Is this a fair amount?

[Anonymous]

We have 3 soon to be 4 children ages 3, 2, 1 , and newborn.
The nanny we want is a former preschool teacher with 3 years nanny experience including newborns.
She is college educated, but degree is not in education.
No special skill such as second language.
She has said she only does kid laundry and tidying after kids during day.
We would like her 4 days a week from 8 to 7.
No weekends
All standard benefits.
We were thinking $20 to $24 an hour. Reasonable?

[Anonymous]

MB here. We have 3 children spread out only slightly more in age than yours and pay $20/hr for 50 hours so she gets 10 hours at $30/hr. This was around what most qualified nannies asked for. For 4 children under 4 I would offer at least $24/hr.

[Anonymous]

I forgot to mention the two oldest are in school 2 mornings a week

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 soon to be 4 children ages 3, 2, 1 , and newborn.
The nanny we want is a former preschool teacher with 3 years nanny experience including newborns.
She is college educated, but degree is not in education.
No special skill such as second language.
She has said she only does kid laundry and tidying after kids during day.
We would like her 4 days a week from 8 to 7.
No weekends
All standard benefits.
We were thinking $20 to $24 an hour. Reasonable?

It depends on where you are located probably. How many hours per day/ week does she have all four children? Your rate would be low in my metro area for four children but it would be average in others.

P.S. I know you're just listing information, but including that she isn't going to do non-child housekeeping while taking care of FOUR very young children makes you sound a bit petty. Something to consider when you talk to or about her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 soon to be 4 children ages 3, 2, 1 , and newborn.
The nanny we want is a former preschool teacher with 3 years nanny experience including newborns.
She is college educated, but degree is not in education.
No special skill such as second language.
She has said she only does kid laundry and tidying after kids during day.
We would like her 4 days a week from 8 to 7.
No weekends
All standard benefits.
We were thinking $20 to $24 an hour. Reasonable?

I think your rate is reasonable, but your list here suggests that your expectations maybe somewhat unreasonable (I have a 4.5, 3, 1.5, soon to be newborn, so slightly more spread out, but I hear where you're coming from). Even suggesting a different nanny might do more than kid laundry and tidying as a possibility seems kind of crazy with the ages you describe there, especially since the baby won't have the same nap schedule. We actually hired a second person as a mother's helper 15 hours a week for help with more of the housework/shopping/dishes/laundry-type stuff.

Second, that is 55 hours a week with four very little kids. That's A LOT. I would worry some about nanny burnout, and consider two nannies, one full time and one part time. If you can afford it, maybe even overlap them by an hour a day to make time for the tidying and such. Since you're on the hook for 15 hours of overtime at time and a half anyway, the marginal cost wouldn't be that much more.

[Anonymous]

I'm 12:34 above.

My oldest two are in preschool 3 hours a day 3 days a week. That barely seems like a break to me with two other little ones plus drop off and pick up, and you're talking about only two days a week. I wouldn't even start to factor that in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 soon to be 4 children ages 3, 2, 1 , and newborn.
The nanny we want is a former preschool teacher with 3 years nanny experience including newborns.
She is college educated, but degree is not in education.
No special skill such as second language.
She has said she only does kid laundry and tidying after kids during day.
We would like her 4 days a week from 8 to 7.
No weekends
All standard benefits.
We were thinking $20 to $24 an hour. Reasonable?

We live in McLean and have almost the same family makeup as OP. We have a 4 year old, two 2 year old twins, and the baby who is 3 months old. We hired a new nanny when our twins were born and she has stayed with us, so it's been about 2.5 years now. We pay $17 an hour and she is great. I'm not home to watch her to say exactly what she does or how often, but she keeps the house really clean which is the most important thing to me.

So if your nanny is basically saying she will let your house get trashed and wants $24 an hour you are a fool. If you like her, I'd start with $17 or less (leave room for bonuses.) You could also hold out for someone more reasonable and more likely better. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

We live in McLean and have almost the same family makeup as OP. We have a 4 year old, two 2 year old twins, and the baby who is 3 months old. We hired a new nanny when our twins were born and she has stayed with us, so it's been about 2.5 years now. We pay $17 an hour and she is great. I'm not home to watch her to say exactly what she does or how often, but she keeps the house really clean which is the most important thing to me.

So if your nanny is basically saying she will let your house get trashed and wants $24 an hour you are a fool. If you like her, I'd start with $17 or less (leave room for bonuses.) You could also hold out for someone more reasonable and more likely better. Good luck.


Oh Lord... 4 small children and you pay $17/h !?!??! You are so cheap and your nanny is desperate. If you can't afford a nanny send them to in home day care or stay at home with your kids. Don't take advantage of others! You are crazy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We live in McLean and have almost the same family makeup as OP. We have a 4 year old, two 2 year old twins, and the baby who is 3 months old. We hired a new nanny when our twins were born and she has stayed with us, so it's been about 2.5 years now. We pay $17 an hour and she is great. I'm not home to watch her to say exactly what she does or how often, but she keeps the house really clean which is the most important thing to me.

So if your nanny is basically saying she will let your house get trashed and wants $24 an hour you are a fool. If you like her, I'd start with $17 or less (leave room for bonuses.) You could also hold out for someone more reasonable and more likely better. Good luck.

Oh Lord... 4 small children and you pay $17/h !?!??! You are so cheap and your nanny is desperate. If you can't afford a nanny send them to in home day care or stay at home with your kids. Don't take advantage of others! You are crazy

Ignore the troll. No MB on here would openly admit, no matter how much it may be true, that keeping the house really clean is the most important thing to them. And if it is true, you can find someone to clean your house and merely keep your kids alive for less than $17/hour.

[Anonymous]

OP here Sorry should have been more clear she volunteered that she does kid laundry and tidying.
To be honest we weren't even looking for that, but I suppose it it's a nice perk.

We haven't had a real nanny before we did daycare when the two oldest were babies but were not happy with the care, so we had a friend who looked after them , and the last year My husband has been home. He will be back to office come the new year, and our sitter is moving.

We live in Alexandria

[Anonymous]

She would have all kids most of the time. My two oldest are in preschool only 2 mornings a week for 3 hours each. Either my husband or I would do drop off, but she would do pick up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I forgot to mention the two oldest are in school 2 mornings a week

I'm 11:51 and my 2 oldest are in school every morning 5 days a week and I still pay her $20/hr.