Also, you may allow for someone to watch your child, as a substitute nanny, that you would not normally hire because their English isn’t great, or they don’t drive – they take the bus. Again, remember, it’s just for a day or two!

Tell your nanny up front if you will pay for holidays off, and if so, which ones. It is kind to pay for Christmas Day and Christmas Eve Day and Thanksgiving as well as Easter, while allowing your nanny the day off. You can also ask her if she’d like any unpaid holidays off. Tell her that if she does have a doctor’s appointment or a family obligation you need one week’s notice so that you can get “coverage” for your nanny while she’s out.

If you can’t afford to pay for holidays the nanny takes days off, then tell her that up front: that you don’t offer paid holidays, but you do offer the time off, and explain which days.

Remember that if you can offer your nanny perks every now and then, she will be a happier employee. Giving her an afternoon off (with pay), or a day off every now and then, is a nice thing to do.

There will also be times when you have to work late, and may call and ask her to stay late for you. She will be more apt to do so, if you have shown her that you are flexible, too.

If you want your nanny to travel with you, and you travel regularly with your child, explain that up front. Find out if your nanny has any fears of flying, motion sickness, or if she needs a visa or a passport, etc. Give her your travel schedule as soon as possible. If she is not a live in nanny, and you are asking her to spend a week in New York with you and your family or you and your child, you need to pay her extra for the time she will be on call round the clock. You also need to give her breaks so she can go off on her own, or just sleep or read on her own, in privacy, if she is with you as a live in, on a travel schedule for several days.