Nannies at 40k gross/year

[Anonymous]

People here brag about how they make upwards of $250k. $40K is reasonable.

[Anonymous]

How much should a nanny make?

They usually work more than 8 hours/day. They are required to engage your child the entire time, unless it's naptime, then they must do "light cleaning." If they dare talk on their cell phone/surf the net/chat with friends while they are with their charges (something a *real mom* would never do, God forbid), someone on DCUM will tattle on them. Their vacation must coincide with yours.

?????????????????????

[Anonymous]

Wow. I have a grad degree and just recently worked at a think tank, in an IT position, for $38K/yr.

That's life, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I have a grad degree and just recently worked at a think tank, in an IT position, for $38K/yr.

That's life, I guess.

Why did you do that? IT people make a lot more in this area.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, this makes me wonder if I am paying too much. We pay our nanny about 50K (50 hrs a week at $16/hr with $24/hr for the time over 40 hours), + 2/3 of health insurance) and I posted on here when we were hiring and people acted like I was paying too little. This is for 2 kids (4 month old and 2 yr old), but it's A LOT of money for us, and we scrimp on everything else because of it. She has 20 yrs experience, is legal, and drives, so it seemed fair to me based on what I was reading here (I was even patting myself on the shoulder for just paying$16/hr). I'd love people's thoughts on if I am "being taken for a ride" as a previous poster said, or if this is me "getting a deal," as people posted when I first hired her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I have a grad degree and just recently worked at a think tank, in an IT position, for $38K/yr.

That's life, I guess.

Are you just starting your career? Well, the nannies making 40k and above are usually experienced, and they didn't start making that much. When you have experience under your belt, you can get jobs that pay 150k, 200k+ as an IT in this area. A "top" nanny will make at the most 40k (without counting overtime).

So, it sounds about right to me.

Oh, btw - did you know that garbage collectors make an average of $75k/year? I don't think they need a grad degree to work as such, but again, that is top level wage and they won't make much more than that ever. You are just starting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, this makes me wonder if I am paying too much. We pay our nanny about 50K (50 hrs a week at $16/hr with $24/hr for the time over 40 hours), + 2/3 of health insurance) and I posted on here when we were hiring and people acted like I was paying too little. This is for 2 kids (4 month old and 2 yr old), but it's A LOT of money for us, and we scrimp on everything else because of it. She has 20 yrs experience, is legal, and drives, so it seemed fair to me based on what I was reading here (I was even patting myself on the shoulder for just paying$16/hr). I'd love people's thoughts on if I am "being taken for a ride" as a previous poster said, or if this is me "getting a deal," as people posted when I first hired her.

I think the OT for 10 hours is what makes your package a little high. Usually when people talk about hourly rate they mean average, even though legally the contract has to be written to include OT. You are actually paying more than $17/hr. For ex, I posted that we pay $16/hr for 47.5 hours, but the contract actually says $14.80/hr for the first 40 hrs plus time and a half for the rest. How much is 2/3 of health insurance? We make a $200/month contribution. For a great nanny you're not getting taken for a ride, but it's a nice package.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People here brag about how they make upwards of $250k. $40K is reasonable.

Let's test out this theory about what is reasonable. A couple making $250k is in the top tax bracket so the take home is probably $150k. Out of that they may have to contribute to their own health insurance which, for a family of four could run anywhere from 300-800 per month. Then, of course, they need to pay their mortgage, car expenses, food, etc. What about school tuition if this family sends even one child (say, an older sibling) to private school - that's about $3k per month. Is it possible that this family might want to contribute to their retirement accounts - that's more $ each month.

Do we still think this family is rich? Do we still think that this family can spend more than 1/4 of their take home pay on a nanny? I'm not saying that such a family is in a hardship situation(!), but, honestly, on this board some posters act as if $250k should enable a working family to afford all the bells and whistles (private school!, highly paid nanny!). The truth is far different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a nanny fantasyland going on all the time on DCUrban Mom.

Nannies make 40K a year but are expected to do no work.
Nannies are too delicate to pay their own taxes. You should pay them all for her or give her cash under the table.
If the kids nap for 4 hours and the nanny then she is entitled to 4 hours of napping and web surfing.
When the kids go to preschool, she gets still gets a 10% raise and gets away with claiming to organize spring/summer and fall/winter clothes in the closets for 15 hours a week. Her employer never notices that this takes maybe 1 hour twice a year.
Two weeks vacation and a few sick days is not enough. She gets unlimted sick leave. She gets every Friday off during the summer. She gets every holiday beyond the ones in her contract. If she sees a snowflake she gets a paid day off.
She gets an extra paid week off when she gives you her vacation dates, you book tickets to go somewhere and then she tells you the day before that she is not going.
She is entitled to do whatever she wants regardless of what you ask or she agreed to in advance. No offense is something she should ever be fired for with a nanny job.
She does the bare minimum but expects a huge bonus just for her existence.
When the child is an infant, the employer is expected to provide a car or reimburse for gas mileage so the nanny can take the baby on age inappropriate playdates while the nanny socializes with other nannies. When the child is old enough to pick their playdates, the nanny must be paid double to host a playdate since it is now actually a playdate and not a nanny social outing.
Since it is so hard to work 5 days a week or even 4 days a week, your nanny is entitled to run all her errands, shopping, and mall visits while she is watching your child.
If you have a second child you are expected to blow up her salary beyond her wildest dreams.
If the nanny has a baby you are expected to allow her to bring the child and just ignore that your child is getting less care. You are now in a nannyshare but because she is a nanny you get to pay her half of the care too.

A wee bit bitter, aren't we?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, this makes me wonder if I am paying too much. We pay our nanny about 50K (50 hrs a week at $16/hr with $24/hr for the time over 40 hours), + 2/3 of health insurance) and I posted on here when we were hiring and people acted like I was paying too little. This is for 2 kids (4 month old and 2 yr old), but it's A LOT of money for us, and we scrimp on everything else because of it. She has 20 yrs experience, is legal, and drives, so it seemed fair to me based on what I was reading here (I was even patting myself on the shoulder for just paying$16/hr). I'd love people's thoughts on if I am "being taken for a ride" as a previous poster said, or if this is me "getting a deal," as people posted when I first hired her.

You got a great deal and if I were you, I wouldn't rock the boat.

[Anonymous]

If you can't afford decent childcare, don't have children. Simple.

[Anonymous]

18:08-you need to pick the childcare coverage that works for your family and your budget. Some folks want to stint on their nanny's wages in order to live the high life. If you pay little, you may get little.

Signed, former MB

[Anonymous]

WARNING: NANNIES WILL NOT WANT YOU TO READ THIS POST. I tell you this because so many of us wish we knew then what we know now, as a fellow mom with literally no other help in the area.

Many of my friends and I have graduate degrees, happen to also have high IQ's (as if that matters) and have worked for $28k in this area. [We are fortunate to be in a position of other income so we can afford to stick with jobs we like, but I digress.] It is very likely around poverty level. But we don't try to "justify" or "sell" ourselves as outstanding this or outstanding that. The market is what it is. My (or nanny) telling you otherwise will not change the actual market.

I agree with OP that the market is slanted by a handful of wealthy people who are too lazy or whatever. Most of my friends can afford to pay what they want, and do so. I would NOT by any means say they are a representative sample of today's current market. It is not the same as just a few years ago, when nannies could job hop and moms could steal. It is very different now, just a few years later.

OP, go to the local college and pick up a college student for a fraction of the price. They won't be in your face about their qualifications (the college already screened them, so to speak), and all you need to do is ask them to supply you with a TB test (you can pay $25. for it at your own doctor; and a driving record for I believe around $10.).

Don't buy into ANY of the D.C. "I am so important, I impress the hell out of only myself" D.C. crap. *Go around it.* Especially with the few most expensive years you will need child care. Having seen many who have been taken and manipulated by nannies who have known the system better than the moms, I strongly urge this.

[Anonymous]

I know someone who is currently threatening divorce because her DH blew through savings on child care. I know, none of that makes sense. Save your money and find a good co-op or on premises child care a couple days a week. Most nannies want full time and benefits (at least they used to, before the recession)- which simply is NOT happening any more. Those days are over and I'm pretty sure the nannies, who are FAR more organized than moms, know this.

[Anonymous]

Nanny here. I work 40 hours in a share and make a little more than 40k a year, not including babysitting. Nannying is a hard career, especially with two( most days I don't get a break) and I wouldn't work for less than $20/hour.