Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The most elite form of childcare is a governess.

No, you can't have a governess for a two year old, but you can for a six year old.

Anonymous wrote:The most elite form of childcare is a governess.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Additionally, there isn't much a so called $20/hr nanny offers a parent than a $14/hr nanny can't that is of measurable worth, which is another reason market rates vary more by geography than anything else. Sure, some parents value some things, like ECE credits or experience, but there is no objective measure that shows that having that experience makes a nanny worth more per hour.


Would you say that in general you believe that educated, experienced parents are better equipped to raise children? You'd probably want to avoid sweeping categorizations, but you'd acknowledge at least that higher education correlates with parents who expose their children to a wider and more sophisticated vocabulary, spend more time researching information related to their development and well-being, and are informed enough on a variety of topics to correctly answer questions like, "why are leaves green?" and "is Pluto a planet?" These would be just three of the potential benefits of an educated and experienced nanny, helping to explain why she costs a little bit more.

Bad analogy. Nannies are not parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Additionally, there isn't much a so called $20/hr nanny offers a parent than a $14/hr nanny can't that is of measurable worth, which is another reason market rates vary more by geography than anything else. Sure, some parents value some things, like ECE credits or experience, but there is no objective measure that shows that having that experience makes a nanny worth more per hour.


Would you say that in general you believe that educated, experienced parents are better equipped to raise children? You'd probably want to avoid sweeping categorizations, but you'd acknowledge at least that higher education correlates with parents who expose their children to a wider and more sophisticated vocabulary, spend more time researching information related to their development and well-being, and are informed enough on a variety of topics to correctly answer questions like, "why are leaves green?" and "is Pluto a planet?" These would be just three of the potential benefits of an educated and experienced nanny, helping to explain why she costs a little bit more.

Bad analogy. Nannies are not parents.

Anonymous wrote:
Additionally, there isn't much a so called $20/hr nanny offers a parent than a $14/hr nanny can't that is of measurable worth, which is another reason market rates vary more by geography than anything else. Sure, some parents value some things, like ECE credits or experience, but there is no objective measure that shows that having that experience makes a nanny worth more per hour.


Would you say that in general you believe that educated, experienced parents are better equipped to raise children? You'd probably want to avoid sweeping categorizations, but you'd acknowledge at least that higher education correlates with parents who expose their children to a wider and more sophisticated vocabulary, spend more time researching information related to their development and well-being, and are informed enough on a variety of topics to correctly answer questions like, "why are leaves green?" and "is Pluto a planet?" These would be just three of the potential benefits of an educated and experienced nanny, helping to explain why she costs a little bit more.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Additionally, there isn't much a so called $20/hr nanny offers a parent than a $14/hr nanny can't that is of measurable worth, which is another reason market rates vary more by geography than anything else. Sure, some parents value some things, like ECE credits or experience, but there is no objective measure that shows that having that experience makes a nanny worth more per hour.

Would you say that in general you believe that educated, experienced parents are better equipped to raise children? You'd probably want to avoid sweeping categorizations, but you'd acknowledge at least that higher education correlates with parents who expose their children to a wider and more sophisticated vocabulary, spend more time researching information related to their development and well-being, and are informed enough on a variety of topics to correctly answer questions like, "why are leaves green?" and "is Pluto a planet?" These would be just three of the potential benefits of an educated and experienced nanny, helping to explain why she costs a little bit more.

Anonymous wrote:Additionally, there isn't much a so called $20/hr nanny offers a parent than a $14/hr nanny can't that is of measurable worth, which is another reason market rates vary more by geography than anything else. Sure, some parents value some things, like ECE credits or experience, but there is no objective measure that shows that having that experience makes a nanny worth more per hour.

Anonymous wrote:The trouble is in the term 'elite' which doesn't have anything to do with childcare. Nannies are not a rare and small influential power group. The bar to becoming a childcare worker is low, which is why there are too many in the market to raise nanny rates.

This causes confusion. It's more accurate to say a nanny for a single child is the most expensive option for childcare, although it becomes more cost effective than a daycare with multiple children.

Additionally, there isn't much a so called $20/hr nanny offers a parent than a $14/hr nanny can't that is of measurable worth, which is another reason market rates vary more by geography than anything else. Sure, some parents value some things, like ECE credits or experience, but there is no objective measure that shows that having that experience makes a nanny worth more per hour.

Anonymous wrote:This is a flawed metaphor in so many ways, but if we want to stick to it then I think the most accurate comparison to draw would be to say that:

Most people need transportation / childcare.

A car is the most elite form of transportation / a nanny is the most elite form of childcare.

Many people use buses, subways, and carpools. This is perfectly acceptable. / Many people use daycares and nanny-shares. This is perfectly acceptable.

If you drive your own car / If you hire your own nanny, that's lovely for you, but it does no good to pretend you're not making a privileged choice when you do so. Because you are. Many people cannot make that choice.

(Of course, PP's argument that the car = childcare and the type of car is equivalent to the level of luxury you've chosen for your childcare is also sound.)

And yes, of course there are nannies that cost more than others, but there are no good nannies who cost less than daycare. Period.

You're all acting like idiots and I don't believe any of you are actually that dumb. Let's try this once more.

Of course you can be very happy with your Honda nanny - I'm very happy with my Honda car - but you are STILL utilizing the most elite form of childcare available to us. That's okay. You don't have to be rich or throw your nanny a bonus every quarter to enjoy that privilege, but you should recognize your already privileged status as nanny employers and not try to pretend that it is less elite than the daycare your neighbors had to settle for. You have also taken it upon yourselves to be someone's employer, and you need to make sure your conscience is sound when it comes to how you compensate her.

Perhaps it is the lack of forum monikers derailing this again, but I have never said you need to be a member of the wealthy elite or lose your sense of economy to/once you have employed a nanny. I actively call out the "$25/hr" troll and regularly campaign here for reasonable rates for nannies (I'm the poster who consistently says I don't believe in an increase in pay when additional children are born). But if you're not comfortable enough with your good fortune to admit that you are purchasing the most expensive form of childcare for your children, you are going to have much bigger problems in society as they get older.