Is this childcare situation strange or too good to be true?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$550 a week or a month? You posted both.

I'd check references really carefully. But I would do that anyway. It could be great, but I would worry a little that she's doing this because she thinks it's fun, or because she's focused on the benefit to her own child, and that she might quit abruptly if she realizes it isn't that fun to have 2, or that she might prioritize her daughter over your child.

I imagine its a month because $18/hr for someone to watch your kid and theirs doesn't sound so low that people would be telling OP its too good to be true

No, a week. Which believe it or not is several hundred dollars cheaper than most decent daycares locally (that don’t have openings anyways).

We didn’t speak to a single nanny offering less than $20-25 an hour and I know many see the perks of having the child in your home but it has not worked for me. I have friends with nannies paying four figured a week easily.

But this isn't a nanny. She is a SAHM home with her own kid and you are bringing your kid over just three days per week. I would not pay much more than what she is offering.

It’s still the cheapest option we’ve received.

There was a home daycare that was $500 a week but it was really not great. Lots of old broken plastic toys and snot nosed kids.

This house looks like a PB Kids catalogue

So, she has a spending habit she needs to maintain. If she were on the up and up she'd get a license. A nice home doesn't mean good care.

You have a lucky find OP. You mentioned she only had 1 daughter? Many people with serious $$ can't have more than 1 kid...including women who love children. So this is her way of fulfilling that.

That’s what DH thinks.

We’ve finished our second full week and it’s truly been great. DD is so happy and I’m getting so much done.

[Anonymous]

OP pay her the minimum wage. Be a truthful American
Don't treat them like trash

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hierarchy of Childcare Options by Pay:

- Nanny
- High End Daycare Center
- Nanny Share
- Daycare Center
- Home Daycare
- Grandma & Grandpa

It’s hard to place where OPs childcare situation. I’d say between Nanny Share & High End Daycare.

OP's person is part time and unlicensed, so I would put it much, much lower.

[Anonymous]

Red. Flag.

[Anonymous]

Keep dithering and she'll find someone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was seeking flexible part-time childcare for my 18-month-old and we looked into daycares, home care centers and nannies. We live in an area with a big shortage of childcare for infants and toddlers which is one of the major reasons I stopped working for a year and a half. Was offered a very flexible work from home position that I accepted.


Are you kidding? Sign me up!! She's charging you so little because it is work. She doesn't need to charge you more! It's like a gift from god for you as do you know you how $$$ childcare is? I have 2 kids who are 11 and 13 now but I had a nanny share and after that 2 Nannie's (1 more for just weekends as needed). So I know what I'm talking about.

She wants to have a friend for her kid which is very common. I did a nanny share partly for this reason. So it's not weird. You're lucky. You found a good person who likes you and your kid and vice versa. She isn't a nanny but is a mom who is willing to work with your kid for the sake of her own. She is well off and this isn't her primary job so she doesn't need to charge you full fare but also cause she's just a mom. It becomes a question of how good a mom she is and if you trust her judgement. If so why are you stressing? Does charging more when she doesn't need to make you feel better??
I ideally really wanted DD out of the house as I’ve found it really hard to work if she’s home. But we were open to nannies.

I ran across a post on Facebook from a Mom with a similarity ages toddler looking to provide childcare in her home three days a week (TWTh). She posted pictures of their backyard, playroom and nursery and it looked like a Montessori school. Tons of age appropriate toys, mostly wooden or open ended. Giant backyard with little play set. It looked great.

Contacted Mom and met at her home. I was not expecting such a nice home in one of the fanciest neighborhoods in our town. The kids got along really well. I really liked the mom. She’s an older Mom (early 40s) and said her daughter would be their only and she really wanted her to have someone to socialize with but wasn’t ready for daycare or preschool. She also she missed nannying but wasn’t interested in working in other peoples homes anymore, especially with her own.

She made it clear she was not a home daycare and was not registered nor was she planning on becoming a home daycare. She said she’s looking for one child who is the same age as her DD to care for longer term. I checked and in our state it’s legal to care for one other families children in your home without needing to be registered as a home daycare.

She is only offering care three days a week but can offer longer days. I can get what I need to get done in three days so it really works out perfectly.

Here is where I feel like it’s too good to be true. She’s charging $550 a week for about 30 hours. Far cheaper that what I’ve found, aside from some really sketchy home daycares. This includes breakfast, lunch and snack. (She is basically one of those toddler chefs you see on Instagram, she showed me pictures of what she prepares for her DD and it’s way healthier then what I’d pack for her).

She gave me her resume, information about homeowners insurance and her references. I called a few previous families and they all had nothing but positive things to say about her. She’s CPR certified and all that good stuff.

I also ended up letting my curiosity get the best of me and was able to find out what her husband did for work. She said he worked outside the home and also travelers frequently as a software engineer. Well, he’s a very successful app developer and definitely has an income much much higher than either DH or I.

I took everything the mom said at value as to why she’s wanting to watch another child. But DH finds it a bit weird, he doesn’t think their family “needs” the $550 a month. But when I wasn’t working I really had a hard time not having my own income, so I can relate.

A few mom friends also think it’s too good to be true. But so far it’s our very best option and I have no reservations about seeing if it works out.

Would you try this? Does it raise any red flags?

(And no, we are not DC local so not worried she’s lurking the threads).

TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP pay her the minimum wage. Be a truthful American
Don't treat them like trash

$550 for 30 hours is 18.33/hour which would meet minimum wage almost everywhere (unless she lives in West Hollywood or Seattle).

[Anonymous]

Probably fine. I once hired a nanny who brought her sane age kid with her and my longtime housekeeper took pictures and videos showing me how she was neglecting my child throughout the day and completely wrapped up in her own. It’s human nature for a mother to prioritize her own child.