Do not wait until payday to reconstruct nanny hours from messages and memory. Record each period of care when it happens, then review the exceptions at the end of the month.
In MyBabyCal, care slots hold the caregiver and times. Weekly and monthly totals come from those slots.
Choose whose hours count
Add everyone who appears in the care plan: your nanny, parents, grandparents, and other regular caregivers. Give each person a colour so the calendar remains readable.
Then enable hour tracking only for paid caregivers. Parents and grandparents remain visible without adding to the nanny total.
Record each continuous shift
Create a separate care slot whenever the caregiver changes. A split day might look like this:
| Time | Caregiver | Counted as nanny time? |
|---|---|---|
| 08:30–12:00 | Nanny | Yes |
| 12:00–15:00 | Grandma | No |
| 15:00–18:00 | Nanny | Yes |
The nanny total is 6 hours 30 minutes: 3 hours 30 minutes in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. Grandma’s three hours remain in the family calendar but not in the paid-care total.
Use the agreed duration when a full day counts as a fixed number of hours. Add a short note if the counted duration differs from the visible start and finish; the reason should be obvious when you review the month.
Correct the care slot, not the final total
When a shift changes, edit the slot for that day. Do not leave the old hours in the calendar and compensate with an unexplained adjustment at the end of the month.
For each exception, record the version you and the nanny will recognise later:
- change the finish time after an agreed late pickup;
- split the slot if a relative took over part of the day;
- remove or amend a cancelled period according to your agreement;
- note why a fixed-duration day differs from its visible times.
This keeps the total traceable. Each number points back to a specific day instead of a separate calculation only one person understands.
Keep transport separate from paid care
The people dropping off and picking up are not necessarily providing the care. If Dad drops off, the nanny cares during the day, and Grandma picks up, store those three roles separately in the same care slot.
Changing the pickup person should not change the nanny total. For days with several handoffs, use the childcare handoff checklist.
Review the exceptions before payday
Check the days most likely to differ from the regular schedule:
- early starts and late finishes;
- split days with another caregiver;
- fixed-duration full days;
- closures, cancellations, or absences;
- corrected care slots.
Compare the calendar with the agreed schedule, confirm exceptions with the nanny, and then use the approved total in your normal payroll or payment process. MyBabyCal supports this review; it does not replace an employment contract, official time records, or local payroll obligations.
Review the calendar with the nanny before treating the total as final. A ten-minute check is easier when both people can open the same days and resolve differences one by one. If you need a paper copy for that conversation, print the relevant week or month after the corrections are complete.
If the weekly plan itself needs work, start with the weekly nanny schedule template.
Two questions about counted hours
Should breaks be included?
Follow the agreement with your nanny and the rules that apply where you live. If another person takes responsibility during a break, separate care slots make the change clear.
What if a full day always counts as fixed hours?
Enter the agreed duration consistently and note the exception. Anyone reviewing the month should be able to explain why the counted time differs from the clock span.