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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Nannies are not babysitters!

90 replies

Stardust1901 · 07/03/2017 07:07

A lady messaged me yesterday looking for a weekend nanny (8-6) Saturday's and Sunday's EOW plus extra days every school holiday.

Brilliant, I thought, would suit me well. Explained that I would accept £9p/h, the lady offered £8p/h. I accepted, happy to help a struggling mum and earn some extra income. Arranged to meet and discuss contract today etc.

I've just had a message now, cancelling unless I would take £5p/h as she can't afford £8p/h?!
That's not even minimum wage! Needless to say I declined!

I'm level 3 qualified with 8 years childcare experience working in nurseries, schools, being a registered childminder and a nanny. WIBU to expect £8p/h or should I have settled and asked for min wage? Angry

I'm in the North West if that helps!

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 07/03/2017 08:02

Why the hell did you lower your rate? Her 'struggling' isn't your problem? Next time, you leave your rate - they can take it or leave it. But if she's looking for £5/hour she'll need to find something else. Chancer.

Bumblebiscuits · 07/03/2017 08:02

It's very different babysitting (when the children are often asleep) than looking after children and having complete responsibility for them for an entire weekend. She really seems to be confusing the two. But £5 an hour would be ridiculously cheap even for babysitting.

Don't sell yourself short OP, it's a professional job that requires decent pay.

Birdsgottaf1y · 07/03/2017 08:22

My DD was Level 3 qualified at 17, she had three years experience of working in a Nursery.

She would have accepted those rates.

You don't have to, especially out of sympathy. She'll find someone, you don't have sell yourself short.

peukpokicuzo · 07/03/2017 08:24

Of course you are worth more than minimum wage. If she wants qualified experienced high quality childcare she needs to pay for it. Even £8 an hour is selling yourself short. You need to decline in a way that includes this information because a simple no thanks just leaves her just as ignorant as before.

Original poster
Stardust1901 · 07/03/2017 08:25

Thanks for all your supportive comments! ... Can't believe the cheek of some people! Next time I will not lower my rate!

OP posts:
rattieofcarcassone · 07/03/2017 08:28

YANBU. She's a chancer and, unfortunately, she'll find somebody to accept that! I had similar once and despite turning down the 'job' a few times gently she kept on messaging me asking me when I could start! I just ignored her in the end.

Confusion over the role names doesn't help things either. The amount of "Nanny/babysitter/au pair/childminder" roles I see is ridiculous. All are similar in that they involve caring for children but they involve different levels of responsibility, different circumstances and different pay to reflect those responsibilities/circumstances.

bloodyteenagers · 07/03/2017 08:33

I would message her back - hahaha that's so funny. You realize that's under minimum wage? Have you applied for tax credits they help with childcare costs over minimum wage.

coconutpie · 07/03/2017 08:39

You were being U to drop your rate to £8 in the first place. That is way too cheap for a nanny.

novemberontrumpwatch · 07/03/2017 08:41

£9 ph is way too low. Raise your rates, don't lower them!

MrsSchadenfreude · 07/03/2017 08:46

DD1 gets £10 an hour for babysitting in London.

OutnumberedbyFurchesters · 07/03/2017 08:51

Also in NW Eng.

A teenager round here gets 15 p/h for the first 3 hours, then lower after that if you want more hours. She only has personal experience of family, and just started college now.

She was a chancer and your prices too low!

ArcheryAnnie · 07/03/2017 08:57

YANBU. She wouldn't hire someone to fix her loo and then offer them five-eighths of their professional plumbing fee because "she couldn't afford it", but it constantly amazes me that people are more likely to mess around the people who look after their children than the people who look after their toilets.

(And I paid my babysitters £8/hour, anyway. A nanny I would expect to charge a lot more.)

IamFriedSpam · 07/03/2017 08:59

YANBU. If she just wants someone to sit with her children while they watch TV and stop them from escaping she can hire the 14 year old next door as a babysitter for a little bit of loose change. If she wants a professional with qualifications and experience she has to pay them a decent salary.

Dani240 · 07/03/2017 09:04

I pay my babysitter £9/h (South East) and usually tip her up to the £10/h. Don't sell yourself short.

Aeroflotgirl · 07/03/2017 09:18

What a cheeky fecker, I agree, you dodged a bullet. Its really disgusting, how they want a fully qualified nanny, but paying peanuts.

KitKat1985 · 07/03/2017 09:21

YANBU. Honestly I think £8 per hour was cheap. £5 was just her taking the absolute piss.

MusicToMyEars800 · 07/03/2017 09:28

Yanbu, I though 9p/h is a perfectly reasonable rate, nannies where I am (SE) charge around that p/h if not more! next time stick to your guns and do not lower your rate, you have the qualifications and experience which is priceless for most parents.

Notenoughsleepmumof3 · 07/03/2017 09:30

I pay my babysitters more than that, and my daughter, who is only 13 and who has started helping a lady with a 4 year old down the road on the weekend for a few hours so the mum can lie down with her new born, is paid £10/hour. Which I think is too much for a 13 year old, but the mum insists. No way! I don't know why people won't pay properly for child-care. It is so misguided.

cherryblossomcarpet · 07/03/2017 09:33

The 'recommended rate' that the nursery give for babysitting is £8.50ph (South East). I think most people round it up to £10ph (I do) as we appreciate the staff are qualified, and if we pay a bit extra they are more likely to babysit for us.

KatyBerry · 07/03/2017 09:53

was that by any chance through childcare.co.uk? our former nanny had a lot of similar experiences through that site when she was looking for work. Lots of cash in hand offers too

1bighappyfamily · 07/03/2017 10:03

£8p/h! I can only dream of such luxuries. Our nanny (who is old-school) likes to think she gets paid £10p/h..... I give her copies of her tax statements every quarter which brings home what we actually pay her!

That said though, she is responsible for the two most important people in the world for 38 hours a week so she'd be cheap at double the price.

fuckoffdailysnail · 07/03/2017 10:08

My best friend is a nanny and is paid £11 per hour then £15 per hour for any extras during holidays etc
This is in London

EveOnline2016 · 07/03/2017 10:17

Callaird you made me snort my coffee out.

Op stand your ground. I'm a cleaner on £9 I would expect a nanny to be paid more.

Jumpmom1 · 07/03/2017 12:25

£8ph is actually a really good price so for her to offer £5 is just ludicrous!

NeedsAsockamnesty · 07/03/2017 12:30

Has she got mixed up with childminder rates? Even tho that would be a bit low for anti social hours.

Tbh I wouldn't employ a new nanny who was not registered (Yep I know they don't have to be but I prefer it) but I would happily pay a registered one £25 ph minimum for weekend work.

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