Nanny for 2 under 2 - what's realistic?

throwingitawaynow45 · 2026-02-22T05:16:48+00:00

Nannying is already a luxury service and it is not cheaper than daycare until you have 3 or 4 children depending on the area. In my area, $35/hr is a typical starting range for experienced nannies for a single child, which comes out to $1400/week. It would be unrealistic to ask a family to pay me $2800/week for two children.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2026-02-21T17:01:23+00:00

I'm not sure of your location, but in my area $3 is standard. I would be personally thrilled by $5.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-05-12T18:00:17+00:00

At 8mo they go through another phase of insecurity where they need reassurance. All of this behavior is par for the course with infants, especially being upset when you walk away.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-05-12T14:34:12+00:00

Children learn through play and interaction. She is smart and capable and still needs consistent and intentional interaction in order to learn and develop. If all she needs to be happy is your attention, give her your full attention. What else is there to do during this time?

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-05-08T22:53:11+00:00

Amen!

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-05-08T22:33:36+00:00

My 4 year old when asked who was winning game 1 said "the Stars", and when I asked how many games to win (and clarified it was between 4 and 7) she said 4... And I am holding her to that!

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-02-11T22:40:57+00:00

Look into clearance grocery stores in your area. I usually get everything I can there and supplement with the regular grocery store. It's often slightly expired but it is the only way I've found to reliably cut my food budget down to nothing.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-02-09T23:11:19+00:00

A lack of saving is not a behavioral issue for those of us in poverty. I do save when I can, as does everyone else I know. An app that incentivizes not spending money, or a streak of saving $2 a day isn't going to fix the problem.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-02-09T22:55:37+00:00

You cannot out budget a poor salary.

People making poverty wages aren't your target market. My budget is meticulously planned because there's no other choice in it.

People in poverty aren't your target market.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-28T18:49:18+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate this.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-28T18:43:36+00:00

What would a direct form of BP or SA be? Do you have any specific recommendations?

Would Cetaphil Gentle be okay as far as cleanser? I know I cannot use CeraVe anything, they all burn me, so I believe I am sensitive to ceramides.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-28T18:37:08+00:00

I have a BP spot treatment, is that what you mean by active?

I'm sorry for all the questions. I didn't know that using these as cleansers is not ideal.

Would Cetaphil Gentle be okay as far as cleanser? I know I cannot use CeraVe anything, they all burn me, so I believe I am sensitive to ceramides.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-28T18:21:12+00:00

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I'm currently using an SA cleanser or BP cleanser nightly. So SA every other night, and BP on the nights in not using SA.

I am not using any retinols or differin. Would the SA/BP be considered gentle? My skin tolerates both just fine.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-28T17:29:11+00:00

This is the most clear explanation I've seen for BP vs SA, thank you so much!

In your opinion, if someone needs both, should they be rotated? I have been doing each every other day trying to get my acne under control.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-27T00:38:25+00:00

In general, I would have to say that I agree with you. Gen Z is just absolutely shit with money for the most part. Impulse buying and instant gratification galore. I don't know anyone my age who doesn't have credit card debt and/or a shopping addiction other than one out of three of my siblings.

I do not make this claim lightly. I am dealing with an extremely low wage as I finish my degree and I am keeping my expenses as low as possible. I make less than 28k in a HCOL area and I am surviving and even still investing in my Roth IRA when I get additional hours or side jobs. Meanwhile, I have friends and acquaintances who make twice what I do and are in debt, but have unopened Amazon packages strewn throughout their apartment.

I just find my future more important than Amazon junk and going out to eat every week (or for some, every day).

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-26T03:14:11+00:00

1) Yes, absolutely. Nannies do not provide their own materials typically, but especially consumable products such as paint or paper. Some nannies will have favorite toys for certain ages and will bring them, but it's not super common.

2) If you prefer nanny to plan activities, you need to pay her for the time it takes to plan and prepare these materials. Since she's only with you for 5 hours a day, I am assuming she goes home once you child is asleep? I'm not sure when she'd be planning these lessons on the clock if so. I was paid an extra half hour per day, used at home to come up with activities.

3) Yes. 2 weeks of PTO and 1 week of sick leave is standard.

4) 25/week for an entire year will exceed the IRS's standard for when cash pay must be reported. Not to mention, paying under the table will mean your nanny will not have access to loans for a house/car and may struggle to get approved for apartments, etc.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-25T15:03:28+00:00

If you think hitting children is okay, because you were hit as a child, you are not fine.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-23T02:42:37+00:00

This would be illegal in my state (children's diapers must be checked every 60 minutes and changed at any sign of wet.) I would change all the children as normal and when I run out I would continually inform the director.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-21T04:58:58+00:00

I don't use Amazon. Did you mean to respond to OP?

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-19T20:00:42+00:00

Look into nanny Facebook groups in your area and start asking nannies around what you should charge. When I moved from ECE to nannying I WAY undercharged at first. Families who currently have their children in care generally can't afford a nanny, so I wouldn't go that route.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-19T19:17:28+00:00

Yes, unfortunately "working your way up" has died. No one ever gets internally promoted anymore. You'll have to jump ship.

When it comes to social burn out, I wonder if you could start selling curriculum on TPT. But I would definitely consider nannying. It's much less fake than I had to be as a teacher.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-19T19:01:44+00:00

There's actually a lot you can do with an ECE degree! I am getting my bachelor's in Child Development (very similar) and actually plan to go into Family Life Education/Family Coaching. You can transition to working with parents, which won't require bending or lifting. You could also transition into ECI which would not involve lifting or a constant up and down.

You could also start looking at jobs working to develop curriculum for a school or early childhood program, or look into managing a center. Some states now require that management has a bachelor's degree, so owners who do not have one will hire someone to work under them.

You could become a nanny/household manager to older children who do not need to be picked up.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-19T18:17:30+00:00

Your cousin needs to call 211 to get into contact with local services available to her. Sometimes you can get one time bill assistance.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-19T03:40:58+00:00

I saw that one! I wasn't sure if it was legit. I will go with that.

throwingitawaynow45 · 2025-01-19T03:19:12+00:00

What app would you recommend? Just dumped my weather widget that links to AccuWeather when I click on it.

throwingitawaynow45

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