Op please ignore these negative comments. Some people on this board are rude. As I stated, she's overpaid and will keep shaking you down for money run while you can.

Poor OP. She is paid, pronably overpaid, as a Fed. Still doesn't mrsn the person who takes care of your most precious possession should be underpaid.

Anonymous wrote:How many non nannies will take low-cost benefits om ieu of a raise for the next five years? Not a single one of you.

I dunno. The OP, for example, has not gotten a raise in 3 years because the federal government can't afford it. A lot of us in the real world appreciate having a job.

OP, as you can sadly see, some people here fail to comprehend how important continuity really is.

Meh, kids will be fine with a new nanny. They will have new teachers, new camp counselors, new tutors, and new friends. Kids are resilient. No need to be held hostage to nanny's outrageous demands. There are many professional nannies out there to choose from. Heck, there's another thread on this board about how rates are depressed due to the flooded market. You will find a great new nanny, OP, and your kids will be better off with a nanny who isn't always complaining about her above market rate.

Ha, ha. Well done.

How many non nannies will take low-cost benefits om ieu of a raise for the next five years? Not a single one of you. Let!s see, Nanny, tou have been with us a long time and because you are so wonderful, DH and I have decided you have earned the privilege of taking care of new baby. We are so poor and we can only raise you $50.00 a week because mewborns, infants, and toddlers are so easy to care gor. By the way, this is the only salary increase you will receive no matterhow many years you work for us. Instead of money we will give you a framed photograph of your darling charges every year. We will also give you a free cup of coffee on major holidays as long as you work the day nefore and day after said holiday. We also thought you woild enjoy doing our. laundry. Aren't these wonderful low-cost benefits? Afterall, you are a nanny and just being with my precious snowflakes is reward enough. In a perfect world, you should be paying us!


People work for money not crap low-cost benefits.

danaw wrote:I'm having a 3rd child in a few months and I pay my nanny $18.75 an hour for 40 hour weeks (M-Thurs) to watch my 6 year old (in kindergarten from 8:30 - 3) and a 2 year old. She gets every Federal holiday, 2 weeks vacation, 1 week sick, etc. We pay legally.

I was planning on increasing $1.25 per hour when the baby is here, bringing her to almost $20 an hour. She wants $2.50 an hour ($400 more a month!), which would bring her salary to nearly $21.50. I hired her 2.5 years ago at $16.50 -- and that turned out to not work for her so we negotiated at the year mark and I bumped her a lot because she is so good and been a nanny nearly 15 years. We didn't want to lose her.

As much as we love our nanny, we are beyond stretched and I simply can't go over the $1.25 increase.

My questions are: 1) Is this a reasonable increase (the $1.25)? 2) is her overall new salary, for 3 kids, at $20 gross in-line, too low, too high or just right? 3) am I wrong to think the add'l $2.50 is just an unreasonable request?

Thank you so much for any advise you can spare!

If you can't afford the sort of raise your nanny wants, you need to make that clear to her. Then she can choose whether to stay with you at the rate you can afford, or leave for another position.

1) Is this a reasonable increase (the $1.25)? It's about a 6.5% increase, which IMO is less than standard, but your finances mean you can't afford the "standard" new baby raise. She wants about a 13% raise, which isn't out of line if her employers can afford that raise. You can't.

2) is her overall new salary, for 3 kids, at $20 gross in-line, too low, too high or just right? She'll be making $800 a week. Do you pay her legally? If so, what is her net wage, and is it a livable wage? If you pay illegally, she's pocketing her gross wage each week, and has nothing to complain about, IMO.

3) am I wrong to think the add'l $2.50 is just an unreasonable request? Yes. It is not unreasonable to expect a hefty raise when a child is added to the family. However, your nanny needs to understand that you CAN NOT AFFORD to pay more than $20/hour, which makes her request unreasonable as long as she is working for you.

If you want to keep your nanny, it's time for a talk with her. As long as she is informed about your childcare budget, she can then make a decision as to whether she'll stay or leave. If, however, you are talking "poor" while redecorating/remodeling/traveling overseas, nanny will likely decide you just don't care to pay HER instead of buying fun stuff, and she will likely leave. Please note I am not saying nanny would be RIGHT to quit in that scenario, but the reality is nannies see where their employers $$ go, and if there are only minimal raises when there is excellent performance, and employers buy dozens of goodies and toys for themselves, human nature will kick in.

So, is your absolute wage ceiling $20/hour? IOW, is nanny going to need to know there will be no more raises after this? If so, be honest. Consider if you can add additional benefits that are low cost but greatly appreciated. And prepare for a new nanny search.

Anonymous wrote:OP, ROckville, MD, last time I looled, is a part of the Washington Metropolitan area and the COL is the same so why do you think you should not be paying a salary to fit the Metro area. If you can!t afford yo give your nannyan additional $5200.00 per year then you couldn't afford another child. 20:39 is spot on and nannies are fools for accepting your crap excuses.

Or maybe she can no longer afford to outsource her childcare responsibilities.

OP, ROckville, MD, last time I looled, is a part of the Washington Metropolitan area and the COL is the same so why do you think you should not be paying a salary to fit the Metro area. If you can!t afford yo give your nannyan additional $5200.00 per year then you couldn't afford another child. 20:39 is spot on and nannies are fools for accepting your crap excuses.

In no other profession would we put up with lack of salary increases, to commensurate with increased responsibilities.

OP, I know that you want stability for your kids and don't want to put them through a nanny change. However, your nanny knows this too and will continue to ask for large raises. You are already paying at the top of the market, and she needs to understand that. I would just say that you adore her, that this is all you can offer, and that you hope she can accept it. I would neither threaten to find someone else nor tell her that you can't afford more. This is a very sensitive and personal area, but in no other service would we put up with the price being jacked up this much after you're committed to a particular provider of that service.

OP the PP and your nanny are banking on the idea that you will fall for this nonsense and give into outrageous demands. They are simply hoping to take advantage of you. Our first nanny got married and moved out of state when her husband's job transferred him. Our kids were absolutely fine. You're better off hiring a someone else.

OP, as you can sadly see, some people here fail to comprehend how important continuity really is.

OP, you are already paying way above market for what you're getting. It sounds like your nanny will not be satisfied with the standard $1-$2/hr new child raise. Given how much you have already raised her, you are sort of pricing yourself out of care.

You can get a well qualified professional nanny for less than you're paying. Start a search now and let her go when you find a more suitable nanny. Good luck.

OP in Rockville you can find a nanny for 3 kids with great qualifications for far less. Your offer is not only reasonable but above market. I agree with others that you should have an honest conversation with her and if you are both not happy at the end, you should think about parting ways. Your kids will be fine with one nanny change. You will be relieved to have someone who is happy with her job rather than hitting you up for more every time you turn around.