Should I Be Paying the Nanny for the Time My Child Spends in Preschool?

She may not be constantly with your child at those times... BUT, she HAS TO, block off her time/schedule, per your daughter, everyday.
Because, even if your daughter is in school... she is still 'on-call'.... and has to be available for those hours, still. What if the school calls her and your child is sick or something, and the Nanny has to pick her up????
These things happens.
Thus, your Nanny is STILL, 'on-duty', for ALL of those hours. Whether or not your child is in school.

What if, you are not paying her for those hours your child is in school? And then the school calls you/the Nanny and says your child has to be picked up because she is sick or something. But the Nanny says "well I am not on-duty right now and am not on paid-time... so I cannot pick her up and watch your child."????
She is in her right, to turn you down. For these situations. Because, she would not be paid for it.... nor, 'reserving' this time slot, per your child's school schedule, to help you or your child.

AND, what if (and there usually is), times/events at school, in which the Nanny would need to be there? For field trips, or chaperoning something at school... .etc. This is COMMON, in Preschool. Parents, volunteer, or their Nanny.
IF you want your Nanny to do these things, she is STILL 'working' and for your child.

It is not just about being face-to-face with your child... but being 'Available" all the time, for all those hours, too... JUST for your child.
Regardless if your child is in school or not.

Thus, her pay, should STILL be the same.

I used to do childcare.
Whether or not the child was actually at my home, I STILL have to have those hours, SAVED for just that one child.... no matter what.
And I was paid, to do so.

No one said, you have to give her a pay-raise, every 2 months.
That is your choice.

Personally if someone docked my pay, for the reasoning you gave... I would leave, and find another family to do childcare for.
Doing childcare, is not 'maid service' either.

I think docking her pay is extremely petty! You can calculate that that's 7 1/2 hours, but that is implying that she has one less day that she's working for you and could get another part-time job to supplement the income loss from preschool. That's simply not the case. She's not going to be able to find a job working 2 1/2 hours 3 mornings a week. My son just finished preschool, and he was there for 2 1/2 hours. Let me tell you, that time goes by very fast. My younger son and I usually had time to do the grocery shopping or run a quick errand, maybe go to a doctor's appointment.

She actually is still available to your daughter during that time. There will be times when she'll need to be at school or keep her home do to sickness or the school schedule. She is still on call for you and your daughter. You like her, you want to keep her. Don't insult her.

It would be wrong to reduce her pay since there is no way she can make up these dollars elsewhere in that time period. She has to drive her there and be ready to pick up and be on time when the class is over. If the preschool is closed you would expect her to be there for the whole day.

I didn't see that you take your daughter to her. She's not a nanny then and I charge for the full day. I do believe your husband is being insulting.

If she was just picking her up from preschool, then yes, you would alter her pay.

However... what she's actually doing is:

Picking your child up/being responsible for her starting at 8am, keeping her for an hour, getting her ready, schlepping her to lessons 3 days a week, picking her up 2 and a half hours later, and keeping her for the rest of the day. Also, if anything happens, she is on call during those hours. Meaning: if the school closes or doesn't have class that day, or she bites/hits/whatever another child (or another child does it to her), or has a fever, ANY eventuality that means she has to be picked up, your nanny is the one who has to drop whatever she's doing and go out to the class to pick up your child.

It's no different from if you had her in ballet every day. If you sign your child up for an activity during the hours her nanny is responsible for her AND are expecting the nanny to get her there and pick her up and interface with the instructor for you, then, yes. You pay her for those hours.

That her own child is going to the same lessons is immaterial. Because you're paying her to take her to an activity you want your daughter in. As a parent she could decide in a week/ month/ whenever that she doesn't want her daughter in the same class. If she weren't "on" until 1130 for your family she could sleep in, decide not to go one day and head to the park/playdate/museum, etc. If you got a frantic call from the school that your daughter had bit or been bit, and needed to be collected, she wouldn't be the one responsible for it. And if you decide after a week/month/etc that the class isn't right for your daughter and you want her not to go, you'll need to arrange for someone else to take care of her from 8-1130.

If you want her to be responsible for getting your daughter to and from and for any contingency planning during you pay her.

Otherwise you'll need to either take your daughter yourself and be responsible for any 'calls home' (working it out with your job not to be there until after you drop her off, and needing to be able to leave work to go get her in case of illness/injury/school closure since her nanny doesn't come on until 1130), or hire someone else to be.

((Here's the hint: If it would change your work hours to be responsible for your daughter for any activity you plan for her, then you need to be paying someone else for those hours you're saving yourself by having them do it. including the hours that they are in classes))

This changes *somewhat* once your daughter is in "real" school (preschool or k12 with some serious hours attached and not just a couple hours a few days a week). When she's gone 6-8 hours a day AND you are the one who will be taking time off work (or calling around trying to find someone to do you a favor) if she's sent home for any reason... then you're not paying for those 30-40 hours a week she's in school. BUT you'll still need to hire a service to make sure she's taken to school in the morning if you are unable to. ((Imagine if your job started requiring you to come into the office at 1am or 3am for 5 minutes every single day or you'd be fired. How INCREDIBLY disruptive that would be to your schedule. Which is why parents of school aged children usually hire 2 services. One for dropoff (not very expensive), and one for pickup and afterschool hours. Or handle dropoff themselves.

((To know: YMCA afterschool care in our area -2 and a half hours a day, 5 days a week- is $1575 every 12 weeks. No School Day care -those mondays and fridays that get nixed all the time- is $100 a day, and half day care -for those half days schools take all the time- is $50 a day... both on top of the $1575 you're already paying. Before school care (1 hour a day) and driving your children to their schools is $800 every 12 weeks. If your child is sent home sick/injured/or suspended, the Y is not responsible for them.))

.

My opinion is to leave her pay as is. Here's why..

Is the pre-school open every day, even those "non-holidays" and in bad weather? If no, then the nanny would be expected to watch her on those days. So even though, she's not watching her most of the time, she'll be available.

What if your daughter is sick and can't attend preschool? Do you have her stay home, or will the nanny be watching her?

Have you taken into consideration her time, gas, wear and tear on her car, to take your daughter to school and pick her up?

Taking into consideration she's a good nanny and you trust her, I wouldn't risk upsetting her.

The next time you need to raise her pay, take this into consideration.

no, you continue to pay her what you're paying her now... she's responsible for picking up and dropping off, and i assume you want her available on the days that school is out, etc. 2.5 hours is not a lot of time to have "free", and if she's a good nanny, i'd not nickel and dime about the 7.5 hours - was it HER choice to put YOUR child in preschool, thus docking her pay? i'd think real long and hard about that... there are other things she can do for you during that 2 hours(you DO have to figure in the driving time to and from)... if your dh still doesn't like it, explain that you DO need to compensate her for her time driving to/from - that's regardless of if she is driving her own child to the same place, without her, you'd still need someone to drive your child...

YES. Pay her for her time. She is still working for you. What if someone gets sick at pre-school, who will they call??? The nanny! So, pay her for her time. I would be insulted if someone suggested that to me. It is still during her working day---

M

I watch children in my home and one of them is preschool age. The parent drops him off at prek on her way to work, and I then pick him up. She doesn't dock my pay at all, and actually she offered me an additional $10/day for gas compensation. I politely declined. But, she is the one responsible for him should he need to be picked up for some reason. She will be on call for snow days, sick days, etc. If you were to hypothetically dock her pay & a situation like that should arise, then what?? I know many people who will charge the regular fee + an additional charge for last minute care and/or changes. I think you'd be best off leaving it the way it is. Like others have said, its not like she can make up the difference in her income for 2.5 hours each day. In addition, I charge a daily rate--Full time pay is charged for anything 4 hours or more. So, in my case, the pay would still be the same because of the hours I am still providing care AND am available for care during the regularly scheduled hours.
Hope this helps!!
J.

That depends on whether she will be on call during preschool hours. If your child gets sick or hurt will you or hubby be there or nanny? I think if she is the one who will be on call to answer any needs for child, then she should be paid for it.

If you never spoke of this before there is a good chance she has budgeted for that money that you intend to do away with, what if she arranged for her child to attend the same preschool Just because of this arrangement.
I know people want to save money when they can, but honestly, all you are asking for is losing someone you think is doing a good job because she may not be able to afford to keep this job if you take away that pay.
The other posts bring up good suggestions regarding what you would do on Holidays, sick days, snow days etc. Consider the pay that she is paid when your child is in preschool as insurance...

As a former Nanny...it is an insult, if you want to keep good help...you pay for it.

Hmmm, I guess if you aren't paying her while your child is in school. THen on Snow days or for any other reason she has to pick your child up early she should call you and negotiate the EXTRA fee for hours over 7.5. And are you paying her for gas to transport your child back and forth? If you love your Nanny so much leave her pay the same. Be thankful she's willing to do this for you. I'm a provider and if one of my clients were to do that to me I'd more than likely have to find someone else to make up the diff. in loss of pay, thus needing to let your child go as not to be over ratio.

I run a transport organisation which involves paying bus drivers. Sometimes our drivers take a trip, and then have to wait around at the other end for hours, before driving back again. We pay them 'waiting time', which is basically half of what they would be paid if they are actually driving. Perhaps you could negotiate something like this- a sort of'on-call' fee? I don't think it's reasonable to pay full price for the time when someone else is looking after your child. Or, as Candice suggested, perhaps you could negotiate other duties such as washing, ironing, folding, or doing your shopping - things that don't necessarily depend on her being at your place.

I don't think it's an insult to not pay, for work that isn't being done. She has that time free, to do what she would like. She is not working for you during that time. I think it would be an insult to YOU, for her to get paid for nothing. Just my opinion.

That's a tough one. Your nanny isn't going to be able to find another job to supplement her income while your daughter is in school. Perhaps you can find other tasks for her to help out the household while your daughter is occupied. Does she do your grocery shopping? Does she cook? Also, will you expect your nanny to handle days off from school like teacher workdays, or days your daughter can't go because she has a fever? Certainly have a conversation with your nanny and see what her suggestions might be.

It depends on how her pay is set up. I was the "nanny" in a situation just like this. I was paid hourly, so if the little girl wasn't here i wasn't paid, if Mom got off work late, I got paid for that time. And because my daughter went to the same school, I wasn't paid for the travel.

Now if your nanny is paid more like a salary situation, where she makes a set amount even if you are running late one day, or pick her up early another, then cutting her pay for 7.5 hours a week when it is likely not all year, and there are school breaks ect. isn't a great idea.

I think you should require her to come back to your home, it has been a while since she wrecked it her. You NEED her for that hour in the morning, to take your child to school as well as being on call in case of emergency while your child is in school. You may as well utilize her as her original job was intended (with household duties).

so, what will she be doing when you daughter is in preschool? Maybe she could help you out around the house? Just basic stuff like vacume or fold clothes or straighten up the kitchen. Or she could run errands for you. She sounds great and it sounds like you really like her so maybe see how she feels about doing other things for you during that time

Don't dock her pay - buit don't give her another raise in two months, either. Ask her if she would mind running a load of your daughter's laundry or grocery shopping for your family during her kid-free time. Give her a raise (or bonus, but no raise) during the holidays if you and your husband feel this new arrangment is working out.

Edit to add: Remind your husband that your nanny is still responsible for your child if preschool calls and says she's sick - please come pick her up.

If your daughter is ill and can't go to preschool, will she be watching her during the normal preschool time? If they are closed, is she watching her? If the answer to either of these is yes, then she is "on call" for you during those hours and not really free to do other things.

I would say have a conversation with her and tell her that you will not dock her pay but if you need her to watch her a bit late once in a while, you don't expect to pay more.

Shes running a daycare, shes not necessarily a nanny. Pay her for those few short hours. It holds that space for your child and makes her responsible for her if she has to come home early and on any holidays and teachers service days when school is closed. Does she have other children at her home during that time? She could fill that space with others, altho not many would need just a couple hours a few days a week, but you never know. I would pay her the same and let her know you arent lowering her pay for those hours, just in case she is wondering. BUT I also wouldnt be giving any raises for at least after first of next year. A gift at Christmas is fine, but youve already given enough money in raises.

The 7.5 hours is close to an 8 hour day that she would have been watching your child, so I would pay her for four days each week instead of the 5. If your child is sick, or their is a no school day or whatever, just pay her the 5 days a week, etc..