Nanny here. Something that a lot of parents don’t get is that, as a career nanny, I am better at this than you.

I have juggled 5 kids under 9, 3 under 2 (twins and a newborn), multiple sets of twins and one family of three kids. On top of that, I have always been a “family assistant” type of nanny. When I worked with toddler twins and a newborn, I was making all the kids’ food, and family dinner twice a week and handling 90% of the laundry for the whole family and going to the grocery store about twice a month with all the kids, etc. With my current 3yo twin charges, I manage everything about the kids’ wardrobes (shopping, laundering, and putting away), all their summer camp enrollments, all their extracurricular enrollments, all the food they eat, all the shopping and most of the errands for the family, any repairs or contractors needed for the house, I even pack lunch for MB. And I did most of this since the kids were newborns!

I have a lot of advantages over a typical SAHM. I have a TON of experience with newborns and I know how to manage sleep, feeding and soothing even a difficult baby. I could babywear in my sleep. And I have handled the transition of adding a baby to a household many times over. When I knew I was pregnant, I began adjusting my charges routine months in advance so that there were two built-in times when I could easily feed or soothe a newborn.

I started bringing my baby with me at 6 weeks. Prior to that, My DH negotiated a flex schedule and went in to work late, so I did the morning routine with my charges and dropped them at full-day camp, then their grandparents picked them up and a backup nanny did the afternoon. By 4 weeks, I was doing am and pm (my mother watched the baby while I worked afternoons). Then at 6 weeks, I had established breastfeeding and a decent nap routine, in spite of the fact that my baby had reflux.

Our routine was that my baby nursed and cuddled in a carrier during most of the morning routine with the twins, napped in the car en route to our morning outing, nursed in the carrier while the twins ran around at our outing and I easily followed them around. Then at home the twins would have some independent play while listening to audiobooks while I got the baby settled for a nap, then lunch for the twins, they would have nap/quiet time and the baby would have some floor time, then the twins would do an art or sensory or science project while I fed the baby and prepped dinner. The baby napped in a swing during dinner then I would give all three a bath and get into PJs. The parents took over and I went home to put my baby to bed.

I charge on the lower end of my range but as someone else posted, 80% of a nanny who is a skilled caregiver and an energetic multitasker is better than 100% of a blah nanny who is mostly just keeping everyone alive.

PP here. I get paid the same as when I don't have with me. My level of attention and care doesn't change. It just means I have less times to pee when i need to.

I'm a nanny that first brought my daughter when she was born and now bring my son as well, my daughter is also going to school soon.
Your description of a nanny with a baby is wrong. I don't park kids in front of the tv unless they're my own. Especially not if a parent specifies no tv time. I definitely do run around and play. We go outside as much as possible. When you have multiples, you adapt and kids adapt. Baby just goes where you go. Yes, I'm tired lol. But life goes on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you’re incapable of caring for your children on weekends after you have a baby? Are you a danger to your older children at bath time due to your exhaustion?

Surgeons and doctors, school bus drivers, preschool and daycare teachers, shouldn’t go back to work after maternity leave because they’ll be too exhausted?

What is fair for nannies is to be treated like any other profession and for women to be treated the same as men. Your basic premise is wrong and your question (fake concern) is insulting to women.

True. But none of those people bring their baby to work with them the way a nanny would. Surgeons aren’t trying to operate while holding an infant in one arm. Teachers aren’t walking around with their babies as they teach class.

That’s the difference.

A nanny can’t pay someone else to watch her baby because then her salary would be a wash and there would be no point to working.

This says more about you and what you pay a nanny. You probably pay low and that’s why you think nannies can’t afford childcare.

As a nanny, I currently make around $60k (fluctuates higher when you add bonuses and I can make more when I do a nanny share). My husband makes more than me as a Fed. We could absolutely afford childcare if we had a child. However, I would quit working and stay home, not bc we couldn’t afford childcare but bc I love the infant stage. I would want to experience the first year of my child’s life full time.

So, since you believe nannies should make $60,000/year, that's what you'd pay YOUR nanny too, right? Anything else would be "low." So you'd earn your $60,000, and turn around and pay the exact same to YOUR nanny? After all the taxes you'd end up losing money.

Couple of things...I said, “I make $60k.” Never said what I believe nannies should make. So take your faux argument elsewhere.

Secondly, I wouldn’t hire a nanny. You see how easy that is? At $60k I cannot afford to hire a nanny, nor do I think I’m entitled to a nanny. That’s the difference between me and you. You want to pay your nanny low bc you don’t want to admit you cannot afford a nanny. Especially since you think you are entitled to a nanny. If you paid your nanny decently, then you would realize they could afford childcare.

Ummmm nannies aren’t slaves. It’s 100% voluntary for them and they can quit at any moment. It’s up to them to decide whether to accept or decline a job. This has nothing to do with the employer’s sense of “entitlement”. Your reply is very strange.

You really need to step outside of your bubble.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/cw33.com/2016/02/09/nanny-nightmare-couple-allegedly-kept-woman-as-slave-for-2-years/amp/

Oh I’m sorry, we’re talking about expatriate nannies in the gulf now? I was talking about nannies in the US.

This nanny was in Texas. Many nannies in this area seem to be Hispanic, some with little to no English. Lots get paid under the table. So again, step outside your bubble.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you’re incapable of caring for your children on weekends after you have a baby? Are you a danger to your older children at bath time due to your exhaustion?

Surgeons and doctors, school bus drivers, preschool and daycare teachers, shouldn’t go back to work after maternity leave because they’ll be too exhausted?

What is fair for nannies is to be treated like any other profession and for women to be treated the same as men. Your basic premise is wrong and your question (fake concern) is insulting to women.

True. But none of those people bring their baby to work with them the way a nanny would. Surgeons aren’t trying to operate while holding an infant in one arm. Teachers aren’t walking around with their babies as they teach class.

That’s the difference.

A nanny can’t pay someone else to watch her baby because then her salary would be a wash and there would be no point to working.

This says more about you and what you pay a nanny. You probably pay low and that’s why you think nannies can’t afford childcare.

As a nanny, I currently make around $60k (fluctuates higher when you add bonuses and I can make more when I do a nanny share). My husband makes more than me as a Fed. We could absolutely afford childcare if we had a child. However, I would quit working and stay home, not bc we couldn’t afford childcare but bc I love the infant stage. I would want to experience the first year of my child’s life full time.

So, since you believe nannies should make $60,000/year, that's what you'd pay YOUR nanny too, right? Anything else would be "low." So you'd earn your $60,000, and turn around and pay the exact same to YOUR nanny? After all the taxes you'd end up losing money.

Couple of things...I said, “I make $60k.” Never said what I believe nannies should make. So take your faux argument elsewhere.

Secondly, I wouldn’t hire a nanny. You see how easy that is? At $60k I cannot afford to hire a nanny, nor do I think I’m entitled to a nanny. That’s the difference between me and you. You want to pay your nanny low bc you don’t want to admit you cannot afford a nanny. Especially since you think you are entitled to a nanny. If you paid your nanny decently, then you would realize they could afford childcare.

Ummmm nannies aren’t slaves. It’s 100% voluntary for them and they can quit at any moment. It’s up to them to decide whether to accept or decline a job. This has nothing to do with the employer’s sense of “entitlement”. Your reply is very strange.

You really need to step outside of your bubble.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/cw33.com/2016/02/09/nanny-nightmare-couple-allegedly-kept-woman-as-slave-for-2-years/amp/

Oh I’m sorry, we’re talking about expatriate nannies in the gulf now? I was talking about nannies in the US.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you’re incapable of caring for your children on weekends after you have a baby? Are you a danger to your older children at bath time due to your exhaustion?

Surgeons and doctors, school bus drivers, preschool and daycare teachers, shouldn’t go back to work after maternity leave because they’ll be too exhausted?

What is fair for nannies is to be treated like any other profession and for women to be treated the same as men. Your basic premise is wrong and your question (fake concern) is insulting to women.

True. But none of those people bring their baby to work with them the way a nanny would. Surgeons aren’t trying to operate while holding an infant in one arm. Teachers aren’t walking around with their babies as they teach class.

That’s the difference.

A nanny can’t pay someone else to watch her baby because then her salary would be a wash and there would be no point to working.

This says more about you and what you pay a nanny. You probably pay low and that’s why you think nannies can’t afford childcare.

As a nanny, I currently make around $60k (fluctuates higher when you add bonuses and I can make more when I do a nanny share). My husband makes more than me as a Fed. We could absolutely afford childcare if we had a child. However, I would quit working and stay home, not bc we couldn’t afford childcare but bc I love the infant stage. I would want to experience the first year of my child’s life full time.

So, since you believe nannies should make $60,000/year, that's what you'd pay YOUR nanny too, right? Anything else would be "low." So you'd earn your $60,000, and turn around and pay the exact same to YOUR nanny? After all the taxes you'd end up losing money.

Couple of things...I said, “I make $60k.” Never said what I believe nannies should make. So take your faux argument elsewhere.

Secondly, I wouldn’t hire a nanny. You see how easy that is? At $60k I cannot afford to hire a nanny, nor do I think I’m entitled to a nanny. That’s the difference between me and you. You want to pay your nanny low bc you don’t want to admit you cannot afford a nanny. Especially since you think you are entitled to a nanny. If you paid your nanny decently, then you would realize they could afford childcare.

Ummmm nannies aren’t slaves. It’s 100% voluntary for them and they can quit at any moment. It’s up to them to decide whether to accept or decline a job. This has nothing to do with the employer’s sense of “entitlement”. Your reply is very strange.

You really need to step outside of your bubble.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/cw33.com/2016/02/09/nanny-nightmare-couple-allegedly-kept-woman-as-slave-for-2-years/amp/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you’re incapable of caring for your children on weekends after you have a baby? Are you a danger to your older children at bath time due to your exhaustion?

Surgeons and doctors, school bus drivers, preschool and daycare teachers, shouldn’t go back to work after maternity leave because they’ll be too exhausted?

What is fair for nannies is to be treated like any other profession and for women to be treated the same as men. Your basic premise is wrong and your question (fake concern) is insulting to women.

True. But none of those people bring their baby to work with them the way a nanny would. Surgeons aren’t trying to operate while holding an infant in one arm. Teachers aren’t walking around with their babies as they teach class.

That’s the difference.

A nanny can’t pay someone else to watch her baby because then her salary would be a wash and there would be no point to working.

This says more about you and what you pay a nanny. You probably pay low and that’s why you think nannies can’t afford childcare.

As a nanny, I currently make around $60k (fluctuates higher when you add bonuses and I can make more when I do a nanny share). My husband makes more than me as a Fed. We could absolutely afford childcare if we had a child. However, I would quit working and stay home, not bc we couldn’t afford childcare but bc I love the infant stage. I would want to experience the first year of my child’s life full time.

So, since you believe nannies should make $60,000/year, that's what you'd pay YOUR nanny too, right? Anything else would be "low." So you'd earn your $60,000, and turn around and pay the exact same to YOUR nanny? After all the taxes you'd end up losing money.

Couple of things...I said, “I make $60k.” Never said what I believe nannies should make. So take your faux argument elsewhere.

Secondly, I wouldn’t hire a nanny. You see how easy that is? At $60k I cannot afford to hire a nanny, nor do I think I’m entitled to a nanny. That’s the difference between me and you. You want to pay your nanny low bc you don’t want to admit you cannot afford a nanny. Especially since you think you are entitled to a nanny. If you paid your nanny decently, then you would realize they could afford childcare.

Ummmm nannies aren’t slaves. It’s 100% voluntary for them and they can quit at any moment. It’s up to them to decide whether to accept or decline a job. This has nothing to do with the employer’s sense of “entitlement”. Your reply is very strange.

Ummm where did anyone say nannies are slaves? How wonderful your world must be that people don’t take advantage of others and that everyone can quit their job when they are treated unfairly or paid low. Your reply reeks of entitlement and ignorance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you’re incapable of caring for your children on weekends after you have a baby? Are you a danger to your older children at bath time due to your exhaustion?

Surgeons and doctors, school bus drivers, preschool and daycare teachers, shouldn’t go back to work after maternity leave because they’ll be too exhausted?

What is fair for nannies is to be treated like any other profession and for women to be treated the same as men. Your basic premise is wrong and your question (fake concern) is insulting to women.

True. But none of those people bring their baby to work with them the way a nanny would. Surgeons aren’t trying to operate while holding an infant in one arm. Teachers aren’t walking around with their babies as they teach class.

That’s the difference.

A nanny can’t pay someone else to watch her baby because then her salary would be a wash and there would be no point to working.

This says more about you and what you pay a nanny. You probably pay low and that’s why you think nannies can’t afford childcare.

As a nanny, I currently make around $60k (fluctuates higher when you add bonuses and I can make more when I do a nanny share). My husband makes more than me as a Fed. We could absolutely afford childcare if we had a child. However, I would quit working and stay home, not bc we couldn’t afford childcare but bc I love the infant stage. I would want to experience the first year of my child’s life full time.

So, since you believe nannies should make $60,000/year, that's what you'd pay YOUR nanny too, right? Anything else would be "low." So you'd earn your $60,000, and turn around and pay the exact same to YOUR nanny? After all the taxes you'd end up losing money.

Couple of things...I said, “I make $60k.” Never said what I believe nannies should make. So take your faux argument elsewhere.

Secondly, I wouldn’t hire a nanny. You see how easy that is? At $60k I cannot afford to hire a nanny, nor do I think I’m entitled to a nanny. That’s the difference between me and you. You want to pay your nanny low bc you don’t want to admit you cannot afford a nanny. Especially since you think you are entitled to a nanny. If you paid your nanny decently, then you would realize they could afford childcare.

Ummmm nannies aren’t slaves. It’s 100% voluntary for them and they can quit at any moment. It’s up to them to decide whether to accept or decline a job. This has nothing to do with the employer’s sense of “entitlement”. Your reply is very strange.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you’re incapable of caring for your children on weekends after you have a baby? Are you a danger to your older children at bath time due to your exhaustion?

Surgeons and doctors, school bus drivers, preschool and daycare teachers, shouldn’t go back to work after maternity leave because they’ll be too exhausted?

What is fair for nannies is to be treated like any other profession and for women to be treated the same as men. Your basic premise is wrong and your question (fake concern) is insulting to women.

True. But none of those people bring their baby to work with them the way a nanny would. Surgeons aren’t trying to operate while holding an infant in one arm. Teachers aren’t walking around with their babies as they teach class.

That’s the difference.

A nanny can’t pay someone else to watch her baby because then her salary would be a wash and there would be no point to working.

This says more about you and what you pay a nanny. You probably pay low and that’s why you think nannies can’t afford childcare.

As a nanny, I currently make around $60k (fluctuates higher when you add bonuses and I can make more when I do a nanny share). My husband makes more than me as a Fed. We could absolutely afford childcare if we had a child. However, I would quit working and stay home, not bc we couldn’t afford childcare but bc I love the infant stage. I would want to experience the first year of my child’s life full time.

So, since you believe nannies should make $60,000/year, that's what you'd pay YOUR nanny too, right? Anything else would be "low." So you'd earn your $60,000, and turn around and pay the exact same to YOUR nanny? After all the taxes you'd end up losing money.

Couple of things...I said, “I make $60k.” Never said what I believe nannies should make. So take your faux argument elsewhere.

Secondly, I wouldn’t hire a nanny. You see how easy that is? At $60k I cannot afford to hire a nanny, nor do I think I’m entitled to a nanny. That’s the difference between me and you. You want to pay your nanny low bc you don’t want to admit you cannot afford a nanny. Especially since you think you are entitled to a nanny. If you paid your nanny decently, then you would realize they could afford childcare.

If you have an excellent, caring nanny that your child enjoys spending time with, I wouldn't let that go easily. Even if she's only operating at 80% of her usual, that's still better than 90% of what's out there, especially when there's a preexisting affectionate relationship. You can always address any problems as they arise.

Anonymous wrote:As an employer I’m just really not into it if the nanny wants to bring her kid too. I feel like we’re paying a massive premium for our kids to be the priority, and adding another baby into the mix really dilutes the value. Maybe it could be OK if we paid less but I would feel so heartless to ever bring that up to the nanny.

I have had a nanny sometimes bring her older elementary kids to work while watching my much younger kids. That was mostly ok and even sometimes fun, but it still brought complications.

Our new nanny never brings her kids to work and I’m sort of loving that.

What do you pay your nanny a year? I’m not trying to be snarky I’m just being nosy. Wondering what the differences between daycare and nanny pay.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you’re incapable of caring for your children on weekends after you have a baby? Are you a danger to your older children at bath time due to your exhaustion?

Surgeons and doctors, school bus drivers, preschool and daycare teachers, shouldn’t go back to work after maternity leave because they’ll be too exhausted?

What is fair for nannies is to be treated like any other profession and for women to be treated the same as men. Your basic premise is wrong and your question (fake concern) is insulting to women.

True. But none of those people bring their baby to work with them the way a nanny would. Surgeons aren’t trying to operate while holding an infant in one arm. Teachers aren’t walking around with their babies as they teach class.

That’s the difference.

A nanny can’t pay someone else to watch her baby because then her salary would be a wash and there would be no point to working.

This says more about you and what you pay a nanny. You probably pay low and that’s why you think nannies can’t afford childcare.

As a nanny, I currently make around $60k (fluctuates higher when you add bonuses and I can make more when I do a nanny share). My husband makes more than me as a Fed. We could absolutely afford childcare if we had a child. However, I would quit working and stay home, not bc we couldn’t afford childcare but bc I love the infant stage. I would want to experience the first year of my child’s life full time.

So, since you believe nannies should make $60,000/year, that's what you'd pay YOUR nanny too, right? Anything else would be "low." So you'd earn your $60,000, and turn around and pay the exact same to YOUR nanny? After all the taxes you'd end up losing money.

I'd probably let my nanny bring her baby to work with her. It's the definition of a bring-your-baby to work job! I'd expect that the first few months she wouldn't be on her a-game, but that's true for all new moms, so I wouldn't hold it against her. The driving thing is the only one that gives me pause, but I never had my nannies drive my kids around anyway (we live in an urban neighborhood).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you’re incapable of caring for your children on weekends after you have a baby? Are you a danger to your older children at bath time due to your exhaustion?

Surgeons and doctors, school bus drivers, preschool and daycare teachers, shouldn’t go back to work after maternity leave because they’ll be too exhausted?

What is fair for nannies is to be treated like any other profession and for women to be treated the same as men. Your basic premise is wrong and your question (fake concern) is insulting to women.

True. But none of those people bring their baby to work with them the way a nanny would. Surgeons aren’t trying to operate while holding an infant in one arm. Teachers aren’t walking around with their babies as they teach class.

That’s the difference.

A nanny can’t pay someone else to watch her baby because then her salary would be a wash and there would be no point to working.

This says more about you and what you pay a nanny. You probably pay low and that’s why you think nannies can’t afford childcare.

As a nanny, I currently make around $60k (fluctuates higher when you add bonuses and I can make more when I do a nanny share). My husband makes more than me as a Fed. We could absolutely afford childcare if we had a child. However, I would quit working and stay home, not bc we couldn’t afford childcare but bc I love the infant stage. I would want to experience the first year of my child’s life full time.

As an employer I’m just really not into it if the nanny wants to bring her kid too. I feel like we’re paying a massive premium for our kids to be the priority, and adding another baby into the mix really dilutes the value. Maybe it could be OK if we paid less but I would feel so heartless to ever bring that up to the nanny.

I have had a nanny sometimes bring her older elementary kids to work while watching my much younger kids. That was mostly ok and even sometimes fun, but it still brought complications.

Our new nanny never brings her kids to work and I’m sort of loving that.