Anonymous wrote:It's a myth that a nanny's workload doubles with a new baby.

$1-2/hr is standard raise and very fair.

Is that what you get paid??

OP, $17 per hour--an increase of $1.50 per hour--sounds very fair for two kids, especially given that your PTO is about double the average. The standard increase in DC for going from one child to two (assuming one family as opposed to a share) is $1-2 per hour.

The reality is that parents pay a premium for the first child, because the nanny must actually live on her salary. With subsequent children, the nanny's workload does not double or triple, because she is still just one person working (presumably) the same hours. She may get less personal time on the job than she did with one child, but personal time at work is not an entitlement.

Don't mention that your upper limit is $18 per hour. That may change in the future, and if not, why make it an issue before it needs to be?

Also, it is perfectly fine to offer an annual increase of $.50 per hour. At a base of $17 per hour, that works out to about 3%, which is a fairly common COLA increase these days and more than many professionals can count on each year.

It's a myth that a nanny's workload doubles with a new baby.

$1-2/hr is standard raise and very fair.

NP here.

Giving $1 an hour extra as a raise for a second child is insulting. Your nanny is going to be doubling her work and you think $1 more per hour is reasonable? The standard is at least $2 more per hour for the new baby.

You said you are paying $15.50 an hour currently. I don't know any professional nannies who would take care of 2 children for $16.50 an hour.

OP- I think you should offer at least $17 an hour, or your nanny could easily move on to another family who will pay her a fair hourly rate for 2 children. I wouldn't worry about yearly raises yet. Just focus on giving your nanny a raise that would make her feel appreciated.

To the PP who said give the nanny $1 for the baby and .50 cents as her yearly raise, I feel bad for your nanny. I've never seen a family give a yearly raise of .50 cents. What a joke.

$1/hr raise for a newborn is an insult to the nanny and to your child. Why bother?

Oh please, $1 is common and fair. There is one nanny spewing nonsense.

$1/hr raise for a newborn is an insult to the nanny and to your child. Why bother?

OP $1 is standard. Don't forget that your nanny will expect annual raises even when the workload starts declining.

Anonymous wrote:No OP $1 is fine. Its not in your interest to up the rate to the point where you can't do raises. For this year you should give her $1 for the new child and .50 cents for the annual raise. In future years go back to whatever your normal raise schedule has been. Its unlikely that your nanny can easily find another job paying more for 2 kids or as much for 1. If she can and she is someone who could do this its in your interest now to change nannies while you are on maternity leave rather than a year or two down the road.

The nannies who are responding will of course want you to give as much as they think they can talk you into giving! $1 for a new baby is pretty standard don't let them fool you!

You are a total embarrassment.

No OP $1 is fine. Its not in your interest to up the rate to the point where you can't do raises. For this year you should give her $1 for the new child and .50 cents for the annual raise. In future years go back to whatever your normal raise schedule has been. Its unlikely that your nanny can easily find another job paying more for 2 kids or as much for 1. If she can and she is someone who could do this its in your interest now to change nannies while you are on maternity leave rather than a year or two down the road.

The nannies who are responding will of course want you to give as much as they think they can talk you into giving! $1 for a new baby is pretty standard don't let them fool you!

Anonymous wrote:This is OP - I pay $15.50 an hour, and was thinking of going up to $17. We also give about 4 weeks PTO and federal holidays. My only issue with going up to $18 is that I can't afford a pay raise every year for too much longer at that rate since my pay is not going up the next couple of years.

OP, I think you should respectfully offer her your max rate and tell her this is your long range limit. I'd seriously be embarassed to suggest a 1.50 increase for your new baby care. Would you accept that, in her shoes? If that were me, I'd be lining up a new job. On the other hand, if you're totally already pressed to the max financially, she may see that and accept whatever you can afford. I hate to say it, but most nannies usually have a good idea of your financial priorities.

OP, have you asked the nanny how much of an increase she's expecting for taking on the care and responsibility of an infant?

How much of the PTO is of her choosing? Also, I think you're raise is fair. Congrats OP!

Also, if you are doing 90+% of the baby care during your maternity leave, the raise ought to be effective when you go back to work and nanny is actually caring for both kids regularly. Remember also that if the older kid will go to preschool then your nanny may not be directly responsible for both kids all the time for very long.

Anonymous wrote:This is OP - I pay $15.50 an hour, and was thinking of going up to $17. We also give about 4 weeks PTO and federal holidays. My only issue with going up to $18 is that I can't afford a pay raise every year for too much longer at that rate since my pay is not going up the next couple of years.

11:30 (again!) here.

That sounds completely appropriate to me.

This is OP - I pay $15.50 an hour, and was thinking of going up to $17. We also give about 4 weeks PTO and federal holidays. My only issue with going up to $18 is that I can't afford a pay raise every year for too much longer at that rate since my pay is not going up the next couple of years.