if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

I have the opportunity to hire my sister's nanny. she has been in the family for 8 years and I'm thrilled because she is so reliable and was great with the kids. My sister did not think she would want to travel (she has no car) but she spoke to her this morning and she said she'd love to watch my baby. My sister is worried the commute will deter her when she realizes it, and she told me she can't afford less than she makes now.

currently, she takes a bus from freeport to bellmore (no idea the cost), walks about 10-15 minutes to the house and pays her own travel expenses. she gets paid $400 a week and basically works 10 hours a day.

if she came to work for me, she'd have to take the LIRR from Freeport to Forest Hills and walk about 10-15 minutes. An LIRR monthly is $254. I was thinking of offering to pay her monthly commute, which would sweeten the deal for her for sure. I haven't done the math, but my sister mentioned if i did that, then I could probably pay her a little less.

My questions are:

1. do you think that's a fair deal?
2. does your nanny commute by public transportation and if so, how long is the commute
3. is $400 a week too much/too little?

TIA for your help!

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

$400 for 10 hours a day 5 days a week sounds amazing!!
Does she clean too?

Even if you offered her the LIRR ticket - that would come to $460 a week, which I still think is a deal!!

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

from what time to what time?

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

50 hours a week for $400 is an incredible deal!!!

I don't see how she could afford to work for you if you didn't cover her LIRR costs.

My babysitter commutes 45 minutes each way to watch my DD, but she takes MTA bus.

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

I don't know anything about nanny rates, but honestly I'd pay a little extra just for the peace of mind of having someone who's been "in the family" a long time. You hear so many stories about having to go through multiple nannies before finding the right one, it would be so great to be able to hire someone you already know and trust, kwim?

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

she'll come whatever hours we ask; in the early years she worked practically 12 hour days b/c my BIL is a cop and left early, and my sister got home at like 6pm. I think for us, we'd ask her to do 8am - 6pm or possibly 5:30.

I kind of agree about paying a little extra, and my sister thought the idea of paying for her commute would sell her totally on it. my niece and nephew are 7 and 6 and my sister just doesn't need her anymore but didn't want to give her up and I basically begged her to wait until I could use her!

I just haven't done any other research so didn't know if the rates were good or not.

thanks ladies! please cross your fingers for me that this works out!! the nanny/daycare thing has stressed me out big time!

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

A friend of mine did that. i think paid her the same too when she started. They paid her a weekly price and then the train ticket on top of that.

She has has her now for 4 years. Personally from what I have heard here and IRL a really good nanny is hard to come by so if you can afford it I woudl jump on that!!!!

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

That's an amazing deal! I am currently looking into nanny's for the same length of time and it is more like $750 a week

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

Posted by karen0119

That's an amazing deal! I am currently looking into nanny's for the same length of time and it is more like $750 a week

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

I think she should make at least the equivalent of $10/hour considering what she's doing for you (caring for DC PLUS helping out around the house).

So if you pay her $500/week that sounds fair to me.

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

Um yes amazing deal! And esp if she cleans too! I would pay for her commute or at least half! I would kill for something like that. Do you have room to offer her a live in position? Or at least a few days a week? This way she doesn't have to commute so much?

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

That is an amazing deal! I pay $650 a week plus metrocard!

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

That is a very very good deal
My sister pays 400 a week, but its for a live-in
and she works 50-60 hours a week and cooks and cleans, and does all the laundry for the entire family. This is for a toddler and infant twins

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

thats great deal! I pay 320 for 20 hours!

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

400 for 10 hrs a day? 400 is too little IMO so if she agrees to that you are getting an AMAZING deal .
I would def pay for her commute and wouldn't worry about how long it takes her to get to her destination (you/home) it's really not your problem as long as she is willing to do it and as long as she shows up at work on time.
GL.

I had to come back and edit, honestly I would pay her 500 a week+ commute .

Message edited 3/28/2011 12:01:42 AM.

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

I honestly never heard of a nanny working for so little.
I would definitely pay for her traveling expenses.

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

Def pay for the expenses, you can always give her a little bonus money here and there!!

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

If you decide you don't want her, send her my way in february LOL

Just kidding. I would give her $600/wk and just tell her that is to cover the LIRR
My concern for you/her would be how rarely the Babylon branch stops at Forest Hills in the morning. She will likely have to get a train to Jamaica, then the subway to FH so it's not just the LIRR she would need

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

That is a GREAT deal! I would agree on $400 a week, then offer her an additional $200 a month towards her LIRR pass. (Or just agree to $450 a week.)

We pay our nanny $405 a week for three 9 hour days ($15 an hour). PLUS we give her an additional $50 towards her monthly metrocard. She travels from Maspeth (Queens) to Carroll Gardens (Brooklyn). Takes her about 1 hour 15 minutes!

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)

I think this is great! I might even throw in a little extra if you can afford it. You know here-she watched your neice and nephew, she is reliable, trustworthy etc. You can't put a price on that

Re: if you have a nanny (please tell me if this is reasonable)