"Affordable" is a code word for CHEAP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"A decent nanny should be certainly be making enough not to be receiving social services"

But this varies depending on the Nanny's family situation. It is one wage if she is single. Another if she has many kids. Another if she is married.

That is a good point. If she is single she should definitely be making a living wage and not be on welfare. If she is a single mother of many children, while I feel for her, it's not my job to pay her $100,000/year so she can support her multiple children (yes I'm exaggerating to make my point) if her skills don't support that wage. So I guess it depends on the circumstances.

[Anonymous]

There is nothing cheap about not paying over market. There are many important people in your children's lives. You don't offer your preschool 40% above the tuition because your children are important. You don't offer to pay your pediatrician , who is responsible for the health of your children, an extra 40% of their costs. When you buy your house, you don't offer the seller an extra 40% on top of market price because your family will grow up there.

The worst nannies are the ones who are manipulative and try to pull the "if you love your children, you'll pay me as much as you can afford". I guaranteed this is the type of nanny who is sitting on her ass, playing on her phone, and just taking your money.

Smarter nannies understand the markets in different areas which are driven by supply and demand, not an ignorant sense of self importance on the part of the employee. Smarter nannies work to compete for higher paying jobs but they also don't have the OP's attitude that its whatever their employer could afford. Smart nannies work hard at every job so they can build a solid work history and not bounce around every 1-2 years.

+1. While I would say it the same way the above poster does, this is, in essence the point. Nanny rates have nothing to do with what a nanny thinks a family can afford. They have to do with supply and demand in the area. The job of simple child care for one child is not worth $26/hr and paying that is wasting money. Smart people don't throw money away on anything.

That said, there are nannies who have some attributes considered more valuable by some families and get paid above, sometimes far above, market rates. Good for them. If they are truly unique, they have no problem staying employed at their desired rate and are not spending time whining on a message board about what their employers have or what they spend.

My boss thinks I am worth five times my salary. She tells me all the time. She treats me with respect and thanks me for my hard work. Unfortunately, she can't give me desired raises and bonuses (because they are rare in this economy) and can't pay me five times my salary because the company knows that spending that money is irresponsible when there are plenty of very good people who can do my job well for what I'm making. That is a fact and has nothing to do with me or little to do with the work I personally do. There is a market for every job and once I hit the market high for my job, then I either have to find another profession or search until I find someone willing to pay me more than market.

Yes, my boss makes more than me and has a nicer house. Why? Because her job and responsibilities have a higher market value than mine. The CEO has a much better house than both of us. His responsibilities are also greater. Being jealous of his house is silly, and whining that he should pay me more because he has a nicer house is silly is because he has a different job, worth a different rate, and has different responsibilities.

This is how markets work. Same with nannies, except that nannies are luckier because apparently, they are still getting perks and bonuses that most of us haven't had in years.

It's a real mystery why nannies here don't understand the basics of market economics.

[Anonymous]

^ pp you are being too reasonable. You will soon be kicked off this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nannies aren't always for the wealthy. For some if us the day care wait lists are insane and we settle for a nanny. I say settle because of the attitude many have in our supply and demand market. I think many here would prefer a good day care

Would you be willing to expend on your use of "settling"? I understand needing to use a nanny because daycare wait lists are so long, but isn't having someone come to your home every morning, handle the child's meals, dishes, laundry, and toys a good thing? Someone who can get kids together with the neighbors or meet DCs friends at the park when it's sunny vs being stuck inside or in a small yard because no one is hauling 12 daycare kids to the playground at 3pm? Having a nanny is not for everyone, for several reasons, but I'm having a hard time seeing how it is "settling."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nannies aren't always for the wealthy. For some if us the day care wait lists are insane and we settle for a nanny. I say settle because of the attitude many have in our supply and demand market. I think many here would prefer a good day care

Would you be willing to expend on your use of "settling"? I understand needing to use a nanny because daycare wait lists are so long, but isn't having someone come to your home every morning, handle the child's meals, dishes, laundry, and toys a good thing? Someone who can get kids together with the neighbors or meet DCs friends at the park when it's sunny vs being stuck inside or in a small yard because no one is hauling 12 daycare kids to the playground at 3pm? Having a nanny is not for everyone, for several reasons, but I'm having a hard time seeing how it is "settling."

She settles for a sitter, because she can't afford a nanny. It's that simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nannies aren't always for the wealthy. For some if us the day care wait lists are insane and we settle for a nanny. I say settle because of the attitude many have in our supply and demand market. I think many here would prefer a good day care

Would you be willing to expend on your use of "settling"? I understand needing to use a nanny because daycare wait lists are so long, but isn't having someone come to your home every morning, handle the child's meals, dishes, laundry, and toys a good thing? Someone who can get kids together with the neighbors or meet DCs friends at the park when it's sunny vs being stuck inside or in a small yard because no one is hauling 12 daycare kids to the playground at 3pm? Having a nanny is not for everyone, for several reasons, but I'm having a hard time seeing how it is "settling."

She settles for a sitter, because she can't afford a nanny. It's that simple.

You again? Don't you get tired of making this lame comment on every possible thread?
The truth is, anyone can be a nanny. This is a completely unregulated industry that requires no formal training, certification, or registration. Nanny and sitter mean exactly the same thing at this point. You just seem to have some odd need to bolster your own ego and think you are superior to someone who has a realistic picture of what this job really entails and deigns to take a job for less than $30/hr.

[Anonymous]

Affordable to me equals cheap, I agree.

If a family lives in a beautiful home, drives an expensive car and basically enjoys all the perks that most of us mere mortals can only DREAM of, yet pay their nannies peanuts, I think it reflects more on how they feel about their children in general and what type of parents they are.

I feel sorry for their children whose parents undervalue them so much that they would even leave them in the care of someone and underpay them like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Affordable to me equals cheap, I agree.

If a family lives in a beautiful home, drives an expensive car and basically enjoys all the perks that most of us mere mortals can only DREAM of, yet pay their nannies peanuts, I think it reflects more on how they feel about their children in general and what type of parents they are.

I feel sorry for their children whose parents undervalue them so much that they would even leave them in the care of someone and underpay them like that.

Excellent post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nannies aren't always for the wealthy. For some if us the day care wait lists are insane and we settle for a nanny. I say settle because of the attitude many have in our supply and demand market. I think many here would prefer a good day care

Would you be willing to expend on your use of "settling"? I understand needing to use a nanny because daycare wait lists are so long, but isn't having someone come to your home every morning, handle the child's meals, dishes, laundry, and toys a good thing? Someone who can get kids together with the neighbors or meet DCs friends at the park when it's sunny vs being stuck inside or in a small yard because no one is hauling 12 daycare kids to the playground at 3pm? Having a nanny is not for everyone, for several reasons, but I'm having a hard time seeing how it is "settling."

She settles for a sitter, because she can't afford a nanny. It's that simple.

You again? Don't you get tired of making this lame comment on every possible thread?
The truth is, anyone can be a nanny. This is a completely unregulated industry that requires no formal training, certification, or registration. Nanny and sitter mean exactly the same thing at this point. You just seem to have some odd need to bolster your own ego and think you are superior to someone who has a realistic picture of what this job really entails and deigns to take a job for less than $30/hr.

Sad to say, I suspect Marina Krim also believed "anyone can be a nanny". I bet she doesn't believe that anymore.
Your calling anyone a nanny, doesn't make it so.

[Anonymous]

You don't know what the Altima paid their nanny. Additionally, as has been stated many times, nannying is unregulated. And while day care is not perfect for many, there are at least some regulations and multiple eyes. Nannies can do anything when you aren't home, nanny can or not. That should frighten anyone in an area with very few childcare options.

There should be a state clearing house for all childcare workers. But even that wouldn't have protected the krim children. Like the mass shootings that plague our culture, no one takes mental illness seriously until it's too late. I believe in extensive background checks for weapons and child/senior care providers. For childcare providers that includes licensing. It'll never happen because that costs money but it should be. We just don't value children's safety here. We value $$

[Anonymous]

'Altima'? wtf autocorrect. The Krims!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't know what the Altima paid their nanny. Additionally, as has been stated many times, nannying is unregulated. And while day care is not perfect for many, there are at least some regulations and multiple eyes. Nannies can do anything when you aren't home, nanny can or not. That should frighten anyone in an area with very few childcare options.

There should be a state clearing house for all childcare workers. But even that wouldn't have protected the krim children. Like the mass shootings that plague our culture, no one takes mental illness seriously until it's too late. I believe in extensive background checks for weapons and child/senior care providers. For childcare providers that includes licensing. It'll never happen because that costs money but it should be. We just don't value children's safety here. We value $$

Daycare workers can do anything. I've heard dozens of stories of children being hurt or abused in state regulated day care centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don't know what the Altima paid their nanny. Additionally, as has been stated many times, nannying is unregulated. And while day care is not perfect for many, there are at least some regulations and multiple eyes. Nannies can do anything when you aren't home, nanny can or not. That should frighten anyone in an area with very few childcare options.

There should be a state clearing house for all childcare workers. But even that wouldn't have protected the krim children. Like the mass shootings that plague our culture, no one takes mental illness seriously until it's too late. I believe in extensive background checks for weapons and child/senior care providers. For childcare providers that includes licensing. It'll never happen because that costs money but it should be. We just don't value children's safety here. We value $$

Daycare workers can do anything. I've heard dozens of stories of children being hurt or abused in state regulated day care centers.

Exactly. Professional nannies aren't known for "forgetting" a child at the playground. This happened last year at one of our "best" daycares on Conn. Ave. in NW, DC.

[Anonymous]

Daycare or nanny-you never can know for certain that your child will be safe. One isn't better than the other. They just serve different needs.
Check reviews, references, backgrounds, etc.
Time is the only way to be sure your child will be safe.

[Anonymous]

If you have safety concerns for a very young child, it always best to hire someone one already know AND trust.