Hump Day Distraction - Gifts for Your Nanny

Dear A’s been with us for almost 2 years now. We’ve celebrated 2 Christmases and 1 birthday with another birthday coming up soon. For each occasion, I try to get her something special. My list of a few Do s and a Don’t is below.

On a related note, I received a question from a blog reader and thought it would make a good poll topic. She asked:

"Should employers pay for a trip home every couple of years or not?"

I thought this was a great question because I'm sure, like me, many of you struggle with how to handle bonuses.

Daddy vs. Nanny

Today is the last day of a week and a half of Daddy duty with K. This isn’t as scary as it sounds.

Because I was a consultant without maternity leave, K was his dad’s responsibility for the first 7 months.  After that 7th month, we had Dear A.

With Dear A on holiday, we're using vacation time to care for K. And I’ve noticed a few things with Daddy Duty this time around:

What I learned today (International Women's Day and Fallout from Changes to the LCP)

I spent a bunch of this weekend thinking about impact of the changes to the Live-in Caregiver program, and even more today, on International Women's Day, when the Parkland Institute released depressing research on the gender pay gap. My conclusion: In Canada women are supposed to stay home and raise the children.

Friday FAQ - Changes to Live-in Caregiver Program

I was getting ready to write a Friday FAQ about food, but while doing tax stuff came across some information about changes to the Canadian Live–in Caregiver Program:

As of April 1 2010, new applications to the program require the employment contract between you and your caregiver (nanny) to describe:

• employer paid benefits (health care insurance, workplace safety insurance, travel costs and recruitment fees)
• job duties 
• hours of work 
• wages
• accommodation arrangements (including room and board) 
• holiday and sick leave entitlements
• termination and resignation terms

So, beyond the usual contract, employers are now required to pay any recruting fees, travel costs, health insurance and workers compensation benefit insurance. Further details are here and here.

Anyway, I thought this was slightly more relevant than my pasta recipe. I’ll leave you to absorb this info and will get back to you once I’ve got more information on how this affects those of us who already have workers in the home.

A Different Kind of Guilt - Referrals

I have a fantastic relationship with my nanny placement agency. The owner/principal is a friend and former neighbour. I recommend her wholeheartedly whenever someone asks “Where did you find your nanny?”

About a year ago I recommended the agency to someone in our lives, who I will call Anonymous. Our relationship is already a touchy situation – I don’t always get along with her etc, but its not like you can lie or demure on the question when someone knows pretty much everything about you. So I told the truth and then immediately called my friend the agent to apologize, provide fair-warning etc.

Fast forward a few months:

Hump Day Distraction - threadless.com

I was debating whether to share threadless.com with you -  not just because its that good (it is) but also because its my go-to site for last-minute printable gift certificates. Not that I ever forget a birthday gift. Not me. Never.

Anyway, threadless.com sells inexpensive graphic t-shirts, hoodies and onsies. That's not the cool part. The cool thing is that all of the graphic designs are submitted by people like you and me. Well, not people like me - talented, witty, design-minded people who create hilarious shirts. The designs are also usually limited, so its rare that you and your neighbour will show up in the same shirt. And yes, gift certificates from threadless make a great gift because you can print them off, and it gives the giftee the fun task of picking their own witty shirt!

K's a big fan of his dad's Cookie Loves Milk shirt, mostly because he looks at it as a walking menu. "Mmm...Daddy, I need it the cookie!" I'm thinking the Fast Food shirt is out of the question. But, Man, its funny!

Rolling with the Nannies

On Friday, I found a mom group. Well, not exactly, but I did find a happy place. A place where my 2 year old wasn’t the only tornado running around and where I wasn’t the only adult shouting “No, don’t touch that Honey,” or “Come back here please, Buddy.”

We were at a nearby playground and then the mall. K and I met his best bud Little S and S’s nanny for a bit of a run around and lunch. It’s a typical play date for K & S, and their nannies, but new to me. Don’t get me wrong - I’ve taken K to the park and the mall before.  It was a different experience to walk along with all of the nannies, to see the crazy variety of caregivers out there, and to share in the usual trials and tribulations of chasing after a kid on a weekday morning.

And, not only did I get to enjoy a little childcare camaraderie, but I saw a possible long-term solution for my (totally platonic) nanny love-affair: Elder Care.  Quite a few nannies are also trained in, or transition to assisting the elderly.

Yup. So that’s my plan: keep having kids until I need Dear A to stick around and take care of me. And lets face it, if that plan actually panned out. I would need someone to take care of me. I’d be exhausted and possibly insane.

PS - Sorry for the lack of Friday FAQ post, but I'm lacking in FAQs! Send your questions or comments to shortysho[at]hotmail.com or in the comments below. Thx!