For many parents, New Year’s Eve plans end up being an after-thought once the majority of the winter holiday break plans wind down. They’re confronted with the decision of whether or not to find child care so they can celebrate with friends or just stay home and attempt to make it fun for their kids.
The Opportunity
This scenario provides a unique opportunity for nannies and babysitters to up their professional credibility and make some extra cash. The main dilemma parents are facing on NYE boils down to creative planning—and that’s why caregivers are uniquely positioned to step in. Whether the parent decides to go out or stay in, they still have to think about what experience their kids will have. And who knows how to have fun with kids more than caregivers?
Step 1: Develop Your Concept
Think about what would make New Year’s Eve fun for a child and how you’d like to spend the night celebrating with them. Organize your ideas into a general framework of how the evening would go. Some questions to ask yourself would be:
- Would these ideas only work for certain ages, or could they be adapted?
- Would you need to find/purchase supplies for your plans?
- How much prep time would you need to be ready for the kids?
Step 2: Pitch Your NYE Experience
Once you have an NYE concept thought through, reach out to families you’ve worked with in the recent past. Let them know that you’re available on New Year’s Eve to watch their kids and that you have some ideas on how to make the night special for them. Be sure to consider the ages of their kids in the way you explain your ideas to the parents.
In this communication process, it’s important to make sure that everyone is on the same page about how compensation would work. While you would still have details to finalize if they’re interested, make sure they know your hourly rate on a holiday and if the rate increases based on the time you spend preparing and the cost of supplies.
Step 3: Finalize the Details
Once you have a family interested, finalize the exact details with them so you can finish planning for the big night.
- How many hours will you be with the kids? How much of that time will they be awake and doing special activities with you?
- While your hourly rate might not be negotiable, the parents might want to put a limit on the cost of supplies—which could force you to adjust some activity ideas.
Be sure to think through how you’ll let the parents know how the night went and factor that into your plans. You did a great job pitching the idea to them to land the job, but how you recap the night could be a convincing factor in whether or not they want to hire you for an experience like this in the future.
The Fun Doesn’t Have To End
The beauty of this idea is that you can do it for other holidays or just another Friday date night. Parents are always overwhelmed by the mental load of how their kids spend their time. By stepping in to offer an enriching and fun experience tailored to their child, you’re showing the parents that as a child care pro, you’re more than just a responsible adult filling a time slot. You know how to connect personally with a child in a way that supports their development and all they’re thinking about is how much fun they’re having.
