I am leaving my current nanny position after 9 months to go to graduate school. I am a nanny for two almost-one-year-old babies, a boy and a girl. I will be leaving my job within days of each of their first birthdays and I would love some advice on what to get the babies for a going-away/birthday present.I am torn between something sentimental, since I will be leaving the position forever, and something practical, since they are babies and won't really understand the sentimentality of it anyway. Ideally I'd like to give them something that they can have and "remember me by", but at the same time that seems a little presumptuous since they are toddlers and likely won't remember me anyway. So I am conflicted. I'd love to hear from other nannies about giving gifts to your young charges, and from parents on what gifts you have received from your nannies or what gifts you would like to receive from your nanny for a younger child. I just don't want to get them something useless that will sit in a box and gather dust, but I feel like getting them a cute outfit doesn't quite convey the love and attachment that I have for the babies. I would love any advice as I really want to do something special for them! Thanks
17 comments:
I would do a keepsake that doesn't necessarily relate to you but that marks this time in their life- like something with photos or footprints or something. I know they sell kits at craft stores where you can make a hanging ornament for hand or footprints. A multi-picture photo frame is also nice (and you could throw in a pic of you and the babies, as well!)
When I left my first family, I gave the twins a mix CD for their birthday - a combination of music that was meaningful to me, songs we had sung together, and songs that I thought they would love. That would be a fun thing that they could listen to as they get older. You could pair this with a small photo album for each child that includes a photo and note for each of them, like "another nanny" suggested.
My default for a first birthday is a gloworm from Toys R Us and bibs from the Disney Store. A good bib will make it into more photos than the cutest outfit.
But then, I would likely do something different for a parting gift. Hmm...
I got this cute board book for my kids called "My Nanny and I." The last page is a space to put a picture, so I put in a recent pic of me and the kids. Though your kids are very young, it is a sturdy board book so it's good for that age, and they will like seeing your picture too!
Look it up (it's the name of the book dot com, not sure if I'm allowed to post a link or not...). I'm not connected with the authors or anything, just loved the book! :)
As a mom, I love the idea of a picture (or even a small photo book). The first year of my babies' lives was very precious and I enjoy having little mementos from that time.
If you wanted to do something practical AND sentimental, my children (8 and almost 11) still sleep with pillowcases and blankets that people made for them when they were little.
Get them something practical. They are only going to be turning 1. and you have only been with them for 9 months. They will not remember you anyway as they get older.
We've had several au pairs and nannies that have left over the years. The gifts I cherish the most, and that my older kids enjoy looking at the most, are photo albums or photo calendar mementos. One au pair also wrote little brief memories of the pictures or events in the book, which was sweet. Finally, I had one au pair who made the kids their own website that she still updates 8 years later - that's an amazing gift!
Usually in general I get my kiddos 2 books when I leave. One is sturdy and cheap and appropriate for the current age (like a board book).
The other book is, while not always hardcover, a nice copy of a book I loved as a kid- like Peter Pan, or The Cat in the Hat. In the nicer book, you can write a little message in the front.
The book for older kids will last them well into grade school at least, and every time they read it they can read your message too - practical AND sentimental!
I am in almost the same situation. At the end of May I am leaving my nanny job of a year and it is also my charge's 4th birthday. I am planning on getting him a backpack he wants (he starts school in the fall) and filling it with used books (like $1 each) with a short, handwritten note inside each (Love, X with the date.) That way every time they read the books they will think of you. I will probably also get a cute frame and frame a picture of us together. And I really like Kate in PA's idea about the nanny book. That's really cute! I may throw that in there too :)
someone special gave my daughter a bunch of second hand books with notes on the inside cover signed love, so and so, as someone else suggested, and years later her favorite part of the books is the personal notes.
Kate in PA and others,
As long as it pertains to the Post itself, you may include a Link. ;-)
Anonymous said...
I give books for gifts to children. Reading is so important, and if it is a good book, they will cherish it for many years. Inside the cover I always try to write a short message to the child I give it too, I think that it means a lot, and it is a great representation of us as nannies as part of our job is to educate children. some great titles include 'love you forever' or 'i love you this much' or if you want something really funny, I LOVE the books about the scared squirl, or those pigeon books... sooo funny.
When I´ve left positions when children were young I´ve always gotten them a book that had some special meaning and written a note on the inside cover. For example one boy who had just turned 2 when I left I got a book about trains because he was just wild for them. I wrote a little message to him saying that I got this for him because we spent so much time watching and riding trains together.
My hope is that when he´s older he´ll have this cute book and will have a keepsake message letting him know what he liked and was like at a young age.
I have a few of these types of books from family members and I still love the messages inside... its like a little time capsule!
I agree with those who said photos. I love looking at pictures of me from when I was little. While I don't remember the people and places in them, it makes me smile to think I had wonderful caregivers who took me places and made sure I had fun.
I think it would be very special and meaningful to make a small photo book with your memories of them . . small notations about fun, cute things they did . . what you thought when you first met them . . perhaps even a little wish for their future at the end of the book . . . "My wish for you is that all your hopes and dreams come true .. . . "
My advice is that you take the parents' personalities into consideration when picking out gifts. Let's face it, the gift is for them, not for the kids. The kids don't understand the concept of birthday gifts, nor will they even remember. If the mom is a sentimental-type who scrapbooks and has baby pics on every flat surface, definitely go with something cute like a framed picture of you with the babies. If the mom is more of a no-nonsense professional-type, get something practical. Of course, you can always do both if you want.
If they are going abroad, then you may gift them a good passport holder or a watch case if any of them is a watch lover.
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