The 411 on overnight nannies in Charlotte (including pay)

Often, I get asked “Do people really do that?” referring to nannies who don’t mind spending a few nights in someone else’s house to care for their children. Any nanny who feels connected to the family she works for, doesn’t mind working overtime in order for the parents to have some time to themselves or travel for work. Parents return refreshed and happier, kids have a fun stay-cation and the nanny gets extra income plus a fun experience with the kids, everyone wins.

How do I pay for overnights?

There are a lot of answers out there for this but I find that the easiest way to approach overnight needs is to pay a flat fee for the time period the kids will be (or should be) asleep. This rate is dependent upon the age of children and bedtimes. If you have busy toddlers who will keep the nanny working past 9 p.m. and potentially up throughout the night, factor that in and pay on the higher side. If your kids are older and more self sufficient at bedtime and you’re paying her to make sure they don’t burn the house down, the flat rate can be lower. The average rate charged in Charlotte is $75-$150 for the overnight period (typically 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.).

Weekends

Maybe you plan to catch the Panthers in New Orleans this season and need the nanny Friday through Sunday, you should take into consideration if this will make for one really long week for the nanny. If she worked 40+ hours Monday through Friday and you plan to be gone the entire weekend, factor that into her rate. If your kids have a vibrant social calendar, make sure to leave behind everything needed for the birthday parties, play dates and sporting events. It doesn’t hurt to have the fridge stocked as well.

Weeknights

Sometimes getaways aren’t planned by you but by your employer and it happens to be at the same time your spouse is visiting their parents. You’ll need someone to get the kids to and from school. If your nanny currently only works as an after school nanny, you may need to consider having her “on call” while you are away in order to have her available the entire day. Some families will pay the nanny her normal hourly rate while the kids are at school to ensure she is available for any reason. The nanny can run errands for you during this time and act as more of a household manager.

What if I don’t have a nanny?

Maybe your children attend after school programs and you do not have regular childcare in the home but find yourself needing overnight care, use an overnight nanny. I strongly recommend hiring this individual first as a sort of permanent sitter. Someone you will regularly use for date nights and also someone who is responsible, experienced and available for overnight care.