Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh yes, agencies do care and they advertise the fact to prospective nannies.You always get a better rate with the agency, otherwise why would a nanny take trouble and register with them.

Because they can’t get a job otherwise. I don’t need the hassle of an agency because I’m better off without them.

When a parent calls an agency for a nanny, first question is how much do we have to pay her? (Nanny agencies are cutthroat competitive.) So agency responds “Oh, I’m sure we have excellent nannies within your budget”.
I won’t go on, but agencies have depressed nanny wages over the years. Yay! More money available for the agency!

Anonymous wrote:Oh yes, agencies do care and they advertise the fact to prospective nannies.You always get a better rate with the agency, otherwise why would a nanny take trouble and register with them.

Anonymous wrote:PP, I always thought that "word of mouth nannies" are underpaid, are you? One nanny I know got the next position through word of mouth literally within 2 weeks of finishing with her last one, and I am assuming her rate is much lower than mine. I am assuming this because I happen to know this new family, slightly but still I am aware what rate they had in mind. It usually takes me 2 to 3 months between jobs, and I use agencies, so I am surprised some seemingly good nannies use "word of mouth" and underestimate agencies. She could have got herself better pay via agency, being my point.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spin-off from thread about newborn care rates being $20-30/hr. I just want to congratulate high-income earning nannies ($25+/hr.) It's good practice to know how to perform your work, and charge accordingly. Kudos to each and every one of them.

What training/education would a nanny need to expect these rates? Would she need to be an RN?

Anonymous wrote:This is going to sound like I'm just full of myself but I swear I'm not.

We've gotten both our nannies at slightly below market rates ($24 in 2020, $26 now in DC) because nannies like working with us. The first nanny we had was coming of an experience with a really crappy family and a chaotic household, and her number one priority was a nice, loving family, who liked routine and stability. She was interviewing us just as much as we were interviewing her.

The second nanny we got off a temporary hire, and her big feedback was our schedule. We put our kids on a schedule starting in infancy. We've never handed a baby over to nanny without already being sleep trained and on clear schedule, that (in the case of two kids) merged well with the other.

They won't say it to your face, but for a baby 5 months or older, nannies don't want to hear "follow his cues, see how the day goes" baby-driven responsive parenting. You wouldn't want that at your job either.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm the PP with the college degree. I have NEVER been late - not once. I have never not finished the children's laundry each day and can't imagine what emotional support I would ever need or want from my employers!!! My employers know very little about my personal life and I only carry a cheap cell phone with me when I work so the parents can get a hold of me. In fact, no one else even has the number. There is never any "bleed" of personal to professional life.

I've only been sick once in my current position and I still showed up to work, on time, and allowed the parents to decide if they wanted me to stay. It turned out that the whole family (myself included) had the stomach flu. I was sent home, the husband went to the emergency room for dehydration and the MIL stayed with the two little ones while the mother went to bed. It was over in a day and I was back at work the next day.

I am now convinced I should be one of the $35 an hour nannies!!!!

What will you say when they ask what you have earned in your previous nanny jobs? How will you explains jump from $18 to $35?

Good point... However in my last few interviews, I was asked my rate not what I've been earning.

NP: I'm a nanny that works in the suburbs (not an extremely wealthy area, but definitely well off). I could never ask for $35 and expect to get a job. I also have a a degree from a great university with an early childhood education. I have about 12+ years of various experience, certifications yadda yadda... I show up every day and do my job as perfectly as I possibly can. My employers have expressed numerous times how grateful they are and how pleased they are with me. However, I know that if I asked to be paid that much they would easily be able to find someone else just as good and reliable for less than 1/2 that rate. There is simply more nannies than there are nanny employers in this area. Due to my education, experience and references, I do have an edge. I haven't had a problem securing a position yet, but I absolutely would if I charged anywhere near $35 / hr. I'm not saying it's impossible, maybe if there was one very wealthy family looking to hire and they really clicked me.... but what are the odds?

Anyways, maybe you'll be able to demand and lock down a rate like that, I'm just saying don't be surprised if you can't. Best of luck though (sincerely)!

You are right in every respect. I'm the poster that makes $35 (or maybe there was another one also, but at least some were me.) I don't go and apply to regular jobs and then spring the "Oh by the way I charge $35 an hour." it's more that I can find families up front that I know will pay what I'm looking for, or they contact me. People that will/can pay $35/hr for childcare know lots of other people that can/will pay $35/hr for childcare. But on that note, I have posted on this forum before seeking a job and was contacted by numerous families offering $20/hr and one that did go up to my $35 and I went with them. So it is possible, but like you said not probable. You have to find a different way to meet clients.

I agreed with the above. I’m on that range $32 + hourly/guaranteed hours and benefits. I found my last 3 jobs through an agency as I couldn’t digest how low and cheap DC urban moms pay and all the expectations they have. I won’t settle for anything less, living in MOCO is expensive and the state tax is ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I'm the PP with the college degree. I have NEVER been late - not once. I have never not finished the children's laundry each day and can't imagine what emotional support I would ever need or want from my employers!!! My employers know very little about my personal life and I only carry a cheap cell phone with me when I work so the parents can get a hold of me. In fact, no one else even has the number. There is never any "bleed" of personal to professional life.

I've only been sick once in my current position and I still showed up to work, on time, and allowed the parents to decide if they wanted me to stay. It turned out that the whole family (myself included) had the stomach flu. I was sent home, the husband went to the emergency room for dehydration and the MIL stayed with the two little ones while the mother went to bed. It was over in a day and I was back at work the next day.

I am now convinced I should be one of the $35 an hour nannies!!!!

What will you say when they ask what you have earned in your previous nanny jobs? How will you explains jump from $18 to $35?

Good point... However in my last few interviews, I was asked my rate not what I've been earning.

NP: I'm a nanny that works in the suburbs (not an extremely wealthy area, but definitely well off). I could never ask for $35 and expect to get a job. I also have a a degree from a great university with an early childhood education. I have about 12+ years of various experience, certifications yadda yadda... I show up every day and do my job as perfectly as I possibly can. My employers have expressed numerous times how grateful they are and how pleased they are with me. However, I know that if I asked to be paid that much they would easily be able to find someone else just as good and reliable for less than 1/2 that rate. There is simply more nannies than there are nanny employers in this area. Due to my education, experience and references, I do have an edge. I haven't had a problem securing a position yet, but I absolutely would if I charged anywhere near $35 / hr. I'm not saying it's impossible, maybe if there was one very wealthy family looking to hire and they really clicked me.... but what are the odds?

Anyways, maybe you'll be able to demand and lock down a rate like that, I'm just saying don't be surprised if you can't. Best of luck though (sincerely)!

You are right in every respect. I'm the poster that makes $35 (or maybe there was another one also, but at least some were me.) I don't go and apply to regular jobs and then spring the "Oh by the way I charge $35 an hour." it's more that I can find families up front that I know will pay what I'm looking for, or they contact me. People that will/can pay $35/hr for childcare know lots of other people that can/will pay $35/hr for childcare. But on that note, I have posted on this forum before seeking a job and was contacted by numerous families offering $20/hr and one that did go up to my $35 and I went with them. So it is possible, but like you said not probable. You have to find a different way to meet clients.

Anonymous wrote:These jobs/families are out there. You can find a family who will pay $50/hr for a nanny. There aren't many of them. Very few because it's the top 1% which is only 1%.

If having a nanny is a luxury that only the top 1% should have at $50/hr, fair enough, but a considerable number of current nannies will need to find other careers.

It's not a matter of whether or not a nanny is worth $35-50/hr. You can't get water from a stone and the majority of families cannot afford that much for childcare.