Received Monday, December 1, 2008. - Perspective & Opinion
Hi, I would like to post a question. I am a nanny and I live and work in Madison, Wisconsin. I would just like to talk to other nannies and find out if I am making a fair wage. I have been with this family for 6 months. I absolutely adore them. I work for them part time three days a week and 9 hours a day. I make $10 off the books. (But I want to talk to them about being on the books...but this is another story.) I watch two little boys 1 and 4. I take care of and play with the boys all day. I also do dishes, laundry, vacuuming, dusting, cooking, etc. The boys take about a 2 hour nap and I usually clean and do housework throughout the day and during their nap time.
When I was hired I know I told them I was okay with doing some housework so I am not complaining about that. I am just wondering what other nannies are making? The family I work for is not extremely wealthy. And I do not want to leave them but I also would like to be making what I'm worth. I know that they really appreciate me and they are much better than the last family I worked for. But I feel like I do a LOT for them and would like to know how I compare to other nannies and their duties. Any feedback will be appreciated.
Thank you, A Nanny in Wisconsin.
29 comments:
I am not too familiar with the Wisconsin area or what the going rate is there.
I live in CA and that would be way below market rate down here.
If you want to get an idea of what the market rate is where you live at, you can browse the CHILDCARE section on craigslist.org. Or maybe sittercity.com.
It sounds like you are a nanny/houskeeper to me. A nanny would only probably be responsible for "light housekeeping" duties related to the children only, such as laundry, dishes, and toys/play area. Maybe a little sweeping/vacuuming, but I don't think dusting, etc. would be included. If you agreed to do some housework, it would have been good to be more specific about what chores you were to perform before you agreed on a wage. You can still discuss that now since I think you have a lot of responsibility/liability and are only making $10/per. The family is getting a great deal and I think no matter where you live at, you are being underpaid. They do not sound like very nice people if they are taking advantage of you like this. Even if you agreed to it, they should be paying you a fair wage.
On a personal note, I have been taking advantage of many times in this line of work. It is never a good feeling, but you must speak up before the bitterness eats away at you and the situation gets ugly. I am speaking from experience here.
Good Luck OP.
I'm from CO, So I'm not really sure what that rate is up there, but it's a bit low for here. I would say around here people charge $10/hr for 1 kid (usually a minimum) and charge more for housework. You could check out Craigslist as Nanny Sarah said, but at least here in CO, that's not a good way to compare. Out here, about 90% of the people on Craigslist are looking for nannies for about $2-$5/hr, which was all know is TOTALLY unrealistic. I would maybe check out nanny agencies in your area, or post something on craigslist asking other nannies what they make (but not the parents, if it's anything like CO craigslist).
Check out care.com. That site has a comparison program based on zipcode and I believe the numbers are derived from surveys they've sent out to various parents and caregivers...good luck!
So this family is basically receiving a free cleaning service. I don't know the rates either for your area. But I would think $10 hr would be for just childcare. It doesn't sound like cleaning should be in the price.
Hi Nanny,
I work in Manhattan and I started at 10/hr which is not much in Manhattan.
What I want to say is if you came out of a bad job experience and you love this job and you are happy and could get by on your salary, why sweat it? Just be happy, do your job and enjoy the good things that come to you.
The reason I say this is when I started at $10/hr, other nannies made me feel like I was getting less than I was worth and made made me feel like my employeers were giving me a raw deal and I was being deceived, but I too had just come out of a bad job experience working for a family 11hrs a day for $250 a week off the books just trying to survive in a big city with no friends and family.
It was bad but I learned from it, and evenat that time, I could get by on a very simple life.
Today I am happy. I can truly say that. I have been employeed with my present family for about 2and a half years, they treat me with respect, they show their appreciation. I do most of what you do and I do it in Manhattan NY.
I have been told my salary is pocket change in NY and it is but once I could get my bills paid and get to work and make it through another day, thats what counts.
I think about all the unemployed people in the US today and I am ever so much more thankful.
So my message to you is just be thankful, your salary is good if you can get things done, it doesn't matter what others make, you don't know their situation and what they have to get done, also what they put up with in their workplace.
If you like your family and they like you and you are treated with respect and most of all you feel blessed and lucky, never mind the grass on the other side of the fence, its not always that greener.
If you are thankful for the little things, only then would you be blessed with even greater things.
Sorry abt all the misspelt words and typos (crap!!)
I personally don't think this is a good place to get a realistic sense of average nanny salaries. Numbers on here tend to skew much higher than in real life, primarily because the demographic is more educated, experienced, on the books nannies. Regardless of your personal views on the subject, the truth is real life wages include competition with off the books, cash wages and the number of undocumented workers. When I lived in SD, wages were fairly low due to the proximity to Mexico. I also agree with someone else who wrote that CL tends to give you lower numbers than reality. My guess is that $10/hour is pretty standard for Wisconsin. I have also found that doing the level of housekeeping that you mention is not uncommon. Again, I know many on here go crazy at the idea of a nanny doing any housework, but it is fairly standard in my experience. I do think if you put up an ad on CL looking for a sitter and ask people to reply with their requested wages, that does actually give you a good idea of the going rate. You will always get a few people willing to work for nothing and a few asking huge numbers, but the majority will fall within a reasonable range. Also, I think the current economy really needs to be considered. This has started trickling down to nannies and I know plenty of unemployed nannies who haven't yet acclimated to the idea of working for less than they made during the boom.
That sounds realistic to me. I am just outside of Nashville and I make $11/hr on the books with light housecleaning. It really all depends on where you live. Are nannies in high demand there? If not, you are probably making a fair wage. But if you could leave your family and have no trouble finding another nannying job, then you wouldn't be wrong in asking for a raise.
Anonymous said...
I'm not sure if you're being underpaid. I only make $9/hr off the books as well, but I'm in Indiana and work 50 hours a week. I also only have one kid who is in pre-school for half the day, takes a nap and does extracurricular activities. I do housework (dusting, vaccuuming, dishes, mopping kitchen floor, some laundry occasionally, etc) and don't really mind it because what else am I going to do for the entire day? So I guess it really just depends on the cost of living in your area, because for me I get by very comfortably.
2:17 PM
RE-POST FOR ANONYMOUS!!
YOU NEED A MONIKER! :)
I don't know about Wisconsin, but it seems kinda low to me for what you're doing. I make $10/hour under-the-table, but get tons of perks - no housework, $50 a week gas stipend, free addidas stuff (both parents are addidas execs) and lots of paid vacation time. I only watch 1 baby and aren't even required to clean up after her (although I do anyway).
That being said, if you are happy with your situation, you should stick with it. Being happy with my job situation is foremost to me, as long as I can pay my bills.
It depends on your circumstances too. I make $10/hr in Wisconsin after taxes but we are struggling because I am a single mom trying to support 3 of us on that. So in order to make $10/hr take home and put it on taxes you need to make $11.50/hr.
Anonymous said...
i take it that you are not a live in? im in upstate ny and would be charging $14-$15/hr for what you are doing. $10 seems very low for watching 2 kids and housekeeping. the 2 hour nap doesnt matter, you are still there working regardless of whether they are sleeping or not.
4:08 PM
Re-post for anonymous!
Pick a moniker! :)
That's a bullshit wage and no, you shouldn't be satisfied with it as long as you can pay your bills. The sole reason care-giving (and all domestic work) is underpaid is because it has traditionally been 'female' work. Its sexist and bullshit. They probably pay their dog groomer more and that isn't ok. Assholes.
I make $500/week ON the books @ 40-45 hors/week.
*I load the dishwasher after lunch everyday, and put them away before Mom and Dad get home.
*I sweep when and IF we have a messy lunch.
*I vacuum everyday- only because there are two dogs and the kids are so young.
* When I see the KID's laundry filling the bin, I throw them in the wash... usually on a Friday. I like them, so I'd like to think it makes their weekend easier.
These things take me what, an hour/day?... after picking up all the toys.
She is a lawyer- Partner actually. He also has a great job. Yeah, they have money. There are some days I think I should make more with two children under 3 years old. But after reading your story I feel okay. You're doing too much.
How old are you? Can you really afford to live on this? My $2000/month isn't always enough.
Other things to consider: Do you have any special training? CPR and First Aid? Any Certificate? How many years have you been in this field? If you google "sittercity + rates" it will give you an average that you should be making.
I have a Childcare Specialist Certificate, and I'm halfway into my AAS Degree in Early Education. When I'm done, I expect more $.
I am a nanny in Milwaukee. I work full time for two kids, 4 and 1. I make $15/hour and have been with them since the oldest was born.
On the books sorry. Yes, I think you should talk to them about being on the books, just to cover yourself at least.
I don't get why employers pay off the books. Why don't you just take your children to daycare if that's all you can afford?
I'm not sure since when housekeeping is standard nanny work. It is not. You can hardly be a professional nanny if you're picking up after people. If I wanted to do that I'd become a housekeeper, and frankly using my degree is a lot more attractive than that alternative- not to bash those who actually enjoy doing housekeeping as part of their chores.
I feel that to do housekeeping would really change the dynamics of the relationship.
Kids toys, the dishwasher (because you wash the children's utensils there) and laundry are the only things I do on a job, and cooking for the child of course, but there are a plethora of other things I do that have to do with the children's development.
How do you get 2 hours downtime and use that to clean? when do you rest? Anyway, I suppose it's where you are in your experience in this field.
Having said all of that I do agree that you should not complain if you're happy. Great employers are very hard to come by. I know some people here say to 'suck it up' if the money is very good, but I'll have to disagree, peace of mind is first, and money can't buy that.
Please do not think that the grass is greener on the other side, because sometimes it isn't. The side bar to this is that I would not work for 10 dollars an hour doing the job I do, but perhaps in Wisconsin that money goes a long way?
No, that money does not go a long way in Wisconsin. LOL
Anonymous said...
The question ISN'T whether she is being paid the PREVAILING wage, but whether she is being compensated fairly.
Does she have health insurance?
Soes she have unemployment coverage?
Does she have a pension?
Is she going to get Social Security benefits for this time?
Does she have paid vacation and sick leave?
Does she have protection against arbitrary dismissal or harassment?
Are her wages adequate to make up for any or all of the above?
If the answer to any of these questions is "no," then I submit that she is not being compensated adequately.
11:13 AM
RE-POST FOR ANONYMOUS POSTER!
YOU NEED TO PICK A MONIKER!
Good point Annon.
I don't think its the norm for most nannies to receive what you mentioned in your post.
In the past I was a nanny. My other nanny friends and I never received health insurance. And no sort of perks.
They never even wanted to declare us. So much for when old age comes around! I guess nannies that do this for many years are the type that will be put in an assisted living program run by the government. Slum conditions. Because we were stupid enough to bust our butts for people. In the long run that have no feelings for us. So they grow old and poor.
Damn straight. The diaper changer becomes the diaper changed - by gross, rough care aids who are going to treat you with a lot less loving care than you treat your charges. And these a-holes employers have the nerve to bitch out and judge a nanny who rides a bench for an afternoon. Shameful.
WHY cant a nanny sit on a bench?
Duh. Without nannies sitting on benches (the horror!) this site would cease to have a reason to exist.
If it's your first job, and you are getting enough hours, I would say that's probably OK, but not great. I do think you are doing a lot of housework. I would want a $1-$2 per hour raise in six more months.
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