What is a fair wage to charge this family per hour?

[Anonymous]

So I have a question....I would like to know how much a should charge the following family for my services. A little background info: I've been with them for 6 years, went from full-time to part-time, work in Westchester, NY, they have 4 children, ages: twins 6, 8, 10. I do understand they're in school now full-time, and I do not work during school hours, except for running errands/grocery shopping for the whole family. I'm there Monday- Thursday, 2pm -8pm, plus couple extra hours on Monday for errands.
The mother started using me as a personal assistant as well...So this is what I do on a daily basis:
- make 5 beds
- tidy up the house
- cook dinner for the whole family (mother expects me to make plates for parents as well), expected to cook mealtoaf, ribs (stuff that takes at least 1/2 hour to prepare), plus salads (mostly for parents)
- drive the kids around
- laundry for all 4 kids, i try to do it on mondays and thursdays
- wash and fold sheets for 5 beds
- run family errands/grocery shopping (not just kids)
- load/unload dishwasher
- prepare lunch boxes for kids the night before
- clean and fill up their school water bottles for the next day
- do all the dishes after I cook
- do homework with the kids
- spend a big amount of time reading with 2 of the younger children one-on-one
- preparing children for after-school activities

My biggest annoyance:
I'm there for only 4-6 hours after school, the kids don't always behave, it's a madhouse. the mom is at home most of the time, she helps nothing.
she constantly texts me "can you do this...and that...." stuff that doesn't relate too much to childcare.
examples: leaves silverware from holiday out, I have to put it away and sort it, I have to take care of 300+ christmas cards of the kids, pack them into envelopes, address stamps, stamps,
she leaves a big basket every day in the kitchen where she throws things in, and I'm expected to clean that out. she overall uses me to do stupid little things.
In the summer I am expected to take the kids to the pools, and sometimes set up huge bounce houses in the yard. one of them has a slide, so it takes a lot of time to clean it out after use.

What do you think I should charge? They used to pay me $16/hour, I asked to be adjusted to $22/hour, as that's what my area charges. They came back at $19/hour.
I just don't feel like this is a fair wage for all the work I am doing, including having to take care of 4 kids. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry, I don't know what you consider yourself at this job, but you're a doormat. Even in Westchester, they should be paying you at least $30/hr for all that.

Make a New Year's resolution to get a decent job, if not sooner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry, I don't know what you consider yourself at this job, but you're a doormat. Even in Westchester, they should be paying you at least $30/hr for all that.

Make a New Year's resolution to get a decent job, if not sooner.

45 to 50 an Hour + One Month paid VayK all holiday soff and a through background check on the family to see if they can afford to pay the nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry, I don't know what you consider yourself at this job, but you're a doormat. Even in Westchester, they should be paying you at least $30/hr for all that.

Make a New Year's resolution to get a decent job, if not sooner.

45 to 50 an Hour + One Month paid VayK all holiday soff and a through background check on the family to see if they can afford to pay the nanny.

are you still running the show? Wow

[Anonymous]

Why don't you teach the kids how to make their beds, put clothes away, clean up after dinner, etc?

[Anonymous]

#1 You say they are not paying market rate for your area. So find a family who will, and quit!

#2 You already just last week made a post here about this family titled "I'm miserable and I just want to quit" so quit already!

#3 You told them your preferred rate, they offered less than that. So they should understand when you tell them the compensation is not commensurate with your experience and duties. So quit!

You've been with this family long enough to know things won't get better. QUIT!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:#1 You say they are not paying market rate for your area. So find a family who will, and quit!

#2 You already just last week made a post here about this family titled "I'm miserable and I just want to quit" so quit already!

#3 You told them your preferred rate, they offered less than that. So they should understand when you tell them the compensation is not commensurate with your experience and duties. So quit!

You've been with this family long enough to know things won't get better. QUIT!

+ 10000000000 totally agree pp

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I have a question....I would like to know how much a should charge the following family for my services. A little background info: I've been with them for 6 years, went from full-time to part-time, work in Westchester, NY, they have 4 children, ages: twins 6, 8, 10. I do understand they're in school now full-time, and I do not work during school hours, except for running errands/grocery shopping for the whole family. I'm there Monday- Thursday, 2pm -8pm, plus couple extra hours on Monday for errands.
The mother started using me as a personal assistant as well...So this is what I do on a daily basis:
- make 5 beds
- tidy up the house
- cook dinner for the whole family (mother expects me to make plates for parents as well), expected to cook mealtoaf, ribs (stuff that takes at least 1/2 hour to prepare), plus salads (mostly for parents)
- drive the kids around
- laundry for all 4 kids, i try to do it on mondays and thursdays
- wash and fold sheets for 5 beds
- run family errands/grocery shopping (not just kids)
- load/unload dishwasher
- prepare lunch boxes for kids the night before
- clean and fill up their school water bottles for the next day
- do all the dishes after I cook
- do homework with the kids
- spend a big amount of time reading with 2 of the younger children one-on-one
- preparing children for after-school activities

My biggest annoyance:
I'm there for only 4-6 hours after school, the kids don't always behave, it's a madhouse. the mom is at home most of the time, she helps nothing.
she constantly texts me "can you do this...and that...." stuff that doesn't relate too much to childcare.
examples: leaves silverware from holiday out, I have to put it away and sort it, I have to take care of 300+ christmas cards of the kids, pack them into envelopes, address stamps, stamps,
she leaves a big basket every day in the kitchen where she throws things in, and I'm expected to clean that out. she overall uses me to do stupid little things.
In the summer I am expected to take the kids to the pools, and sometimes set up huge bounce houses in the yard. one of them has a slide, so it takes a lot of time to clean it out after use.

What do you think I should charge? They used to pay me $16/hour, I asked to be adjusted to $22/hour, as that's what my area charges. They came back at $19/hour.
I just don't feel like this is a fair wage for all the work I am doing, including having to take care of 4 kids. Thank you!

You've been with them for 6 years and you let the kids become animals and they haven't fired you? I wouldn't rock the boat by asking for a penny more than your normal wage of $16/hr. Otherwise you will get $0.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:#1 You say they are not paying market rate for your area. So find a family who will, and quit!

#2 You already just last week made a post here about this family titled "I'm miserable and I just want to quit" so quit already!

#3 You told them your preferred rate, they offered less than that. So they should understand when you tell them the compensation is not commensurate with your experience and duties. So quit!

You've been with this family long enough to know things won't get better. QUIT!

wow wow wow calm down you're entitled with your opinion this is a just a message board. Sounds like somebody's in pain

[Anonymous]

Didn't you just post about this a few days ago?

I think I responded for you to quit, that your job was hell because you are being overworked & underpaid.

[Anonymous]

You didn't like the answers on the other thread, you won't like the answers on this thread.

1. You aren't effective in this position. It doesn't matter if it's because you are not able to work as well with older kids, the mom hampers your ability to keep kids from acting out or you are too busy doing everything other than childcare. The only thing that matters is that you aren't effective. If you aren't effective, quit.

2. You were told that the mother's list of tasks versus the hours and rate were unreasonable, and that she wouldn't change. You proposed a higher rate and she came back with a better rate, but you still don't have enough hours to do everything. So quit.

Find a full time job with younger kids. Find a full time job with older kids who have parents who authorize the nanny to use reasonable discipline to instill self-control rather than having discipline be punitive without a connection in the children's minds. Or get out of nannying and find something that you can do better and like more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You didn't like the answers on the other thread, you won't like the answers on this thread.

1. You aren't effective in this position. It doesn't matter if it's because you are not able to work as well with older kids, the mom hampers your ability to keep kids from acting out or you are too busy doing everything other than childcare. The only thing that matters is that you aren't effective. If you aren't effective, quit.

2. You were told that the mother's list of tasks versus the hours and rate were unreasonable, and that she wouldn't change. You proposed a higher rate and she came back with a better rate, but you still don't have enough hours to do everything. So quit.

Find a full time job with younger kids. Find a full time job with older kids who have parents who authorize the nanny to use reasonable discipline to instill self-control rather than having discipline be punitive without a connection in the children's minds. Or get out of nannying and find something that you can do better and like more.

what the hell are you talking about I'm not a nanny. Just putting my opinion get a life women you sounds like you are desperate to get your way get help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You didn't like the answers on the other thread, you won't like the answers on this thread.

1. You aren't effective in this position. It doesn't matter if it's because you are not able to work as well with older kids, the mom hampers your ability to keep kids from acting out or you are too busy doing everything other than childcare. The only thing that matters is that you aren't effective. If you aren't effective, quit.

2. You were told that the mother's list of tasks versus the hours and rate were unreasonable, and that she wouldn't change. You proposed a higher rate and she came back with a better rate, but you still don't have enough hours to do everything. So quit.

Find a full time job with younger kids. Find a full time job with older kids who have parents who authorize the nanny to use reasonable discipline to instill self-control rather than having discipline be punitive without a connection in the children's minds. Or get out of nannying and find something that you can do better and like more.

what the hell are you talking about I'm not a nanny. Just putting my opinion get a life women you sounds like you are desperate to get your way get help.

If you aren't a nanny, you aren't OP. OP asked for advice in another thread. She didn't like the responses, so changed the way that she presented the information to post again. She's getting the same responses in this thread that she got in the other thread, and she's not going to be happy with these responses.

You stated your opinion, I stated mine. OP isn't effective as a nanny for the family. She gave reasons in the other thread (mom yells at the kids, but nanny isn't allowed to discipline; too much housework to nanny), but it's possible that she's one of the many nannies who are wonderful with young children but can't keep control as easily once they are 6+.

OP complained in the other thread that she was overworked, underpaid and wanted to quit. The mom isn't willing to pay a reasonable wage for the amount of work, nor is she willing to give more hours to deal with all of the other tasks. So either OP can stick it out and be miserable and resentful, or she can quit. (It was already recommended that she quit...)

I gave three solutions to her situation, all of which include leaving that family. Two include staying in the same career, but if she's burned out, finding something else to do for a little while is a valid suggestion. Many nannies take a break for a couple years after ending a stressful position, and it's not an issue as long as she can explain the change to families later.

I don't know why you think I sound desperate or that I want to get my own way. I offered well-intentioned advice, but it doesn't matter a whit to me whether OP takes the advice or ignores it again. As long as OP doesn't come back complaining again in a week, it won't impact me.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't seem like anything has changed since the last time you posted. No one on here is going to have a magical solution, save for your MB being on here and recognising herself in your post and seeing the error of her ways.

$19 is not enough for you, and even if it were, you still can't do all the jobs she's asking you to do, and the kids annoy you. There is nothing left but quit. So either suck it up and let your MB continue to walk all over you and be miserable, or quit. January is a good time to look for a job. You can probably get a position that pays at least the same or more, with more hours, with more kid things and fewer errnands and with nicer parents.

If you just can't talk to them about quitting, the reason to give would be that you need more hours and more money to pay bills, and so unless they want to give you that, you have to quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn't seem like anything has changed since the last time you posted. No one on here is going to have a magical solution, save for your MB being on here and recognising herself in your post and seeing the error of her ways.

$19 is not enough for you, and even if it were, you still can't do all the jobs she's asking you to do, and the kids annoy you. There is nothing left but quit. So either suck it up and let your MB continue to walk all over you and be miserable, or quit. January is a good time to look for a job. You can probably get a position that pays at least the same or more, with more hours, with more kid things and fewer errnands and with nicer parents.

If you just can't talk to them about quitting, the reason to give would be that you need more hours and more money to pay bills, and so unless they want to give you that, you have to quit.

I am not really understanding you so good luck whatever you doing !