Received Tuesday, December 4, 2007-Perspective & Opinion
What can I do? Hello!! I have been working as a nanny for a family in California, they are good and the kids are great, I really love the kids and look forward to see them every day! To make a long story short, they had a nanny for over a year, she had to go away for some time and I got the job with an agency, I signed a contract but now I think that I am not making enough money compared to the other nanny, the five year old always tells me that the other nanny never did anything, she sat around all day watching TV! she never took them to the park and gave them corn dogs for lunch every day! I always try to keep them entertained with activities, I cook good food for them every day, we don't watch TV unless is a movie i feel and i know that i do more work than her, because even she told me that she did nothing all day and was paid a lot of money! She told me she never did any art with the kids, or clean after them, I feel really bad because I know I am a good nanny and I think its unfair that she got paid way more money that me! I ask other nannies what should i do?
15 comments:
Really you can only go based on your experience. If you have a lot under your belt, you can try to renogotiate, or ask if you can renegotiate after a certain period of time (3 or 6 months from your start date, for example). It is totally unfair of you to compare yourself to another nanny though, as much as a 5 year old can say, you weren't there and didn't experience it.
If you feel like you are worth more, or that you are being underpaid for your experience and enthusiasm, definitely let them know by telling them that when you accepted the job, you knew you would be involved very much in the kids lives, but were surprised to find out just how much you do with them all day, and you feel like you are worth $ more per hour/week, whatever you use. If they seem uncomfortable, just say you would like them to consider it for a 3-month period where they can evaluate and see for themselves.
Good luck!
What makes you think the other nanny made more? How much do you think she made?
If you are sure the other nanny made more than you, then maybe you do need to be making a bit more. I'd be sure before you approach the parents though.
BTW...what's wrong with corn dogs? LOL!
You only have yourself to blame. Why didn't you negotiate your worth when you were hired? Why do you only feel now that you were duped ... because a 5 y.o. says the other nanny was no fun?
I agree with Sarah & Mitch, give it 6 mo., and renegotiate your contract.
Whatever happens, keep doing a good job with those kids. If you are as good as you say you are, they deserve you!
Good luck!
You agreed to your current salary when you signed your contract. It would be unprofessional to complain about you salary now. If you are doing a great job, you will probably get a nice raise when your contract comes up, especially if you are so much better than the last nanny.
I wouldn't worry about what the previous nanny said she made. She may not have been telling the truth.
UES Nanny
$10.00 is a lot of money to a 5 yr old.
Before you get upset, consider whether you and the other nanny came with comparable qualifications. How much experience/training did you have when you took the job? I am employer, not a nanny, but your situation is similar to what my nanny's was. When I hired my current nanny, I took what I considered a chance on someone who had never worked as a nanny before, but did have other childcare experience. Her references were good but from non-traditional sources for a nanny (her pastor, her child's teacher, and a neighoring families she babysat for). Something really clicked in the interview though and her background check was good, so I hired her, but at the lower end of the pay range I was looking at. I had had two prior nannies who had several years of experience and my offer was less than the prior, experienced nanny's salaries. My intention was to wait a year to offer a raise, but ended up giving her a raise after 4 months because she did such a good job (doing things like you describe you do for your employer). She now earns as much as her immediate predecessor, but not as much as the first nanny we hired who came to us with 15 years experience (and we only kept for a few weeks because her objective seemed to be figuring out how little effort she could possibly put into taking care of my kids). Talk to your employer openly about the issue--I hope that's what my nanny would do if she was unhappy about anything with her job--there may be a reason for the discrepancy. Fact is, you have the job, not your predecessor, so your employers must like you and should know if you are feeling under appreciated. I'm sure if they like you and want to keep you, they will correct the situation.
Unless you know the other nanny's actual salary, I wouldn't get too worked up.
You don't know what "a lot" of money means to her.
And maybe she lied. She doesn't sound like the most honest and ethical of people to brag about what a crappy nanny she was, does she?
I say it's your fault.
If you thought you were making enough until you heard about her salary, maybe next time you won't set your worth so low.
Ummm . . . why is this your response to finding out that you're doing a fabulous job compared to what this child had to deal with in the past?
The only recourse you have is to call a meeting with the parents, present your reasons for wanting to renegotiate and see what they say. If you're really as wonderful as you say, then perhaps they'd be receptive to the idea--but I don't know how I'd feel in their place, even if you are a wonderful nanny. It might make me feel like you're trying to take advantage.
I think you need to re-examine your priorities. Don't you feel good about the work your doing, irrespective of how much you made in comparison to someone else?
I am bit unclear about your situation. Were you hired on a temporary basis, to fill in for the other nanny while she is on leave? Are you getting your information from the five year old, from the other nanny, or both? Have you had any previous nanny jobs? How does your salary at this job compare to them?
I'd be very careful about believing what you hear. I got into trouble at a job a few years ago because one of the other employees lied to me about what she was making and encouraged me to go complain to the boss about the discrepancy. If you thought your pay was fair before, I'd keep doing a great job and wait till you're renewing your contract to discuss a good raise.
If you feel you're underpaid, that's one thing. But coming to this conclusion because of the ramblings of a 5 year old is insane.
Five bucks is "a lot of money" to a five-year-old. I seriously doubt the child was ever privy to the exact details of what the other nanny was paid (and likely has no comparison to what YOU are paid as well).
You're happy? Don't sabotage it.
If the pay was so great then why did she leave? The 5 year old was probably trying t get you to give her corndogs instead of whatever you were fixing. An occassional corndog lunch won't kill them. Just like I realized an occassional popsicle for breakfast made the kid happy and meant I didn't have to fix anything lol. Mom let him have it and it thrilled him so what was the harm. Wait some time and if nanny's in touch she probably wants her job back and is trying to get you to leave it.
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