My husband does an incredible job of making me feel appreciated on a day to day basis, but there was something different about Mother’s Day and the lack of guilt I felt over having him cook me dinner and do the dishes!  I felt like I “deserved” to be put my feet up on the couch, and to drink that extra glass of wine.  Now some may say that it should not take a holiday to feel this way, and that our children should make us crafts, tell us how much they love us and offer to make us breakfast in bed more than just one day a year.  But for me, after my first official Mother’s Day I am ready to rank this holiday right under Christmas!

-Samantha is a former BFC sitter, event planner, and elementary school teacher. She and her husband live in New York and are first time parents!

After a fun and food filled holiday, it was time to say goodbye. There are always tears, mine of course, saying goodbye to everyone. Then it was time to tackle the inside earthquake that had taken place. My children would say I exaggerate a bit. Furniture moved back into place, beds stripped, dirty laundry in the washer, I sat to reflect on the craziness that was and the quiet that is. My body and mind were aching as I sat limp in the leather recliner. Thoughts passed through my brain of time to myself and life getting back to normal. All was good. Then the phone rang. It was oldest daughter, so excited as she told me she was now engaged!!! I guess the craziness that is my life is the new normal. Now, I’ll say goodbye to the quiet and relaxation as I begin to plan wedding number three.

Congratulations with love,
Mama Bell

Like no other city in the world, Manhattan residents depend on doormen, building staff, delivery people, assistants, caregivers/nannies, housekeepers and such!  As Pamela Skillings wrote for the online website, About.com, “ Tip giving/Holiday bonuses is a sign of appreciation for good service, not an obligation, but tips are counted on by many NYC service providers. If you don’t tip, it could be seen as a sign of dissatisfaction or just plain stinginess.”

I get asked by many families and caregivers what the standard/expected holiday bonus is and the answers vary some, but in my own unofficial survey, the majority from both sides said the standard Holiday Bonus is 1 week salary.  Skillings also reported, “If you employ a full-time nanny, the New York rule is at least one week’s pay plus some paid holiday vacation days.”

A few of the families and nannies I spoke with gave/received additional gifts like: extra holiday paid vacation, luxurious gifts, handmade crafts from the kids, warm heartfelt thank you cards, gift cards and spa gift certificates. Less than 1% of the people I survey said they gave/received more than the 1 week salary bonus. About 10% said they received less than a week salary bonus.

Based on a survey done by UrbanSitter.com in 2012 on Holiday gift giving, “97% of families reported to give their full-time nanny a holiday bonus or gift.  66% gave 1 week salary, 28% gave 2 weeks’ salary and 6 % gave 3+ weeks pay.

In my professional opinion, it’s never a bad thing to give and show appreciation to the people in your children’s life some holiday love!!!

-Ali Sheppard is our Nanny Care Coordinator and the author of the Chronicles of Modern Mary Poppins!

Source: UrbanSitter. The UrbanSitter Holiday Bonus study was fielded in November and December 2012. It includes results from 395 parent respondents.

Christmas Munchkins

What better way to gear up for the Holidays than by putting up your Christmas tree! My husband and I took the girls to a nearby garden center and picked out their first Christmas tree. Of course they were oblivious to what was going on but are extremely curious as to what that lit green thing is in the corner of our family room. Cannot wait to see their expressions on Christmas morning as they attempt to open their very first Christmas gifts! Happy holidays, love Amelia & Ava!

-Courtney has been a part of LLD since nearly the beginning, she has babysat for over 5 years with our troupe & is a new mom. Courtney is the sister of the President of LLD & lives in New Jersey with her husband.

For Halloween last week, we attended a mommy & me yoga class costume party; I made Parker and her little friend matching hair bows for the day, we “marched” in a neighborhood costume parade and the three of us dressed up together to trick or treat at my sister’s. I don’t remember when I had a better Halloween!

Bert, Ernie, and their Rubber Ducky

I’m already working on her Thanksgiving morning family 5k turkey trot outfit! Then comes my personal favorite, Christmas!? Fuggetaboutit!!!

Yes, I have made my husband crazy all year long making sure we properly commemorate each first holiday with pictures and cards and and outfits and gifts, but firsts only happen once and and I want them all to be special for our daughter. I want her to look in her baby book decades from now and see how we celebrated the first year of her life. I want her to feel as loved as I did when I looked last year, seven months pregnant, through the baby book my mom made me.  So I will continue to search for her perfect gift, dress her in the cutest outfit and take her to fun events!

Yup, firsts only happen once and she is mine….I want to enjoy every precious moment.

-Jolynn Baca Jaekel has been a fitness professional for more than a decade. She just had her first child, Parker, with husband Rob last January. She and her family recently relocated from NYC to Washington D.C.