Taking care of an infant and older child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nanny shares go for $18-20 per hour for two kids... so it seems right to me. And for the OP, if the weather permits, try to do things outside park/playground where you can have the baby in the stroller while the toddler runs around. Fresh air will do them both good.

You should know that some nannies earn $25/hr for one child.

Yes they do, but $20 for 2 children is fair, it also leaves room for raises in the future. It is also not likely that nanny will get a$7.50 raise and no longer be required to do housekeeping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nanny shares go for $18-20 per hour for two kids... so it seems right to me. And for the OP, if the weather permits, try to do things outside park/playground where you can have the baby in the stroller while the toddler runs around. Fresh air will do them both good.

You should know that some nannies earn $25/hr for one child.

Yes they do, but $20 for 2 children is fair, it also leaves room for raises in the future. It is also not likely that nanny will get a$7.50 raise and no longer be required to do housekeeping.

The most wealthy families employ FT housekeepers. They want real professionals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nanny shares go for $18-20 per hour for two kids... so it seems right to me. And for the OP, if the weather permits, try to do things outside park/playground where you can have the baby in the stroller while the toddler runs around. Fresh air will do them both good.

You should know that some nannies earn $25/hr for one child.

Yes they do, but $20 for 2 children is fair, it also leaves room for raises in the future. It is also not likely that nanny will get a$7.50 raise and no longer be required to do housekeeping.

The most wealthy families employ FT housekeepers. They want real professionals.

Ok so you are that troll. I will ignore you now. Maybe you should just start a thread on why every nanny should make $25 plus and never do things like baby laundry.. Cheers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nanny shares go for $18-20 per hour for two kids... so it seems right to me. And for the OP, if the weather permits, try to do things outside park/playground where you can have the baby in the stroller while the toddler runs around. Fresh air will do them both good.

You should know that some nannies earn $25/hr for one child.

Yes they do, but $20 for 2 children is fair, it also leaves room for raises in the future. It is also not likely that nanny will get a$7.50 raise and no longer be required to do housekeeping.

The most wealthy families employ FT housekeepers. They want real professionals.

Ok so you are that troll. I will ignore you now. Maybe you should just start a thread on why every nanny should make $25 plus and never do things like baby laundry.. Cheers!

Every nanny doesn't deserve to get paid that much, nor can every nanny employer afford that. But as in any other field, there're fewer at the top.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't ask them for $25. Seems like too much and I don't want to risk losing a job with a great family. I do a little laundry for the family during the day as time permits but I told them I would do this at the beginning. Even when baby two comes I will continue to do everything as relates to the kids -- baby laundry, cleaning high chair, baby dishes, toys, etc. Not sure if I'll have time for much else and they said they wouldn't expect me to do more than care for the kids when the infant arrives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't ask them for $25. Seems like too much and I don't want to risk losing a job with a great family. I do a little laundry for the family during the day as time permits but I told them I would do this at the beginning. Even when baby two comes I will continue to do everything as relates to the kids -- baby laundry, cleaning high chair, baby dishes, toys, etc. Not sure if I'll have time for much else and they said they wouldn't expect me to do more than care for the kids when the infant arrives.

What your doing sounds totally reasonable and exactly what a nanny should be doing in my opinion. House cleaning, cooking for parents, parent laundry, pet sitting, and running errands for mom and dad isn't really what a nanny should be what nannies do.

For what you do , the child you care for now, and the baby on the way $20 is perfect!

[Anonymous]

I nanny right now for 2 1/2 yo twins and their 4 mo sister.

Typical day with all three:
Fix breakfast (I make things and freeze in advance so I can just pull out something), get activities ready for later
Baby gets up, she gets diapered and dressed.
Twins get up, baby sits on boppy pillow on the floor while I get them diapered and dressed and brush hair and teeth.
Go downstairs. Twins eat breakfast while baby plays in a bouncy chair (if she's happy) or sling (if she's fussy). And I get lunch ready for later and unload dishwasher and wash pump parts. At some point baby drinks a bottle.

After breakfast we have about 3 hours to kill until it's lunchtime. I know the twins will need some active time, some focused project time and some unstructured down time. How much time we spend in each categories varies.

Active time might be:
Dancing at music class
Setting up and obstacle course in the basement
Various dancing activities (like. Pretending to be snowflakes or trains to match certain songs)
Taking a walk or
Playing in the yard (if weather is decent)

Focuses project time might be:
Doing 5 pages from a kumon workbook
Art project
Sensory bins
Cooking together
Doing puzzles
Playing matching games


I tend to start with some unstructured time, then do the project for the day once baby goes down for her morning nap, then do something active later.

Baby usually takes another nap around lunchtime.
Twins eat and go down for nap, baby eats and sleeps a bit somewhere around the same time.

Depending on baby's naps, the order varies, but during twins' naptime I get afternoon snack ready, get another little project ready to go for twins, make sure baby gets tummy time and one-on-one, eat lunch, and feed baby and put her down for another nap (she usually goes down right as they wake up).
Twins get up and get diapered
They have milk and snack
We do the afternoon project
We do unstructured play until MB or DB get home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I nanny right now for 2 1/2 yo twins and their 4 mo sister.

Typical day with all three:
Fix breakfast (I make things and freeze in advance so I can just pull out something), get activities ready for later
Baby gets up, she gets diapered and dressed.
Twins get up, baby sits on boppy pillow on the floor while I get them diapered and dressed and brush hair and teeth.
Go downstairs. Twins eat breakfast while baby plays in a bouncy chair (if she's happy) or sling (if she's fussy). And I get lunch ready for later and unload dishwasher and wash pump parts. At some point baby drinks a bottle.

After breakfast we have about 3 hours to kill until it's lunchtime. I know the twins will need some active time, some focused project time and some unstructured down time. How much time we spend in each categories varies.

Active time might be:
Dancing at music class
Setting up and obstacle course in the basement
Various dancing activities (like. Pretending to be snowflakes or trains to match certain songs)
Taking a walk or
Playing in the yard (if weather is decent)

Focuses project time might be:
Doing 5 pages from a kumon workbook
Art project
Sensory bins
Cooking together
Doing puzzles
Playing matching games


I tend to start with some unstructured time, then do the project for the day once baby goes down for her morning nap, then do something active later.

Baby usually takes another nap around lunchtime.
Twins eat and go down for nap, baby eats and sleeps a bit somewhere around the same time.

Depending on baby's naps, the order varies, but during twins' naptime I get afternoon snack ready, get another little project ready to go for twins, make sure baby gets tummy time and one-on-one, eat lunch, and feed baby and put her down for another nap (she usually goes down right as they wake up).
Twins get up and get diapered
They have milk and snack
We do the afternoon project
We do unstructured play until MB or DB get home.

How long have you been on this job and how many hours a week?

[Anonymous]

It can be challenging, but it can be done.

Parents do it all the time. A baby at that age usually just needs to be fed, have his diaper kept dry and be well-rested. While he is awake, he can be visually stimulated simply by being around you and the other child. He doesn't necessarily need to have books read to him or have songs sung to him constantly.

So you can focus your entertaining more and playing more on the older child. During the baby's nap time, you can use that time for doing things that may be more difficult when the baby is awake such as Play-doh, tossing a ball in the backyard and/or working on a puzzle together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I nanny right now for 2 1/2 yo twins and their 4 mo sister.

Typical day with all three:
Fix breakfast (I make things and freeze in advance so I can just pull out something), get activities ready for later
Baby gets up, she gets diapered and dressed.
Twins get up, baby sits on boppy pillow on the floor while I get them diapered and dressed and brush hair and teeth.
Go downstairs. Twins eat breakfast while baby plays in a bouncy chair (if she's happy) or sling (if she's fussy). And I get lunch ready for later and unload dishwasher and wash pump parts. At some point baby drinks a bottle.

After breakfast we have about 3 hours to kill until it's lunchtime. I know the twins will need some active time, some focused project time and some unstructured down time. How much time we spend in each categories varies.

Active time might be:
Dancing at music class
Setting up and obstacle course in the basement
Various dancing activities (like. Pretending to be snowflakes or trains to match certain songs)
Taking a walk or
Playing in the yard (if weather is decent)

Focuses project time might be:
Doing 5 pages from a kumon workbook
Art project
Sensory bins
Cooking together
Doing puzzles
Playing matching games


I tend to start with some unstructured time, then do the project for the day once baby goes down for her morning nap, then do something active later.

Baby usually takes another nap around lunchtime.
Twins eat and go down for nap, baby eats and sleeps a bit somewhere around the same time.

Depending on baby's naps, the order varies, but during twins' naptime I get afternoon snack ready, get another little project ready to go for twins, make sure baby gets tummy time and one-on-one, eat lunch, and feed baby and put her down for another nap (she usually goes down right as they wake up).
Twins get up and get diapered
They have milk and snack
We do the afternoon project
We do unstructured play until MB or DB get home.

How long have you been on this job and how many hours a week?

I've been with the family since twins were 2 mo. I have been full time since baby came along.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, I'm glad I found this website. Another question -- they are currently paying me $17.50 per hour for watching the first. They said they will pay me $20 per hour when their next comes to watch both, which seems reasonable to me. Is that the going rate for two? I also help with laundry and do light housework although they said they understand if I don't have time for that once the new baby comes. That they just want me to put all my attention on the kids.

OP, that is a great rate and they sound like conscientious employers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wondering if it's typical for a nanny to take care of an infant (say 5 months) and a 2-4 year old at the same time? How do you engage in age-appropriate activities with the older child while still caring for the needs/sleep/feeding schedule of the infant?

This is very typical and the nanny should have many outings/ideas to provide at her interview. 2 car seats, a useful stroller and go. Every man, nanny and family does it. No big deal.

[Anonymous]

Cared for twins followed by another 14 mos later.
Packed up the triple stroller with bags, diapers and lunch and walked to turtle park most days. Youngest would do morning nap in the stroller in the shade.
Winter did more play dates.

Now they are almost 13 and 12 and I do driving to activities, meals and errands for the parents.