i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry) - UPDATED

so when DS was 3 months old my sister started watching him here at my house. she gets paid $50 a day. at the time i was working 5 days a week but DH, who works on a 6-week rotating schedule, was usually home 2 days a week. so for 4 weeks, she worked 3 days, for one week, 4 days, and for the other week, 5 days.

then i went to a 4 day work week and so she is working one less day for 4 of those 6 weeks.

so to summarize, in a 6-week period, she was working 21 days, but is now working 17 days.

this, obviously, cut into her salary. but i am making less $$ now as well.

she just called me and told me she needed either a raise or more hours, because she has depleted her savings.

part of me understands because i took a day of work away from her, but part of me is annoyed because she has a LOT of free time and could easily get another part-time job.

if i say no, she might quit and then i would have to find day care... which would be more expensive anyway.

and i could ask her to babysit a night or two a week, or watch him while DH is off, but again, that defeats the purpose of saving $$ by being home.

WWYD? i am so torn.



UPDATE:

thank you everyone for your responses. you are all right, we are lucky to have her for such a great price, i think that it's hard to see that when it's family.

you are all too nice for not reaming me out for that one

DH and i did come to a compromise with her, we guaranteed her an extra amount of $$ per week, and she will work either when DH is off so he can get some errands done, or she will babysit at night so we can go out.

i just wish she lived closer to where we want to move

Message edited 5/27/2009 8:35:56 PM.

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

honestly, I would do what I could within my budget to give her a raise. Most Nannies make more than $50 per day, in my search, and good people are hard to find! If you like the job your sister is doing, I could see giving her a raise you can afford. Like you said, what is your other option...no raise and pay more for daycare elsewhere?

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

Well, I would try to work with her to a point, maybe give DH the morning off and you the afternoon off on some of the days and then she could make some extra money that way...

But I will say that I paid $50/day for infant care in a center, but, part time care isn't cheaper than that unfortunatel (if you can even find it)

Trying to find care sucks

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

What hours is she working for you?
When I had a full time nanny, she worked 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM (I generally tried to get home by 6:00 PM though) and we paid her $80 per day. She was full time though.
I think, if you are going to find someone else, they might even charge closer to $100 since it is part time (approx $10 per hour if she works 10 hours)

Since it is your sister and you obviously trust her, I would see if you could afford to raise her rate...

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

Posted by FelAndJon
Since it is your sister and you obviously trust her, I would see if you could afford to raise her rate...

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

I have a part time nanny and I guaranteed her a certain number of hours per week that she would be paid regardless of how many hours she works. I was off yesterday so she didn't work but I still pay her for the day. I think you should find out what her minimum is and go from there. On one hand, I understand that she is your sister but she also needs steady income. Plus, $50 a day is dirt cheap for someone to come to you and watch your child in your home. I would be a bit more generous with her pay to keep her on.

I want to also mention, my p/t nanny gets paid vacation/sick/personal and paid holidays.

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

I would try to work with her to try to keep a family member as the nanny. It will cost you more than $50 per day if you were to get a non-family member nanny anyways.

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

Could you try to find some middle ground?

Since she was working 21 days at $50 a day that is $1050 a month. Not at 17 days at $50 a day she is making $850. So she lost $200.

Can you meet in the middle and increase her a total of $100? Which is an extra $5.88 a day. Increasing her to $55.88, or just round up to $56?

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

I agree with all of the above posters...your sister is working for a bare minimum right now, Id try to work with her and give her a raise within your means or more hrs ...

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

updated above

Message edited 5/27/2009 8:35:33 PM.

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry)

Good for you! I have a nanny and pay her 115a day... for 7 hour days...your sister is a steal and what better person could there be, trust me , i am on my 3rd nanny and thank gosh, she is wonderful

Re: i need help - nanny's salary (this is long, sorry) - UPDATED

good update, you and your sis are lucky to have eachother, a sister is a precious blessing

and the bond she will form with the baby is priceless.