There are so  many factors that go into setting a nanny salary, and each nanny/family pair is truly different.  However, we’ve compiled some industry standards to help you make your decision.

Nannies are an integral part of your family’s life. A great time to discuss raises is during your nanny’s yearly review, when you get the chance to talk about any changes, feedback as well as rewarding your nanny for her hard work.

Generally speaking, most families reward their nannies with a raise each year. Your nanny may seem like a member of the family, but remember she is also a professional. Typically, a recommended salary increase is the rate of inflation plus anywhere from 0-3% depending on performance. If your nanny is now taking care of an extra baby, a pet, or changed her list of duties, make sure to take that into consideration as well.

Another good time to discuss a raise is if your nanny received additional education or certifications from her initial hire. This will make her more attractive to other families and more valuable to yours, so make sure you are compensating her accordingly.

The thought of spending more money each year for your nanny can be daunting, especially if it’s not in your budget. But remember, your nanny has expenses too and inflation and the economy do affect her. Sometimes families elect to give the nanny a bigger bonus at the end of a year, increase her vacation days, or pay more into her health insurance. The important thing is having a frank conversation with your nanny and being upfront about what your family can offer her.

-Lindsay Bell Wallace, President and Founder, and Lauren DiRuggiero

2014 brought a lot of new changes to Bell Family — we increased our   set of services to include nanny placement and are expanding not only in NYC, but in other cities as well.  Naturally, we needed a bigger headquarters for our growing business. Since you welcome our sitters, nannies, and caregivers into your homes with open arms, we figured we’d give you a little tour of ours:

What better place to house us than Grand Central?

We are so excited to continue growing and have the space to do so. We love when our sitters and families drop in, so feel free to give us a call and stop by! You’ll find us in the middle of an open concept office filled with other tech start ups and right across the hall from Facebook!

Looking forward to another great year filled with growth!

-The Bell Family

Snow days are one of kids’ favorite things.  However, they can leave working adults in a panic.  We have a few tips to help your family weather the winter storms.

• 1. Make a plan with your family:  If the weather forecast calls for snow or bad weather, make a plan on who will stay home with the lil’ ones, if that is an option.  It’s equally important for families who have divorced parents or have multiple homes to make an emergency plan about where kids will go on a snow day. This will ensure that your day goes smoothly.

• 2. Network:  Kids love playdates, and whats better than a full-day playdate? Network with neighbors or friends who’s parents don’t work or who have a full-time nanny.

• 3. Talk to HR:  Sometimes, HR departments can be surprisingly flexible if you tell them your situation.  Some companies will let employees telework or come in later to give them time to find a childcare option.

• 4. Call BFC:  The best back-up plan is to not need one. BFC caregivers are flexible and more than willing to help you out in a pinch.  Most of our sitters are matched up with local families, so even in a snowstorm, they will be able to make it to your house. Plus, BFC sitters will do anything with your kids from sledding to hot cocoa making.

Services like Lyft and Uber have been in the news a lot lately for their ease and convenience. However, these apps are primarily targeted at adult riders.

In comes Shuddle, a family business that takes kids to and fro with highly trained teachers, nannies, and caregivers behind the wheel. Shuddle is insured to transport minors and boasts around 100 drivers right now, but is planning to expand.

What we love is you can request Shuddle rides up to weeks ahead, ensuring there will be a driver available to get your child to practice, a piano lesson, or a playdate. The driver and your child both have to know the password you pick out before the ride starts, ensuring it is really your driver picking them up. Also, thanks to a real-time GPS tracker, you can can watch the car move throughout town and both you and Shuddle HQ gets notified once the kids are dropped off.

Look out for this awesome service as it expands to NYC!

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of doing a three-day trial with the Arbonne facial kit. Arbonne is a one-of-a-kind skin care and wellness line for women that provides a chemical-free anti-aging kit. Arbonne also offers a full range of non-toxic baby products for the lil’ ones. A study conducted by naturalnews.com discovered that women apply an average of 515 chemicals a day to their skin. Makeup, perfumes, lotions, mascara, and other beauty products all contribute to the toxic brew that can cause health problems for women.

As a woman with a full-time job, I don’t have the time to experiment with costly and time-consuming skin care methods to find a product that works and is healthy for my skin.

However, my experience with the Arbonne anti-aging kit was simple and effective. After the second day of using the product, my skin felt fresh and radiant. By the third day, I could noticeably tell the difference in my skin; I saw improvement in moisture, clarity, and blotchiness. I enjoyed all of the products in the process, which takes less than 3 minutes to complete, but my favorite product had to be the Corrective eye Serum; it made my eyes look fresh and awake. This is a great gift for the holidays, and I recommend this for women of all ages!

For more information, please contact [email protected] and receive 35% off your first purchase!

-Hannah, BFC’s In-House Coordinator of Sitter Services

Bell Family has been a wonderful option for my family.  I’m afforded the occasional luncheon with a friend, yoga or spin class, and dinner alone with my husband.  As all moms know, a few hours a week among adults (or simply people who speak) provide respite and recharge from the groundhog day of diapering, feeding, and burping a 7 month old.  Admittedly, it took me over 5 months to separate myself from my newborn because I had such a horrid experience with a different agency.  Who can you trust with your firstborn and much loved child?

The inevitable arrived when I went out to celebrate my anniversary with my husband who was feeling a bit neglected.  A seasoned mother in my building referred me to Bell Family and guaranteed a good experience.  In a leap of faith, I submitted my kid sitter request and hoped for the best.

Guess who arrived?  Mary Poppins!  Ok, it was Alice my sitter who played Mary Poppins in the Atlanta production but for all intensive identification, it was the ultimate babysitter in my eyes.  After my two hour dinner, I found Alice cuddling Kermit and providing all the warmth and love I would want for him.  With a short sound-bite of “A Spoonful of Sugar”, she had him from tears to giggles.  She is amazing.

In the subsequent two months, I have met a number of other sitters who have impressed and restored my faith in kid providers.  Not only is Laura  a kind and loving person, she graduated from one of my favorite Big 10 schools and promised to teach me their fight song.  Countless others have held my son and provided comfort to him in my absence.

All the sitters shared a common sentiment:  Lindsay is remarkable.  I had to meet her.  And so I did.   She’s a savvy New York entrepreneur with sensible Midwestern roots and charm.  Our meeting solidified my trust in Bell Family Company.

I believe in good karma.  I welcome Bell Family’s good energy into my home and am thrilled to meet such fascinating women with incredible New York experiences.  Most important, I am so happy Kermit is exposed to such kindness and love.  And that’s all a mother could ask.

–Jeanne