Sanity Check

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope OP, this is DC and working families without disposable income have no business trying to find affordable childcare accommodations.

There is a difference between affordable childcare and luxury childcare. In home childcare is an expensive luxury. Everyone should be entitled to a roof over their heads. That doesn't mean everyone is entitled to be a home owner, to live in the nicest neighborhoods, or have the biggest houses.

Childcare workers are entitled to fair wages long before anyone is entitled to luxury childcare accommodations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm sorry OP, this is just the reality of market economics. To answer your question, no you do not have the right to quality in home childcare at whatever rate you happen to be able to afford. You're paying on the low end, so you're attracting low end employees. The reliable, experienced, and engaged nannies can charge more than $15/hour for very part time hours and 2 young children, so why would they take your job? You're attracting the ones who can't find anything better.

My suggestions would be to stop referring to this person as a sitter. You need a regular part time weekly commitment, and that means you are hiring a nanny. Do not offer lowered expectations as a "perk" of the job. Go into this like a real employer expecting to hire a professional. Write a contract that outline the hours, the pay rate, and the duties and expectations. At a minimum this person should be leaving the house as neat as they found it, and being engaged with your children for the few hours they are working.

If you truly can't up the rate, and can't find someone professional and reliable, you should honestly consider whether or not you can afford in-home childcare. It is the most expensive form of childcare, and a luxury that not everyone can afford. Your children have the right to quality care, but it may need to be in a group setting.

In suburban MD 15 is the going rate. PP is FOS.

No it isn't. Not for 20 hours/week, and 2 young kids. Paying $15/hour for this job gets you what OP got. A casual sitter who will keep your kids alive until someone offers something better.

[Anonymous]

No your not crazy. She should not be sleeping on the job I am available those hours if you are interested

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope OP, this is DC and working families without disposable income have no business trying to find affordable childcare accommodations.

There is a difference between affordable childcare and luxury childcare. In home childcare is an expensive luxury. Everyone should be entitled to a roof over their heads. That doesn't mean everyone is entitled to be a home owner, to live in the nicest neighborhoods, or have the biggest houses.

Childcare workers are entitled to fair wages long before anyone is entitled to luxury childcare accommodations.

OP here. First, we are new to the area and we consulted with several neighbors on going rates in our neck of the woods (silver spring). we were told 12-20 so we offered the middle with some flexibility. To reiterate, we advertised above what we were told market rate here is. We had DOZENS of responses, but in every case there were issues (one wanted to make sure we locked our dog away while she was here, one said she had transportation but that turned out to be inaccurate, one brought her child without checking.) Yes, if we had offered $30 an hour we would have been able to afford Mrs Doubtfire, but here we are, two lowely PhD students who tried to gauge the market rate and find a good fit for our family.

I can not even to begin to guess what kind of bubble you live in to say someone doesnt have the right to try to find someone whose circumstances match our own. Elitist nonsense. We have plenty of blue collar families where we live who work for these wages with nothing to be ashamed of. Nannies (sitters FFS) are not just for the rich and fabulous.

[Anonymous]

You're not crazy. What she tried to do wasn't professional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope OP, this is DC and working families without disposable income have no business trying to find affordable childcare accommodations.

There is a difference between affordable childcare and luxury childcare. In home childcare is an expensive luxury. Everyone should be entitled to a roof over their heads. That doesn't mean everyone is entitled to be a home owner, to live in the nicest neighborhoods, or have the biggest houses.

Childcare workers are entitled to fair wages long before anyone is entitled to luxury childcare accommodations.

OP here. First, we are new to the area and we consulted with several neighbors on going rates in our neck of the woods (silver spring). we were told 12-20 so we offered the middle with some flexibility. To reiterate, we advertised above what we were told market rate here is. We had DOZENS of responses, but in every case there were issues (one wanted to make sure we locked our dog away while she was here, one said she had transportation but that turned out to be inaccurate, one brought her child without checking.) Yes, if we had offered $30 an hour we would have been able to afford Mrs Doubtfire, but here we are, two lowely PhD students who tried to gauge the market rate and find a good fit for our family.

I can not even to begin to guess what kind of bubble you live in to say someone doesnt have the right to try to find someone whose circumstances match our own. Elitist nonsense. We have plenty of blue collar families where we live who work for these wages with nothing to be ashamed of. Nannies (sitters FFS) are not just for the rich and fabulous.

Lady you need to take a seat. The only one being an elitist is you. Who's "rights" do you think come first? Your right to have someone come to your house, care for your kids under your direction and your schedule, and relieve you of the stress of drop offs and pickups, or someone's right to be paid fairly?

The market is telling you something is wrong with what you're offering. Dozens of dud applicants doesn't mean a damn thing. Nanny =/= Sitter "FFS". Show some respect and maybe someone worthwhile will want to work for your ass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope OP, this is DC and working families without disposable income have no business trying to find affordable childcare accommodations.

There is a difference between affordable childcare and luxury childcare. In home childcare is an expensive luxury. Everyone should be entitled to a roof over their heads. That doesn't mean everyone is entitled to be a home owner, to live in the nicest neighborhoods, or have the biggest houses.

Childcare workers are entitled to fair wages long before anyone is entitled to luxury childcare accommodations.

OP here. First, we are new to the area and we consulted with several neighbors on going rates in our neck of the woods (silver spring). we were told 12-20 so we offered the middle with some flexibility. To reiterate, we advertised above what we were told market rate here is. We had DOZENS of responses, but in every case there were issues (one wanted to make sure we locked our dog away while she was here, one said she had transportation but that turned out to be inaccurate, one brought her child without checking.) Yes, if we had offered $30 an hour we would have been able to afford Mrs Doubtfire, but here we are, two lowely PhD students who tried to gauge the market rate and find a good fit for our family.

I can not even to begin to guess what kind of bubble you live in to say someone doesnt have the right to try to find someone whose circumstances match our own. Elitist nonsense. We have plenty of blue collar families where we live who work for these wages with nothing to be ashamed of. Nannies (sitters FFS) are not just for the rich and fabulous.

Its good to know. Glad to hear no one paying more than $20 an hour ever has problems with their nanny...that tells me it is just the market.

Lady you need to take a seat. The only one being an elitist is you. Who's "rights" do you think come first? Your right to have someone come to your house, care for your kids under your direction and your schedule, and relieve you of the stress of drop offs and pickups, or someone's right to be paid fairly?

The market is telling you something is wrong with what you're offering. Dozens of dud applicants doesn't mean a damn thing. Nanny =/= Sitter "FFS". Show some respect and maybe someone worthwhile will want to work for your ass.

[Anonymous]

OP, a majority of these posters are just as batsh*t as the woman you fired.

You offered a job at an acceptable rate, she accepted and then did a poor job. This is not on you. You are NOT the crazy one here.

Obviously this board is becoming overrun with self-righteous, self-important bitter women who are trying to continually make themselves out to be much more professional and desirable than they actually are.

Who the f gets to turn their nose up at a job offering $15/hr that requires no degree, license, professional certification of any kind?

-A nanny tired of all the bs

[Anonymous]

I think it is amazing that your child had a birthday in the middle of your post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, a majority of these posters are just as batsh*t as the woman you fired.

You offered a job at an acceptable rate, she accepted and then did a poor job. This is not on you. You are NOT the crazy one here.

Obviously this board is becoming overrun with self-righteous, self-important bitter women who are trying to continually make themselves out to be much more professional and desirable than they actually are.

Who the f gets to turn their nose up at a job offering $15/hr that requires no degree, license, professional certification of any kind?

-A nanny tired of all the bs

Thank you so much...i needed this, I am going to stop banging my head against a wall now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, a majority of these posters are just as batsh*t as the woman you fired.

You offered a job at an acceptable rate, she accepted and then did a poor job. This is not on you. You are NOT the crazy one here.

Obviously this board is becoming overrun with self-righteous, self-important bitter women who are trying to continually make themselves out to be much more professional and desirable than they actually are.

Who the f gets to turn their nose up at a job offering $15/hr that requires no degree, license, professional certification of any kind?

-A nanny tired of all the bs

Hello troll OP. No nanny would talk about her chosen field in this manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, a majority of these posters are just as batsh*t as the woman you fired.

You offered a job at an acceptable rate, she accepted and then did a poor job. This is not on you. You are NOT the crazy one here.

Obviously this board is becoming overrun with self-righteous, self-important bitter women who are trying to continually make themselves out to be much more professional and desirable than they actually are.

Who the f gets to turn their nose up at a job offering $15/hr that requires no degree, license, professional certification of any kind?

-A nanny tired of all the bs

Hello troll OP. No nanny would talk about her chosen field in this manner.

omg some of you truly are batshit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, a majority of these posters are just as batsh*t as the woman you fired.

You offered a job at an acceptable rate, she accepted and then did a poor job. This is not on you. You are NOT the crazy one here.

Obviously this board is becoming overrun with self-righteous, self-important bitter women who are trying to continually make themselves out to be much more professional and desirable than they actually are.

Who the f gets to turn their nose up at a job offering $15/hr that requires no degree, license, professional certification of any kind?

-A nanny tired of all the bs

Hello troll OP. No nanny would talk about her chosen field in this manner.

Not talking about my "chosen field", just the insane women who are trying to represent me on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, a majority of these posters are just as batsh*t as the woman you fired.

You offered a job at an acceptable rate, she accepted and then did a poor job. This is not on you. You are NOT the crazy one here.

Obviously this board is becoming overrun with self-righteous, self-important bitter women who are trying to continually make themselves out to be much more professional and desirable than they actually are.

Who the f gets to turn their nose up at a job offering $15/hr that requires no degree, license, professional certification of any kind?

-A nanny tired of all the bs

Someone who, despite all of her short comings, found a better job, obviously. Take an economics class.

[Anonymous]

OP, the problem is not your rate. It's your hours. I understand where the nanny was coming from, too. $150/wk when she can have a week where she makes close to that every day?

You are going to have a hard time finding anyone who can take a job 2 days a week in the middle of the day. Most people who work an hourly job need more hours, and you're eating up two days of the week. People who only want part time work are generally not as committed (at least that has been my experience), or they want a premium to make it worth their while.

Why do you only need care two days a week? What happens the other three days? Is this a schedule that will change every semester? That's also going to limit your pool.