Honestly, some of you posters are wrong and some are right. I feel there are many nannies who take this job seriously and can earn $20 and more. Now, what I'd like to know is, if your making $20 an hr for 1 child, what exactly are your duties. I'm in the DC area (Capitol Hill) and there are nannies here that make $22+ (primarily in a share), so they say. The funny thing is, I honestly believe this rate is reasonable in a share, but, when I ask them what types of things they do with the children, it's not much. I bring my own supplies for arts and crafts, mad a small rice box to bring to work, download lesson plans for learning letters, numbers, colors, trips on metro, things such as that. Not just take kids to the playground, play dates or to the library!

I think those of you who judge that a nanny should only make this amount or say what someone is paying is too much, need to mind their on damn business. It should be based on what the nanny is bringing to your family. Parents should never be discussing the salary they pay their nanny with any other parent, because every nannies duties, hours and level of experience is different!

Anonymous wrote:I don't think anyone is really basing the salary offering off what they see here - at least, I hope not. I've always just posted at the rate that I thought was reasonable and seen what kinds of candidates come in. When I was newer at hiring people, my rates were outdated - based on what I had earned years ago. So, I upped the offered rate and got better candidates.

That's exactly how a free market is supposed to work, and it did.

Exactly. You get what you pay for.

PP here. So, as an MB, responding to this thread about "stop trying to deflate wages,"

There are definitely wage inflation on this board too.

This board is not a good place to get information about wages because of this reason.

My first nanny, I paid $19 to watch 1 kid. I was dumb to pay that like many first time parents. She started at $17 and got a dollar raise every year. Part of the reason why I did this dumb thing is by reading fake posts by nannies who claim such a high rate is reasonable. Check every other source--neighborhood mom listserves, any study, nanny pay news article and you will find the average rate for the DC area is about $15.50.

The last nanny I had asked for $18 for 2 kids. I thought it was OK but I could've found someone for less for sure. But I liked her so I did it.

My $18/hr nanny had to leave and I was in a bind. So I got someone fast and paid her $19. She was a dud. Really lazy and "forgetful" (or just lazy and forgets on purpose? who knows?) I fired her after 2 weeks.

Now I have a college student for $12/hr. She is great. Fluent English, does everything I ask and more, is energetic, gives everything to her job, cooks, light housekeeping, everything I had before an more.. and I have an extra car payment every month.

Take it for what it's worth. Sure there are some people who give you what you pay. But there are a lot of opportunities in the market too. The nannies who demand $18/hr would love see you fail and have a terrible experience if you talk about it on this board.

I don't think anyone is really basing the salary offering off what they see here - at least, I hope not. I've always just posted at the rate that I thought was reasonable and seen what kinds of candidates come in. When I was newer at hiring people, my rates were outdated - based on what I had earned years ago. So, I upped the offered rate and got better candidates.

That's exactly how a free market is supposed to work, and it did.

I have no clue why anyone thinks it works to either deflate or inflate wages on this forum. Tell am MB she can get a great nanny for $12 an hour and she will soon find out that DCUM was dead wrong and has wasted weeks. Same with telling a nanny she can earn $30 an hour.

What people lie about here does NOT change the facts.

Anonymous wrote:MB's, please stop trying to deflate wages below their normal $18-22/hr by making inane and repetitive posts on this forum. Do you know what it costs to live around here? And $11, $12, or $13/hr to trust someone to care for babies and providing them a loving and nurturing environment is just absurd. Holding out for cheap nannies explains why you are stuck taking care of your own child and sitting on DCUM all day every day.

Thank you friends.

Exactly. The people getting $15/hr need to share their bedrooms like college kids in a dorm. Nice life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is op. I wrote this post using almost the same language as the inflate wages post. There is a war of words going on in both threads. What do you think that tells you?

The words in both threads say the same thing........ That nanny pay should be around $12 at the low end and $16 at the high end.

Why post something like this? Who are you to say what a nanny's pay "should" be?! If you think the threads prove that that's what nannies are paid, say that, don't be inflammatory unnecessarily though.

People who want the best (and can afford it) will pay top dollar.

Anonymous wrote:MB's, please stop trying to deflate wages below their normal $18-22/hr by making inane and repetitive posts on this forum. Do you know what it costs to live around here? And $11, $12, or $13/hr to trust someone to care for babies and providing them a loving and nurturing environment is just absurd. Holding out for cheap nannies explains why you are stuck taking care of your own child and sitting on DCUM all day every day.

Thank you friends.

Well said.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is op. I wrote this post using almost the same language as the inflate wages post. There is a war of words going on in both threads. What do you think that tells you?

The words in both threads say the same thing........ That nanny pay should be around $12 at the low end and $16 at the high end.

Ha! I made a minimum of $17 hour starting at 17 years old. No way would anyone want to work for $12 if they wanted to pay their bills. Even housing sitting an empty house was about 1000k plus food.

1,000 for a week.

Come on, be real. I make a high salary for a nanny, but no one pays $1000 a week for housesitting. That is just ridiculous.

I'm not quoted pp but, again, just because something never crossed the realm of YOUR reality, It doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
I know a lot of people who easily pay $1k for a week of house sitting! It is $140 a day if you think about it, is not that crazy. What is worth to a family leaving their $4 million dollar house alone for a week?? Peace of mind? Security? Coming home to zero surprises? Yeahhh I think 1k is a drop in the bucket for some.

Just my $ .02
CT nanny

You are an idiot CT Nanny. I work in an area where 15-20 million dollar houses are not considered abnormal and I have done a fair amount of housesitting, so you can shove it with your "who's going to take care of their precious $4 million dollar house while they are on vacation?". People still do not pay $1000 week for just housesitting. If you have some pets or other things to throw in there you might get that, but not for just straight housesitting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is op. I wrote this post using almost the same language as the inflate wages post. There is a war of words going on in both threads. What do you think that tells you?

The words in both threads say the same thing........ That nanny pay should be around $12 at the low end and $16 at the high end.

Ha! I made a minimum of $17 hour starting at 17 years old. No way would anyone want to work for $12 if they wanted to pay their bills. Even housing sitting an empty house was about 1000k plus food.

1,000 for a week.

Come on, be real. I make a high salary for a nanny, but no one pays $1000 a week for housesitting. That is just ridiculous.

I'm not quoted pp but, again, just because something never crossed the realm of YOUR reality, It doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
I know a lot of people who easily pay $1k for a week of house sitting! It is $140 a day if you think about it, is not that crazy. What is worth to a family leaving their $4 million dollar house alone for a week?? Peace of mind? Security? Coming home to zero surprises? Yeahhh I think 1k is a drop in the bucket for some.

Just my $ .02
CT nanny

Not everyone who posts here lives in DC. So yes, $11-13 an hour is perfectly acceptable in many, many locations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is op. I wrote this post using almost the same language as the inflate wages post. There is a war of words going on in both threads. What do you think that tells you?

The words in both threads say the same thing........ That nanny pay should be around $12 at the low end and $16 at the high end.

Ha! I made a minimum of $17 hour starting at 17 years old. No way would anyone want to work for $12 if they wanted to pay their bills. Even housing sitting an empty house was about 1000k plus food.

1,000 for a week.

Come on, be real. I make a high salary for a nanny, but no one pays $1000 a week for housesitting. That is just ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is op. I wrote this post using almost the same language as the inflate wages post. There is a war of words going on in both threads. What do you think that tells you?

The words in both threads say the same thing........ That nanny pay should be around $12 at the low end and $16 at the high end.

Ha! I made a minimum of $17 hour starting at 17 years old. No way would anyone want to work for $12 if they wanted to pay their bills. Even housing sitting an empty house was about 1000k plus food.

1,000 for a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is op. I wrote this post using almost the same language as the inflate wages post. There is a war of words going on in both threads. What do you think that tells you?

The words in both threads say the same thing........ That nanny pay should be around $12 at the low end and $16 at the high end.

Ha! I made a minimum of $17 hour starting at 17 years old. No way would anyone want to work for $12 if they wanted to pay their bills. Even housing sitting an empty house was about 1000k plus food.