should be stated upfront so that there are no surprises and everyone's expectations are met.”

• “Do consider a share with a same-age child AND a younger/older child. We have had both and there are great benefits (and some minor drawbacks probably) to both. Same-age children make for a neat share b/c they are in similar development stages and it's sort of like a built-in, daily playdate, but this can be harder for a Nanny (especially when both are learning to walk!). An age-gap in a share also works well, in my experience. It is more akin to a sibling relationship, where both children have differing needs developmentally and I think it is positive to have children exposed to junior and senior buddies! Some may think that it is not as stimulating for the older child in a share though. I think as long as the Nanny does not regularly limit any activities for either child (and otherwise does not let the age-gap stand in the way of a fun, productive day of exploring/learning/playing/snuggling), then it is just fine. My child is the older

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child in a share with an infant it is working beautifully, in my opinion. And, better than my opinion, our Nanny claims that this age split is easier than two toddlers (which was our previous share)!”

• “Be prompt for pick-up. Not only is this professional courtesy to your nanny, but when you share, a late pick-up can disrupt the evening routine/plans of the host family.”

• “Make an agreement that states what happens when the children are sick, paid holidays and

vacations, and the hourly rate in every instance.”

• “It takes a lot more work than hiring your own sitter, but there are many benefits beyond the obvious cost & socialization. For example, the support of the other family. You can often come to better decisions than you would alone.”

• “Just do it -- it has been such a fantastic thing for our family. But pay close attention and trust

your gut when interviewing both the other family and the nanny. It works best when you and the other family are very much in line, philosophically, and are both good communicators, because you will have to hash out lots of little details. It also works best when your nanny really wants a share (ours prefers it strongly to caring for a single child) and has lots of energy and love to go around. Also be as generous as you can with your Nanny, because she's working very hard. And if an issue arises, call a conference and get all three parties in the same room. We exist without a written contract, but we do circulate a list of holidays at the top of the year so everyone is on the same page. Another thing that has helped us, I think, is that one of the families uses the share for their second child, so we don't have two sets of first-time parents. Having one family more relaxed and seasoned has helped keep all of us sane. But after trying this, I couldn't imagine not sharing. It just makes so much sense on so many levels.”

• “Do all interviews together. Start interviewing early and come up with a set of questions

together. Have a contract between the two families detailing things like what to do in case of illness, vacations, time off, etc.”

• “Make sure the parents of both families get along, are flexible, and share similar style and

attitude about parenting and childcare. Also, ensure that the nanny is both comfortable and competent with two children.”

• “One thing that has been an issue is participating in classes that cost money. If the other family

can't pay for the class, then our solution has been to pay for the other kid's class as his birthday gift, so that our daughter can go.”

• “Interview the candidates separately. It gives you twice as much of an opportunity to make up

your mind about a particular candidate. It also helps to start ironing things out with regards to logistics with the partner family.”

• “If you're paying on the books, split the workload amongst all involved family members, not necessarily by quantity but rather by strength. e.g., one of us is a lawyer and drafter the

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contract; one of us is an organization freak and thus keeps track of all paperwork; one of us is a rules and regulation guru and makes sure we're on track with all the necessary filings.”

• “Regardless of whether you're paying on or off the books, develop a budget to make sure

you're all on the same page. When it works, it's just GREAT!”

• “Different ages have worked well for us, and the other family is in our building, so easy to pickup/drop off if the nanny or one family is running late.”

VOICES OF EXPERIENCE: Why a Nanny Share Ended

• “We joined a family that had already hired a nanny and had worked with her for about 6 months when we started. I have learned only from experience that I am a lot more particular than I was ready to admit several months ago, and I really want to be involved in the hiring process. The other family is also not as clear in communicating with the nanny as I would like, which means the nanny's job is founded on unclear communication, which often leads to confusion.” “Having the share at another house all the time kind of sets up that family as the "employer" family, which makes it harder for me to manage the nanny the way I would like. The nanny, while loving and kind and wonderful with the children, is not a nanny I would have hired had I been involved in the hiring process. She is not the right long-term choice for us. In all, I think I've learned a lot from this experience, particularly that I did NOT do enough research before jumping into this situation. It seemed too good to be true (a short walk from our house, large house with room for both kids, kids a similar age).”

• “Eventually (after 3 months) the nanny resigned. Rather than telling us the truth - that caring

for two infants was too much for her. Some pieces of advice: o Never do a nanny share with friends! o Discuss not just basics like vacation days and sick days but also what an acceptable

threshold for each family on these is. o Do not compromise. If something doesn't feel right it probably isn't. o Make sure you are constantly communicating with the other family and are

being clear about your concerns. o I do wish I had been a bit more realistic about my schedule and had acted quicker. My

late pick ups, probably interrupted more family dinners than they should have before I asked the nanny to stay late. But I also wish I would have been called out on it by the other family, I do think it caused some resentment between us.”

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VOICES OF EXPERIENCE: How and What PSP Members Pay (last updated 2017) 2017 Rates:

• “We're in a share that's part time (2 full days a week) and pay $26/hr on the books. We started two years ago at $24/hr and gave $1 raises each anniversary. Hope you get other responses too! I get the sense that we're just a little on the high end, but we felt it important to pay a little more to secure the nanny for only 2 days a week. (And because we think she's worth it!)”

• “We have a part-time nanny share - the nanny is with the other baby full time and we join in for 2-3 days/week. (It's an amazing set-up for someone like me with unpredictable work hours, since the nanny is almost always available but I can adjust the days of the week I need her based on my weekly work demands.) The other family pays $17/hour when the baby is solo. When there are two babies, the rate is $22/hour - so the nanny gets a $5 raise and the other family gets a $6 discount. We have agreed to pay a minimum of 20 hours/week, even though there are weeks we only use 15-17. If we go over 20 hours, we pay our share for any additional hours that week.”

• “We share our sitter (primarily we use opposite days but occasionally overlap) with another family with two children. We each pay $17 if we have two kids with one of the other family children (and they pay $13 for one child). We pay $20 if it is just our two children. But we didn't ever share when our youngest was a very young infant, only once she was 8+ months old.”

• “We're paying $11/per child for 2 babies aged 11 months and 15 months. With our previous nanny we were paying $12.50 / per child but had to soon let her go b/c she asked for a bump to $17 / per child b/c taking care of two babies was too much for her. (She was nanny to only the other baby before joining the share for a short 2 weeks). I think it was her way of also saying that the nanny share wasn't working for here. Both were on the books and standard benefits.”

• “We're in a share that's part time (2 full days a week) and pay $26/hr on the books. We started two years ago at $24/hr and gave $1 raises each anniversary. Hope you get other responses too! I get the sense that we're just a little on the high end, but we felt it important to pay a little more to secure the nanny for only 2 days a week. (And because we think she's worth it!)”

• “We are currently paying $22 an hour for a nanny share - $11 per family. The two children are both 7 months old. When we started our share in mid 2015, we set a rate of $21/hr + monthly Metrocard. (note - this is 4 full days - our nanny retained a one day position with her prior family).”

• “Our nanny is due her raise this week and after raise, she'll be just shy of $24/hr (we round the whole numbers rather than the hourly rates to make everyone's life easier...) + Metrocard. Bonuses have been rounded up from a weeks pay - I think last year her bonus was about 115% of a week's pay.”

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• “We are about to embark on an infant + two toddlers in preschool scenario... Overall, she'll have one child half the time and 3 kids half the time. We figure that averages out to 2 kids all the time, so our intention is for her overall pay to remain steady. I think something else that people should consider is that perhaps the amount the solo family pays should go up because now they are part time. While that sounds counter-intuitive, I know that if I had to go hire a part time nanny, I'd likely have to pay more than the typical going rate of ~$16/hr (based on the 2015 survey). So if our nanny isn't happy with the proposal we put on the table, my family (the solo kid family) will happily pick up a little more to keep everyone happy. To me, a little extra can probably go a long way to ensuring the person caring for your child is happy. Something else I'll mention - when reviewing the surveys and the nanny share package and in interviewing, it seemed to me that shares work in thirds... The nanny makes a third more than she'd make with a solo child and each family pays a third less than they'd pay for a single child/solo nanny... I have suggested that rationale to others - even in other parts of the country!”

• “We pay about $12/hour for our part-time nanny share (2 babies). I think the other family pays about $17/hour on the days they have the nanny alone.”

• “We are in a share and the two child rate is $22 ($11 per family) and the single child rate is $16.”

• “I've been in a nanny share with another family where we share days for the past 2.5 years, but for part of that time there was one day a week where we actually had the nanny watch both kids together for about a year, and we still occasionally do a simultaneous share when there are school holidays or other things that come up. When we started the share we were each paying our nanny $16/hr (she started at $15/hr with both families) and she asked for $25/hr for the share because she felt that it was more work to take care of 2 toddlers from 2 different families. I didn't necessarily agree with this idea and felt it was very high, but we love our nanny and since there would still be a small savings for both families during the share we agreed to the price (and actually paid $26/hr for easy division/payment). This may actually be close to the going rate last year, because another friend of mine who was doing a simultaneous nanny share (of an infant with a toddler) had the nanny ask for $25/hr as well. As a reference point, my nanny had initially asked for $15 for one child and $20 for two children, which also seemed high for 2 kids but was not a concern at that time since we only had 1 kid.”

• “When I interviewed nannies, for a non nanny share situation, the going rate was anything from $12 / hour / single child to $15 ( and this is part time rates ) moms who hire a full time nanny on the books pay $10-12 per child. But then again there is no 'standard rate' for nannies... Seriously every family and nanny determines their own rate. I've even met nannies who wanted $20 per hour for 1 child and the nanny would say my last two families paid me this amount. At the end of the day It's whatever you are both comfortable with. There are also other factors in play determining rate. Depends on how many years of experience the nanny has had, what her job entails and some nannies request to be paid holidays - even very part time nannies. Some want dinner and taxi home for weekends and double rate. Personally, I found if I could not negotiate a good rate I rather find another person because I didn't want the person working for

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me to feel unhappy. And if I really liked the person I would suck it up and pay the high rates.”

• “I can't help you on the three kid price, but for two in a share (2 1/2 year olds, after two anniversary raises for the nanny) we do pay $13/family.”

• “I've done a part-time share with a nanny watching 2 kids (2 & 4 yrs) with another 4 yr old and we paid $18 an hour while my friend paid $12 for her son.”

2014 Rates:

• “We're in a part time share (20 hours a week one child/30 hours with two). For one on one, we pay on the books and make sure she takes home $15 an hour (rate is closer to $19 an hour; we pay her taxes). For shared time, we pay $19 an hour, but will be raising to $20 per hour in a few months. Benefits include: two weeks’ vacation, monthly MetroCard regular salary regardless of hours worked time and half over 50 hours a week can bring her son to work when it's just one child.”

• “We are in a nanny share (two children) and each family pays $10.50 per hour, or $21 per hour total, take home. We pay on the books, and we pay the taxes, so our costs are obviously more. But, our nanny gets to take home $21 per hour total. We treat it like a salary, so if one child is sick, or one family is away, for instance, our nanny still gets the same pay.”

• “I’m in a share and we pay our nanny $800 per week (2 5-month old babies). That is for up to 53 hours (we often don’t use all of them though). She is paid the same regardless of whether she has one or two of the babies, and we are giving her 2 weeks paid vacation (one of her choosing and one of ours), and up to 5 paid sick days (along with national holidays off). Both families keep roughly the same hours so far. ($22/hr)”

• “We started at $10 per family per hour and raised it by $1 per family per hour each year. We currently pay $12/hour. Happy to talk and tell you more if it's helpful, it is a hard job for a nanny to manage a share – I say find someone capable and pay and treat them well. We do pay on the books so her take home is less (but she gets many benefits now and later from this).”

• “We're in a nanny share. The first year the nanny was paid $10/family so $20 hour. The second year we raised it to $11/family so $22 total. She gets two weeks (of her choice) paid vacation per year and 2 or 3 (I forget which) paid sick days.”

• “We just started a nanny share for two 3-month olds and are paying $900 week total for 53

hours. We are paying half on/half off the books. Most of the nannies we interviewed quoted us $20/hour for a nanny share. We would quote back what the nanny survey says.”

• “In our share each family pays $10.50 and hour - plus taxes etc, as we pay on the books. That

means that it ends up being around $13.50 an hour all in. ($21/hr; $26/hr with taxes)”

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• “We just started a nanny share for two 3-month olds and are paying $900 week total for 53 hours. We are paying half on/half off the books. Most of the nannies we interviewed quoted us $20/hour for a nanny share. We would quote back what the nanny survey says.”

• “Our nanny watches our daughter and another child 35 hours/week. We started at $18/hour

total (so $9 per hour per kid). We pay $15 for babysitting just one of them, say if the parents want to go out for a night. The contract says we pay OT beyond 40 hours, but we've never needed to. If anything, she works less hours some weeks -- but we still pay the contracted rate. And she gets the same whether or not one of the kids is sick or a family goes on vacation -- she still needs to make a living, and isn't earning a ton, and it's not fair to the other parents to have pay more just because we (for example) went on vacation. There have been occasions, like Passover, where both families have been out of town. Or, she's taken all her vacation/sick time this year, but still has a doctor's appointment. In that case, we might ask if she could sit for us an extra night, or work a little extra one day, so she doesn't lose pay, but we're not paying for a ton of time not worked. It's worked well for us, in that we haven't had to track specific hours, feel like we're not taking advantage of her (We want her to be happy!), but also, meeting our needs.”

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APPENDIX 1: a Sample Work Agreement On the following page you will find a sample work agreement for you, the other family and the nanny. When you create a work agreement for you nanny, please take a moment to review the components of a work agreement – including the legal must haves – outlined on the Park Slope Parents website: bit.ly/1dRkdkP *Legal Disclaimer: The sample work agreement has been written for educational purposes only and is not meant to be legal advice and should not be construed as legal advice or be relied upon. The agreement may contain errors, inaccuracies and/or omissions. You should always consult an attorney admitted to practice in your jurisdiction for specific advice. The Work Agreement: [Date] [Name of nanny] [Address] This letter sets forth the employment agreement between you and the following parties: [Name of 1st family] [Address] [Name of 2nd family] [Address] You agree to the following terms and conditions for the care of the following children: [names of children]. This agreement is subject to change at any time with the written agreement of all parties. Term Your employment will begin on [date]. There is a trial period of three months to ensure compatibility, however, this trial period does not guarantee employment. Any party has the right to terminate the arrangement immediately for cause or two weeks notice for any other reason. You would continue to receive your full pay until your employment ends. Schedule Your regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 6:00pm. A reasonable amount of flexibility is needed, as the schedule may vary on occasion. (Include any other days/times as necessary). Care at any other time can be arranged directly between you and the relevant family. Compensation Your hourly rate will be $___/hr for a minimum of ___ hours per week. (Optional: Guaranteed Pay). Each family will pay you directly on the last workday of each week. You will be paid $15/hour for any additional hours

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worked outside the regular schedule. If you are required to stay past 8:00pm, you will also be reimbursed for a taxi home ($20). You will be eligible for a salary review after one year of service. However, a review does not necessarily entitle you to a salary increase, as all salary adjustments are at the sole discretion of the families. Transportation Benefit [Name of family] will provide you with a monthly MetroCard [optional] Petty Cash You will be provided with X amount of discretionary funds. These funds will go toward ancillary expenses for childcare and not for your private use. Time Off You will receive the following paid holidays: (Include as necessary)_

• New Year’s Day • MLK’s birthday • President’s Day • Good Friday • Memorial Day • Independence Day • Labor Day • Thanksgiving Day • Christmas Day

You will receive ____ weeks paid vacation per year (to be taken on or around the Christmas holiday). You will receive ____ paid personal days per year. You will provide both families with reasonable notice should you need to take any of these days. If you require additional personal days, they will be unpaid. In addition, if one of the families doesn’t need your services for any amount of time, you will only need to care for the one child, but your weekly pay is guaranteed. If it happens that both families don’t need your services on the same day, you will not be required to work and will continue to receive your full take home pay. Conditions You will care for ______[names of children] in _______[name of family]’s home unless other arrangements are made in advance. [Name of family] will provide a clean and safe environment for play, and store any needed equipment, such as the double stroller. You agree to put the absolute safety of the children first before all other responsibilities. You will keep both children in sight at all times unless they are in their crib. The television and personal calls should be avoided when the children are awake. You may take the children on outings in the neighborhood. If one of the children is sick, the family will use judgment whether or not they should stay home with the child.

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Each family will provide their child’s food, beverages and snacks. You will prepare the children’s meals according to the family’s guidelines. Each family will provide their child’s diapers, wipes, and other supplies as needed. While the children sleep, you are entitled to rest, however you should absolutely never sleep while the children are awake. Communication Good communication is essential. You agree to communicate to each family about their child’s day, especially if problems or issues arise with the children's behavior or routine. Privacy Clause What happens in either house should be shared with another family ONLY in the event that it’s relevant to the welfare and wellbeing of the other child. Do not share the goings on of one family with another family or other outside people. Emergency Information If an emergency arises, you should call 911 immediately. You should take any and all measures within your power to help the situation and contact us as soon as possible. Contact numbers: [Insert cell, work, other numbers] Leaving the Arrangement When you are planning to leave the arrangement, you will give the families as much notice as possible – with a minimum of 2 weeks. If either family is planning to leave the arrangement, they will also give at least 2 week’s notice. Changes in the Arrangement In the event of the birth of another child, we can all discuss and decide whether or not we would like to continue the arrangement. If it is mutually agreed upon to continue, we will provide an amended agreement with an adjusted salary. If one of the families should move, we can discuss if it would be possible to continue the arrangement. Please sign below to agree to these terms. ____________________________________ _________________________ [Name of nanny] Date ____________________________________ [Signature of Nanny]

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Agreed: ____________________________________ _________________________ [Name of parent] Date ____________________________________ [Signature of Parent] ____________________________________ _________________________ [Name of parent] Date ____________________________________ [Signature of Parent] ____________________________________ _________________________ [Name of parent] Date ____________________________________ [Signature of Parent] ____________________________________ _________________________ [Name of parent] Date ____________________________________ [Signature of Parent]

Documents

The PSP Guide to a Nanny Share 2017.09...A nanny share is a creative childcare arrangement, an alternative to hiring a nanny for one family’s child(ren) or sending children to daycare/preschool