Working Mom Looking For A Nanny For Her Baby Says She’s Willing To Pay $3 To $4 An Hour — ‘Funnest & Easiest Job Ever, I Swear’
All work deserves fair compensation, no matter what.
Studio Romantic / Shutterstock Having kids is an expensive endeavor, from the high cost of hospital births to the general care and feeding of another person until 18, and often past that age. A big part of the parenting conversation revolves around childcare costs, specifically the fact that childcare has become exorbitantly costly in recent years.
While parents need some kind of break, they also need to recognize the high value of the people watching their kids.
A working mom looking for a nanny said she was willing to pay $3 to $4 an hour for the ‘funnest and easiest job ever.’
The job post was brought to the attention of a career nanny named Kera, who declares in her TikTok bio that her goal is to “advocate for the rights and standards of nannies.”
Kera broke down the myriad ways the mom’s post was entitled and unrealistic as part of her ongoing series, “You Can’t Afford A Nanny.”
The mom of 4 works from home and was searching for support after her initial childcare plans fell through.
She shared that her working hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., though she noted she only needs help while her older kids are at school and her husband is at work, from 9.30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
“Since I am home, I am willing to pay someone $3-$4 an hour to entertain my almost 4-month-old,” the mom wrote. “I will do all the feedings and diaper changes.
Photo: LightField Studios / Shutterstock
“He is such a sweet boy but unfortunately doesn’t like to be put down or left alone,” she continued, highlighting in her own words just how intensely hands-on infant care is.
The mom added that there was a chance to earn more income by helping with “very light house maintenance” like dishes, sweeping, and sorting clean laundry.
“Funnest and easiest job ever, I swear!” The mom concluded.
Kera pointed out the first glaring issue with the mom’s inquiry: “$3 to $4 an hour — That’s half the federal minimum wage, let alone a liveable wage for anyone.”
She did the math, revealing that the mom’s proposed salary is between $77 and $103 weekly.
“That’s nothing,” she stated. “Everybody deserves a livable wage. All jobs. Period.”
“Nannies are the most expensive form of childcare,” Kera continued. “Private care, in your home, specialized to you and your family. It’s not gonna be less than daycare, and it’s certainly not going to be less than minimum wage.”
She shared that the average hourly wage for a nanny in the U.S. is $24. If the mom were to offer the average wage to her potential caregiver, she would pay $672 a week, and her nanny would take home $578 a week after taxes.
Photo: antoniodiaz / Shutterstock
Kera also mentioned that if the mom and her family live in an area with a high cost of living, she should expect to pay more than the national average.
“Nannies are a luxury,” she said. “Your budget is your budget, but if you can’t afford to pay for an employee to make a liveable wage, then you can’t afford to have an employee.”
“If your childcare budget is between $80 and $100 a week, then you need to look for childcare at $80 to $100 a week, like home daycare or daycares, but a nanny is not it,” she said.
“If you can’t afford to support someone else and pay for their livelihood, you can’t afford a nanny,” Kera concluded.
The work involved in nannying often gets viewed as disposable or easy enough that it doesn’t actually require fair compensation.
The reality of nannying is more complex than just hanging out with someone else’s children. Nannies provide an essential form of caregiving. It’s a role that’s often as emotionally exhausting as it is physically demanding.
Nannies don’t just care for babies; they care for entire family units, ensuring the household runs smoothly and everyone’s needs are tended to.
A certain level of dissonance is present when parents want the best quality care for their precious little ones and don't want to pay for it.
As Kera pointed out, the level of care nannies offer deserves high compensation. The answer to the fact that daycare costs as much as a college education isn’t to pay caregivers less — it’s to advocate for better solutions for parents and providers alike.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.