Did you have to settle?

[Anonymous]

Just wondering whether I need to lower my expectations before setting out to find a nanny. Ideally I'd love to have a nanny who was fully bilingual, had early childhood education and CPR certification, a willingness to do children's laundry, pick up kids from school and perhaps start dinner. Is this too much to expect for $18-20 p/h? Do parents have to compromise on their nanny choices?

[Anonymous]

Yes, in my opinion, your salary offer is too low. I pay $27 an hour plus overtime (legally) for a college graduate who is fluent in French, an American and has completed all course work for anMA in Early Childhood Development. She was also a preschool teacher. She takes care of the baby's laundry, marketing and cooking.

My best friend pays $25 an hour for a bilingual nanny, also legally, who doesn't have a degree but has fifteen years of experience with twins.

[Anonymous]

Unless "bilingual" is your code for undocumented then you are paying too low.

[Anonymous]

I got all that minus the early childhood education, and they didn't go to school (but we added willing to take the kids to activities). We started out paying $15 an hour. Raise by a dollar each year plus a raise by a dollar when the second kid arrived.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got all that minus the early childhood education, and they didn't go to school (but we added willing to take the kids to activities). We started out paying $15 an hour. Raise by a dollar each year plus a raise by a dollar when the second kid arrived.

Your nanny is illegal, right?

[Anonymous]

You asking for too much for no money.

[Anonymous]

I'm willing to pay for good quality care but haven't seen it yet. Where are you finding these outstanding childcare professionals?

[Anonymous]

I have had to compromise with each of the three nannies we have employed over the years. Each of them had wonderful qualities, none of them were perfect.

[Anonymous]

To the PP who responded that she gave her Nanny just a dollar raise for a new baby:
This is outrageous considering how much add'l physical + mental labor that carrying for an infant constitutes.

Multiple feedings, diaper changes & holding.
Plus the crying stretches too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm willing to pay for good quality care but haven't seen it yet. Where are you finding these outstanding childcare professionals?

I would say that the best Nannies would come from a GOOD Nanny agency.
One that is very selective on who they accept & has stringent standards to boot.

Not from a childcare website where just anyone w/access to a computer + the internet can post a FREE Nanny profile in like fifteen minutes
and label themselves a "PROFESSIONAL" Nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm willing to pay for good quality care but haven't seen it yet. Where are you finding these outstanding childcare professionals?

Care.com but I searched rather than just waiting for responses. And I outlined exactly what I was looking for in my ad including that I wanted a college graduate with teaching experience. I also wrote that I was willing to pay between $20 to $30 an hour. Word you ad carefully, OP, and then start searching the profiles yourself. Our brilliant nanny would never have seen my ad as we were out of her geographic range by .5 of a mile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She takes care of the baby's laundry, marketing and cooking..

I'm sorry...marketing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP who responded that she gave her Nanny just a dollar raise for a new baby:
This is outrageous considering how much add'l physical + mental labor that carrying for an infant constitutes.

Multiple feedings, diaper changes & holding.
Plus the crying stretches too.

I love how people keep telling mothers of babies how difficult it is to take care of a baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got all that minus the early childhood education, and they didn't go to school (but we added willing to take the kids to activities). We started out paying $15 an hour. Raise by a dollar each year plus a raise by a dollar when the second kid arrived.

Your nanny is illegal, right?

Firstly a human being can not be illegal. It is never illegal to exist as a living being. But to answer what you meant, no. Duel citizen of the US and another country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She takes care of the baby's laundry, marketing and cooking..

I'm sorry...marketing?

Buying groceries for the baby. Marketing.