A question about wages

[Anonymous]

I am currently a nanny for an awesome little boy and girl both of whom, I adore.

I also babysit for a woman I used to nanny for. When I first started working for her 6 years ago, she paid me $8 per hour. I was young at the time and I was happy to be getting anything from her. I've always done any housekeeping/chores she has asked me to do. This includes laundry, changing bed sheets, dishes, vacuuming, sweeping, etc.

I am now only her, babysitter as I have mentioned before. She is now paying me $14 per hour. Her kids are 10 and 6. When I go to her house, I am cleaning it nonstop, even though I hate it (I feel bad for her because she is a single parent, so I try to help her out).

I've come to the realization that I make $15 per hour for two children with no (or very minimal) housework at my full time job. In this case, I feel like I should be paid more when I babysit for the other woman/clean her house.

In your experience, what is a reasonable rate for someone who watches 2 children and does all housework (including deep cleaning) while she is there? I don't want to say anything to her about it without asking others.

P.s. on Saturday, I worked for 12 hours for this woman's two kids. Her sister also brought her two children over and I watched them as well. My mb told me shed give me more in my check to compensate me for the extra kids but when I left, I discovered she only paid me $166, which comes out to $13 something an hour (less per hour and double the kids, basically)

[Anonymous]

I hate to give you bad news, but you are clearly being taken advantage of. Either fix it or leave.

[Anonymous]

I get that. That's why I am asking for advice on what IS a reasonable wage (in your opinion).

[Anonymous]

I pay $22.50\hr for cleaning and this includes washing all non carpeted floors, vacuuming, dusting, no laundry, windows, changing bed linens. Every couple months she cleans oven. She takes about 4 hours but I always give her $100.00, extra ""$10.00 for carfare. She is welcome to have lunch. I give her "vacation" of five 4-hour paid days plus Christmas and birthday bonus. Of course, she has been working for all her clients 20 or more years. To answer your question. Yes, you should be getting paid a lot more.

[Anonymous]

If she can't afford to pay two people to do two jobs, she should pay you as much as she can afford. If she hired a nanny and a housekeeper, she'd pay at least $30-40/hr.

[Anonymous]

OP, you set your own rates when babysitting and the parent can either accept it or decline. That's how it works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you set your own rates when babysitting and the parent can either accept it or decline. That's how it works.

Clearly, you have been neither a housekeeper, nor a nanny. OP, get a new job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you set your own r[google]ates when babysitting and the parent can either accept it or decline. That's how it works.

Clearly, you have been neither a housekeeper, nor a nanny. OP, get a new job.

I don't need a new job. As I've mentioned, I have an amazing one. I'm just worried about this casual babysitting job. Can anyone give me any advice as to what I should start asking for based on personal experience?

[Anonymous]

I would tell her that you have really appreciated the longevity of the position, and have given her a great rate for that reason, but that at this point, you need her to pay closer to your current rate.

I would then tell her that you charge $15 with no housework, and give her a choice of either that rate, or a different one with housework included- maybe $20/hr?

The issue is that it is hard to go up too high a percentage with an existing position.

[Anonymous]

I think you should ask for $15 to sit the two kids with minimal or no housework (specify which tasks) just like in your current full-time position. Tell her that is your current rate. She can match it or find someone else. This is an MB respondin, btw, and I think you are being badly taken advantage of.

[Anonymous]

OP, as far as I can tell, she never asked you to do any of the cleaning. So why keep doing it? Sure, you feel bad, but I think it's unfair for you to suddenly ask for extra.

It seems like it isn't about the work -- that it's amount the extra money you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, as far as I can tell, she never asked you to do any of the cleaning. So why keep doing it? Sure, you feel bad, but I think it's unfair for you to suddenly ask for extra.

It seems like it isn't about the work -- that it's amount the extra money you want.

I stated "I've always done the housekeeping/chores she's asked me to do", so I'm not quite sure where our first sentence even came from.

Yes. She has asked me to do it. More like told me to, but whatever.

Also, it IS about the extra work. I hate doing it. I'm just not cut out to scrub other people's homes all day on top of taking care of her two children that can be a handful on a good day. Some people are, I'm not.

P.s. I don't need the extra money. I do it as a favor to her, because her children are extremely close to me (I've been there since her youngest was 1 month old) and would have a hard time adjusting to someone new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would tell her that you have really appreciated the longevity of the position, and have given her a great rate for that reason, but that at this point, you need her to pay closer to your current rate.

I would then tell her that you charge $15 with no housework, and give her a choice of either that rate, or a different one with housework included- maybe $20/hr?

The issue is that it is hard to go up too high a percentage with an existing position.

Thank you! This is great advice.

[Anonymous]

I live in CA so our wages may be different.

Since you have dual roles, as both babysitter AND maid, I would charge $19-21.

But as a single mother, she may not be able to afford what a babysitter/housekeeper should be making.

It's your call OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would tell her that you have really appreciated the longevity of the position, and have given her a great rate for that reason, but that at this point, you need her to pay closer to your current rate.

I would then tell her that you charge $15 with no housework, and give her a choice of either that rate, or a different one with housework included- maybe $20/hr?

The issue is that it is hard to go up too high a percentage with an existing position.

+1