Sunday

Greatest Gifts

OPINION
My family has always been very generous with me and my favorite feature on ISYN is the Christmas Bonus every December. Seeing a post called "Nanniversary" got me curious: I just wanted to ask all the Nannies (and Parents!) what's the most generous gift you've ever received (or given to your Nanny), it doesn't matter what the occasion was! - nannysara

17 comments:

I need a break said...

I got a 12 day vacation to Alaska. Seven days of a cruise and 5 days on land.

Lyn said...

I received a $3000 cash bonus and an iPad a couple years ago. My current family gives me $500 "you're awesome! Keep it up!" Checks every couple of months and last Christmas gave me $2000.

Pgh nanny said...

Brand new car. With prepaid maintainance and an extended warranty.

NannyPants said...

My current family bought me a car and I receive cash bonuses every few months.

little girl gloomy said...

Quite a few years ago I worked for a great family in California. I was an Australian nanny and stayed with the family for 2 years.

They offered to send me to college to study art and design (as that was my dream) and pay for everything because they wanted me to be a part of their family forever and not as a nanny.

Needless to say I had to decline because I thought the gift was so amazing, but thought it was too much.

Happy ex-nanny said...

My greatest gift EVER was meeting my MB brother and marrying him! <3 (awww!)

We've been happily married for almost 5 yrs now! I no longer nanny, of course, but do care for the kids occasionally. Me and hubby are trying for one of our own now. ;-)

nycmom said...

For Xmas, I do one week's salary the first year then two weeks salary every year afterwards. Of course, we also do small gifts from us and the kids, but cash is the bulk.

For parting from our last nanny, we gave one week's pay for every year of service plus a bit extra. I think it was roughly $4000 cash. It coincided with Xmas bonus so there was also the extra 2 weeks for Xmas, plus double pay for the two weeks she stayed with us to help with the move.

MissMannah said...

Happy ex-nanny, that is so cute! Glad it worked out for you.

Well I've said a few times that I don't really get good presents from parents. But maybe that will change this week. As soon as I got into work this morning, my MB said "Your birthday is this Wed, right?" I was pleased that she remembered so we'll just have to see if she gives me something.

ericsmom said...

Happy Birthday Ms. Mannah

Hope they get you a great gift.

Wow I feel really bad now. I was always a great nanny in the past. How come I never received anything close. I didn't expect a new car or anything crazy like that. Maybe, a purse or movie tickets or something. Depressing

A said...

My best gift ever? A simple "thank you" after I diagnosed their child with diabetes

MissMannah said...

Thank you--it's my 30th so I'm extra-excited!

I wouldn't really care if they didn't get me anything. A simple "happy birthday" is enough.

One time I did get movie tickets from a family. The dad had gotten them for the mom for their anniversary but she said they'll never get around to using them so gave them to me. I was thinking "WTF? So I get to celebrate your anniversary?"

Full of Gratitude said...

I just got a wonderful gift last week! My nanny fam has been traveling quite a bit (without me). So the first week they were gone I organized my charge's room completely, and then I spent the rest of the week coming in to tend the garden and organize necessary home repairs. When they got home DB was so impressed with what I accomplished that he gave me the next week off (while they traveled again) "because you sure do deserve it!" First, it felt wonderful that they noticed the extra duties I put in, and secondly, it was GREAT to have a surprise week off with pay!

He's also talking about building a little 2 bedroom one bath house on the graded piece of their property in the adjoining woods so I can be a live-in and save me from my long commute! When/if this happens, I'll let you know!

I have wonderful employers!

LittleMiss said...

Every year I get 3 months of summer off with pay. Also, 2 weeks off w/pay for Christmas plus cash bonus and 1 week for Thanksgiving. They're very appreciative, generous, and laid back.

NannyD said...

I work for awesome people who always go out of their way to say thank you and tell me that I'm doing a great job. I recently got a $1200 end of contract bonus and then a 25% raise when we signed our new agreement. Completely unexpected, to say the least.

Vacationing said...

I had worked with a family for about two years when my husband and I were planning a trip to Vegas so I could see Celine Dion. MB asked if she could join us on the trip, I agreed because we had a close family friend thing going. My husband loved the idea of me going with MB and he saw it as his opportunity to bow out of the dreaded Celine trip...lol. We booked the trip, went, had a great time, and when we got back home MB cut me a check for what I had paid for my plane ticket, hotel room, and concert ticket. Pretty awesome!

Then, with my current family family. I had started work in January 2010 and had only been working for four months when my husband calls me while at work...DB overheard the conversation we were having about how my husband was asked to go on a last minute business trip to Maui for two weeks. About an hour later, MB & DB call me into the home office to offer me a week off and the use of their frequent flyer miles so i could join my hubby in Maui. Which i accepted at once :)

Both of those gifts were "just because" gifts, they didn't fall on any special occasion. It feels so much more genuine to receive a gift out of the blue rather than on a holiday when it is sort of expected socially.

Countryfire said...

My best gift ever was a parting gift from a family I was with for 4 years. They gave me 4 months severance pay and paid my health insurance for a year

Karli said...

I've always gotten a Christmas bonus from families but last year my boss gave me a check for $750, a $150 mall gift card, and a $60 Starbucks gift card. I was shocked! My birthday is right near Christmas and I think this was kind of for both but still!

OH and to the nanny who saw Celine Dion in Vegas - that's funny, that's what I did with that bonus I got! LOL