Raise for new baby

[Anonymous]

Adding another kid is certainly not double the work. There are economies of scale. Washing dishes from lunch? Wash bottles as well. Throwing a load of laundry in the washer? Add in the infant clothing too. Heading to library hour? Infant gets dragged along.

[Anonymous]

Speak for yourself, 17:32.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op didn't mention, nor has anyone asked if this nanny has any newborn training or experience.

That makes a huge difference in terms of her rate expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Adding another kid is certainly not double the work. There are economies of scale. Washing dishes from lunch? Wash bottles as well. Throwing a load of laundry in the washer? Add in the infant clothing too. Heading to library hour? Infant gets dragged along.

For one toddler, one load of laundry per week is sufficient. Adding in an infant in disposable diapers raises it to 2-3, cloth diapers are at least one load by themselves. So 1 load became 3-4.

I don't take a toddler to story time unless they are able to sit in my lap or sit quietly by my side. With an infant along, they have to be able to sit by my side, and many toddlers can't handle that. So that means less time out of the house for the toddler, and more time when I am entertaining/teaching both.

Washing dishes is the easy part. Making the bottles while the toddler wants attention and the baby fusses takes time. Dealing with a fussy baby while making the toddler food takes time. Nobody expects a baby to eat only when a toddler eats, so there are multiple trips in and out of the kitchen.

I'm 16.21 btw. While I don't feel that it is double the work, it's certainly more work than just the first child, hence a reasonable raise ($1-3/hour) should be expected and provided.

[Anonymous]

What kind of nanny would take on a new baby for a $1/hr?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of nanny would take on a new baby for a $1/hr?

The kind that already priced herself out of the market scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you want to double the work for $1 more an hour? I do not think that's reasonable. You were already at $21, which is high for one child. I would add at least $3 for the new baby.

it isnt double the work and you are insane

Two children ARE double the work of one child.
Hint: Can you add 1 + 1 = 2 ?

No it isn't because when the second one is added, you do less for each child. Unless you can clone yourself and give your 100% undivided attention to each child at the same time, you aren't doing the same amount of work for EACH child. You are splitting yourself so each child gets less than they would have if they were your only charge.

Personally, I feel like it's not double, but it's certainly not the same workload. There is more laundry (sometimes more than double, as a toddler's number of loads is drastically lower than an infant's), there's double for food prep (each child is eating something different and on a different schedule), and there's two children clamoring for my attention. On the other hand, no, I can't clone myself, but I try the best I can to give each child the attention they would get if they were the only child. For me, that means trying to stagger sleeping so that each child gets one-on-one attention at least once during the day. It also means using what little nap time overlaps to do crazy fast laundry, food prep and nursery tidying.

Of course it's not the same workload, not double, but clearly not the same. What you say is reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would you want to double the work for $1 more an hour? I do not think that's reasonable. You were already at $21, which is high for one child. I would add at least $3 for the new baby.

it isnt double the work and you are insane

Two children ARE double the work of one child.
Hint: Can you add 1 + 1 = 2 ?

No it isn't because when the second one is added, you do less for each child. Unless you can clone yourself and give your 100% undivided attention to each child at the same time, you aren't doing the same amount of work for EACH child. You are splitting yourself so each child gets less than they would have if they were your only charge.

Speak for yourself.

We all do.

But if you found a way to clone yourself, please share, I'm sure the world would love to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of nanny would take on a new baby for a $1/hr?

The kind that already priced herself out of the market scale.

Priced beyond your limit. That's all.

[Anonymous]

I think how much a second child add to the workload is irrelevant, at the end what is relevant is the market. There are plenty of very good nannies in DC who watch two kids for $18-$20 /hr. OP's nanny has been working less than 2 years (starting at $20) and already makes $22. If OP had to give several dollars for a raise, with the annual raises the nannies would make soon $30/hr, which is ridiculous in DC. Nanny seems to have understood that she can ask and get (not many nannies are hired at $20/hr and even less get a 1$ raise soon after because they have "financial issues"). OP should offer 1$ at most, pointing out that the nanny is already paid in the high end. If the nanny is unhappy, she can go elsewhere and OP can find another amazing nanny (offering $20 or $21/hr she will find plenty of very good candidates) and put the difference in her kids' college fund.

[Anonymous]

Where, oh where are all those "amazing" nannies?
Lining up outside your front door?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of nanny would take on a new baby for a $1/hr?

The kind that already priced herself out of the market scale.

Priced beyond your limit. That's all.

The limit isn't how much one is or is not able to pay. The limit is what one can expect to pay for a comparable candidate if one were hiring today. I am fully confident that OP can find dozens of experienced, legal, referenced nannies clamoring to take care of two kids for $20/hr.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where, oh where are all those "amazing" nannies?
Lining up outside your front door?

If I were hiring at $20/hr, they would be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where, oh where are all those "amazing" nannies?
Lining up outside your front door?

If I were hiring at $20/hr, they would be.

Well, where are they??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where, oh where are all those "amazing" nannies?
Lining up outside your front door?

If I were hiring at $20/hr, they would be.

Well, where are they??

Ask someone who advertised for a $20/hr nanny position recently. She'll tell you.