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07.01.08, 15:30 PM General Topics
55 replies
Seeing the other post I just have to ask, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE, paying their nannies $25-$33/hr and telling everyone else that they are taking advantage of their nannies at $15/hour. Hello, but educated professional in this city are making less than that on an hourly basis! [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
General Topics 07.01.08, 03:30 PM Flag
 

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those are prob nannies writing those posts/replies. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 03:30 PM Flag
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My nanny IS an educated professional. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 03:32 PM Flag
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i live in greenwich, ct. and fwiw, we pay $20-25/hr for nannies who cook, clean, iron, do errands, shuttle the kids around, babysit, everything. i don't know anyone who pays more than $25/hr, although I do know families who have their household help on a formal payroll. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 03:33 PM Flag
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but that is CT [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:13 PM Flag
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well you don't have a nanny, you have a housekeeper. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:30 PM Flag
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I certainly hope their help is on "formal payroll" As opposed to off the books? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:31 PM Flag
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they are liars = trying to make other people feel bad - just like the HHI posts - half of them or more are lies [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 03:34 PM Flag
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ITA [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:37 PM Flag
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me too. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.24.08, 04:24 PM Flag
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Based on her gross pay (including taxes), we pay $25 per hour, but our nanny nets closer to $18 per hour. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 03:35 PM Flag
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i think it is crazy, my dh is a IT analyist and works harder than any nanny and he makes $25 an hour, granted he is just starting out but come on people, they are glorified babysitter. Additionally, just because you pay them more doesn't make up for the fact that you are not there for your child. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 03:42 PM Flag
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Why do you think your DH works harder than a nanny? I am a CFO. And I think I have a much easier job than a nanny. I would gouge my own eyes out to avoid reading Green Eggs and Ham one more time if I were a nanny. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:43 PM Flag
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NP: Just because you'd rather do your job than do childcare, does not make your job easier per se - just better suited for you. DH (not in IT) works 60+ hours/week, under stressful conditions, needs to check in on weekends, is responsible for a bottom line, has to deal with office politics, doesn't have time for lunch etc. It's definitely NOT easier than childcare. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:46 PM Flag
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Your DH's job doesn't sound any different than mine. And it is MUCH easier than running playgroups or entertaining cranky toddlers all day. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:57 PM Flag
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Again, while YOU may find it easier, I don't think that makes it a universal truth. DH would quit his job and stay home in a heartbeat. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:53 PM Flag
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what a bs. you just dont want to spend time with your dc, it's different. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.14.08, 05:12 PM Flag
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yeah, it does actually sound A LOT harder that a nanny's job. especially if the nanny is taking care of one kid. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.14.08, 05:14 PM Flag
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I pay $14 an hour, on the books. When you factor in everything the legalities add, it appears that I am paying way over market. But I'm really not. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:11 PM Flag
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Our babysitter (nee: nanny) has been with us for 12 years. We now pay her almost $45 an hour but she has 3 dcs and does light cleaning. She also has health insurance with my Dhs company. It all depends on what you have to spend and what you are willing to spend. IMO though, so many people in NYC insist on having help and discuss that they can afford help but treat them poorly considering they are caring for our most important asset [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:16 PM Flag
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omg you are insane [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:18 PM Flag
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really why [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:22 PM Flag
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Liar [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:07 PM Flag
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she is a liar for calling her insane...this just gets better and better [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:09 PM Flag
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haha. wow, you're nuts. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.14.08, 05:15 PM Flag
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ita - i pay $35 an hour plus two yearly bonuses - she helps care for my four children, does cleaning, sometimes does cooking and grocery shopping, she is a second mother in my house [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:30 PM Flag
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OP: that's fine - after 12 years, you are paying for a unique and special relationship. but honestly, that is NOT the norm, or average, or typcial or even a situation that most people find themselves in. It's great that this works for your family, but it's probably not going to work for very many families. It's simply NOT the going rate for household help. Salaries are what the market can bear. If all household help demanded $25+/hour, then far fewer people would be able to hire help, more people would be out of work and they would accept a lower wage. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:36 PM Flag
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But we are not talking about household help we are talking about someone who raises your dcs [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:04 PM Flag
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I raise my own dc thank you very much. His nanny's responsibility is picking him up from school, taking him on playdates/to the park/etc., preparing his meals and bathing him. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:55 PM Flag
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not just that, who has an extra 75k or 100k to pay a nanny, regardless of how special the situation is. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.24.08, 04:08 PM Flag
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Thank you, yes. These women b$tch because they have to pay someone to care for their dcs. Some of them, not myself, SAH and yet they curse how lacking nannies are and then complain that they are not worth more than minimum wage horrible! [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:07 PM Flag
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that is crazy. nobody with 4 kids and means to pay that much would keep just one nanny at 35/hr instead of several at 10/hr. that is a lie. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.14.08, 05:10 PM Flag
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"nee:nanny" lol She was born "Nanny"? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:33 PM Flag
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How did you get her covered through DH's company? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:41 PM Flag
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they probably put nanny of their payroll as an employee - after it's their company [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:56 PM Flag
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Yes, but the risk pooling for group plans doesn't allow you to just add anyone without them having bona fide employment with the company sponsoring the group. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:58 PM Flag
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Dh owns the company [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:05 PM Flag
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That doesn't answer my question. Does he have two groups? One for his company's employees and one for his domestic employees? Or is he claiming that she works for the company? [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:06 PM Flag
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Claims she works for the company, she is not a write off but she is covered by health insurance as a personal assistant which she is [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:08 PM Flag
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But if the health insurance provider gets hip to the scheme, everyone in the group could lose their coverage retroactively for the benefit year. That is a HUGE risk to take. And DH could end up personally liable for all of his employees medical bills for the entire year. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 05:55 PM Flag
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That's crazy. Almost $100K a year? Some doctors don't make that. Or lawyers. Professors don't make that. Writers rarely make that. Social workers never make that. Teachers--with Masters--make that after about 20 years on the job. Nurses don't usually make that. The list goes on. People like you make it impossible for the rest of us to actually survive. You're like the people who totally overbid for a home--just because you want it and your so flush. Next thing you know, the rest of us are paying 80% of their take home just to live in a shack. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.02.08, 12:16 AM Flag
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That's 90K per year. I don't find that anyone I've met when interviewing sitters is even close to worth that. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.31.08, 10:36 AM Flag
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I pay $17/hr for 2 kids--no cooking or cleaning. Seems okay to me. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 04:19 PM Flag
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me too, plus health insurance and month's bonus at end of the year. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.31.08, 10:48 AM Flag
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I should really move to NYC and become a babysit. My last job only paid $23/hr and didn't involve snacking on pudding pops and reading books all day. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 07.01.08, 10:33 PM Flag
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I really can't believe how much judgement and hostility there is on this board directed towards both parents and babysitters. We all make our own choices. Just because one person pays a sitter $25/hr does not mean that you have to. There are sitters that can/will work for less and there are those that will only work for more. Parents find babysitters that match their needs and vice-versa. I am a babysitter and work very hard. I am an artist who supports herself as a babysitter. I have a degree from a top college, am in my late twenties, have worked in corporate jobs and could be a lawyer or doctor if I wanted to. To paint all babysitters as lazy is totally inappropriate and offensive. Good babysitters work very very hard and are deserving of solid compensation. They are also deserving of breaks. Yes, I have babysat for sleeping children and have passed the time reading a book. I have also had children wake up in a nightmare or with a terribly painful ear infection or frightened in a thunderstorm and I have been there. I have had children ask me questions about miscarriages, death, marriage etc and have had to navigate answering those questions in ways that I felt their parents would appreciate. Babysitting is not just about making sure that your child doesn't die. It is much more complicated and is a job with HUGE responsibility. I am so grateful to have never had to deal with the attitude I am discovering today. I know some of the comments have been casual and have been said in jest but I feel like they are totally disrespectful nonetheless. Why is it SO shocking that a babysitting can make a living? a good living even? I had no idea that this was such a hot button topic. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.24.08, 03:43 PM Flag
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The problem is for those of us who have to work and cannot afford those rate. I've been shocked by high school students expecting 15 an hour to sit on a sofa while my child sleeps. Hard part about living in the city is that there are so many who are so wealthy that price is no object for them. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.24.08, 04:04 PM Flag
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^^^ I also don't recommend my sitters to my wealthier friends because I'll lose them. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.24.08, 04:10 PM Flag
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that's not quite true. every time someone pays their nanny $17/hour or $25/hour, it raises the bar for the rest of us. so yes, when someone does it it does sometimes mean we have to too. it's like the poster above said about housing prices...the people who can overpay and do so raise prices for the rest of us. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.24.08, 04:15 PM Flag
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This is the babysitter again. I know that paying $25/hr can raise the bar for everyone else however I maintain that you can still find qualified, loving babysitters for an amount that you can afford because there are many many babysitters out there in ny. I for one am constantly taking pay cuts in order not to price out families that are struggling financially. I can only afford to do that because I am able to offset the loss by working for families that pay me more. I'm not trying to oversimplify the difficulty of finding an affordable babysitter. As an artist I often wonder how I would be able to afford a babysitter like myself in the future. I am just saying that 1. I would appreciate not having babysitting looked at as such a simple, nothing job (ie. not SUCH a contrast from "educated professional" and "lawyer", or "teacher" etc...)and 2. that parents realize that there are actually also positive things for everyone about families paying higher babysitting rates when they are able. It is not such a black and white issue. I wouldn't be able to afford to be a babysitter at a regular rate of $15. I'd have to stop alltogether. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.31.08, 08:25 AM Flag
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Maybe the people who "overpay" their nannies feel the nanny DESERVES it and really wants to keep their nanny happy. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.01.08, 11:17 PM Flag
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What about you and your degree makes you worth 50K per year as a sitter? Not flaming, but truly curious to know what you bring to the job that distinguishes you from sitters making $15 an hour. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.31.08, 10:45 AM Flag
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I'm not sure how to respond to this because I never said I deserved to be payed more than other babysitters. I was only commenting on my experience as someone whose normal rate is higher than $15/hr. I also never said I made 50k. I only mentioned my degree because I feel like it is inaccurate (and disrespectful) to paint babysitters as less than "educated professionals." I don't really know how exactly to explain what makes me deserving of my rate. It is not such a science. As a babysitter I'm trustworthy, creative, silly, kind, non-judgemental, patient, honest, smart, super responsible.... I guess these are qualities that appeal to the families I work for. I feel totally comfortable as a babysitter and parents feel like they can relax when I'm with their children because they know that I will handle anything that comes up in a manner that they themselves would support. I've had a couple of mothers tell me how thankful they were to have found me because they had never previously been able to truly relax and enjoy themselves when their kids were being watched by previous sitters. With me they didn't feel they had reason to worry because they knew that their kids were being well cared for. Again, I am not saying that these are skills that I possess exclusively. This is just the only way I know how to respond to your question. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.01.08, 10:46 PM Flag
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don't forget watching TV while the kids nap. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.14.08, 05:17 PM Flag
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i've been flamed here for paying low nanny salary (don't ask) and i think there are posters here who just really don't understand finances of middle and low income families. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 08.24.08, 04:04 PM Flag
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Can anyone recommend a great housekeeper in Greenwich, CT? She needs to live-in, drive, swim, and do a small amount of childcare. She must have excellent long-term references and an old fashioned work ethic. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 09.14.08, 05:04 PM Flag
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