Might need a full-time regular babysitter

[danielocean03]

Ok, here's the deal. My wife and I have a 3.5yr. old daughter, and we're due to have a son in October of this year. My wife's benefits are in trouble at work, and her ability to make overtime may also be in jeopardy as well.

We will tentatively need a full-time baby sitter for the two of them, starting in early January, 2010. We're still trying to work this out to keep childcare within the family, but due to some health/work related issues this may not be entirely possible. I just can't stand the thought of sending her back to "Kindercare", which wasn't terrible, but was overpriced and I didn't know just how great of care/attention she was actually receiving there.

I live in Fishers and work in Zionsville, any takers?
Name your price, reasonable replies only please.

 

[danielocean03]

I'm also going to list this in the classifieds section for greater visibility.

 

[Joe Williams]

My wife is a director of the only state certified day care in Crawfordsville, B.S. in Elementary Education, pre-school/kindergarten private school teaching certificate, has state background checks available for review, same with child protective services checks. Experienced professional nanny, was top paid nanny for her agency when I met her. Has references, and brag book so you can review letters of recommendation and accomplishments.

Top notch experience, top notch quality, price will be commensurate. If interested, PM with phone number, or for hers.

 

[danielocean03]

My wife is a director of the only state certified day care in Crawfordsville, B.S. in Elementary Education, pre-school/kindergarten private school teaching certificate, has state background checks available for review, same with child protective services checks. Experienced professional nanny, was top paid nanny for her agency when I met her. Has references, and brag book so you can review letters of recommendation and accomplishments.

Top notch experience, top notch quality, price will be commensurate. If interested, PM with phone number, or for hers.

Joe,

All of that sounds outstanding, but you're more than an hour away from home and an hour from work for me.

 

[Joe Williams]

Joe,

All of that sounds outstanding, but you're more than an hour away from home and an hour from work for me.

We aren't wed to Crawfordsville, for the right job.

 

[danielocean03]

This may not be a permanent thing, and it's still very "up in the air", I'd hate to see you make any drastic changes for my situation.

 

[Joe Williams]

'Kay. Thanks anyway

 

[barber613]

You would move your family for a babysitting job?

 

[Joe Williams]

You would move your family for a babysitting job?

For the right job.

Do you have any idea what a professional nanny with her qualifications, experience, background, and references can make?

Edit: Let's put it this way. The last nanny job she held she made $375 a week take home, plus paid medical insurance. She got free room and board, board being her own wing of a house. Vacation time for the family rolled around, she got paid tickets, food, hotel. That was 11 years ago. She's worth more now.

Top notch qualifications, top notch quality, top notch care and education. Pay is commensurate.

 

[barber613]

I think skilled people should be payed well, but the man asked for someone to watch two kids. I don't doubt your wife qualifications. Is 375.00 alot?

 

[Pami]

I think skilled people should be payed well, but the man asked for someone to watch two kids. I don't doubt your wife qualifications. Is 375.00 alot?

Quite a lot.
We're looking at a place that Lars' coworkers all use that's only $175ish a week, but it's in Fortville.

But au pairs are quite a bit more involved in the lives of their clients than a day care service is.

 

[barber613]

I agree, paying 375.00 for daycare seems high, but earning 375 a week seems low to move for.

 

[Joe Williams]

Quite a lot.
We're looking at a place that Lars' coworkers all use that's only $175ish a week, but it's in Fortville.

But au pairs are quite a bit more involved in the lives of their clients than a day care service is.

Yup, in a day care center, the ratio of infants to teachers is 4-1. For three year olds it's ten to one.

For a nanny/au pair the ratio is 1 teacher to however many children you have. You get an education plan tailored to your specific children, you get more pictures of your kids in action, you get more detailed reports of your child's day and progress. You have control over the curriculum, the number of day trips is limited by your wallet. Those trips are tailored to meet the educational goals you've specified, and your child is much more closely supervised instead of being one of a bunch. You get to pick your child's friends... lice is a reality is a day care, biting, there's always one little monster that likes to throw things, etc. You pick your child's menu, you set the schedule, you are in charge of the teacher's qualifications. You can pay less and get someone working their way through college, you can pay more for a professional of Cathy's caliber. If your kid is sick, you don't have to take a sick day and miss work. You don't have to worry about your kid being infected by the 30 other diseases the other little crawlers are carrying around. Need to take an overnight trip with your kids and want the nanny to come along? You can do that, even if the nanny isn't a live in. It's just a business trip for her. The educational adavantages really can't be overstated. By the time first grade rolls around, your kid will be considerably more advanced than others that haven't had a personalized education.

But, day care services are cheaper. Considerably so. You'll pay about $193 a week to send a newborn and a 3.5 year old to Cathy's day care, $20 more for night shift. But to lure her away from her job to a non-live in nanny position? $600 a week for two kids, plus benefits. Overnights are extra, cause she's gotta listen to hubby nag about cooking his own food

Edit: one more thing. People who can afford this (even those of us who can't) have to worry about their kid's security. In a school or daycare, there is no security to be had except hiding under your desk hoping the bad guy runs out of ammo. If an employer so desires, no child Cathy is caring for will ever be without an armed and trained protector.

 

[Joe Williams]

I agree, paying 375.00 for daycare seems high, but earning 375 a week seems low to move for.

You missed some.. that was 11 years ago, that $375 would be worth more now. Plus, the Drs paid for her medical, retirement, taxes, food, utilities, and provided her a wing of the house. She had NO expenses. They even bought her a cell phone so they could check in anytime they wanted on day trips. $375 take home for one kid, with no expenses at all, isn't half bad, really.

 

[barber613]

Again, I don't doubt or question your wives credentials, but who is going to leave their kids with what amounts to a stranger around other kids who is carrying a gun. NOT ME. Good luck with all that.

 

[Pami]

Again, I don't doubt or question your wives credentials, but who is going to leave their kids with what amounts to a stranger around other kids who is carrying a gun. NOT ME. Good luck with all that.

My boss's wife is an au pair coordinator. It's her job to set up interviews with potential au pairs, try to match them up with families they might be compatible with, and then arrange interviews between the family and au pair before the au pair ever gets hired for a particular family. (Or at least that's how I understand it.) Sometimes there are bad matches, but for the most part it works out.

In other words, at some point you have to take a leap of faith and find a "stranger" who is compatible with your family or be a stay-at-home parent.

 

[Prometheus]

Again, I don't doubt or question your wives credentials, but who is going to leave their kids with what amounts to a stranger around other kids who is carrying a gun. NOT ME. Good luck with all that.

I don't see the difference in leaving in child with an armed or unarmed babysitter/nanny. It's not like the Nanny needs the gun to kidnap the 3 year old, you are handing him over. It's also not like the nanny needs the gun to control the 3 year old either, lol.

If I'm leaving my child with someone, a firearm would be a BENEFIT, not a liability imo.

In either case, a family paying benefits in todays age is insane to me. The costs are astronomical today.

 

[techres]

I feel for you. After doing all the math and balancing pros and cons, we simply chose to be a one income home. I was stay at home for 3 years, and my wife took over and has been running the home for the last 6.

I really feel for parents who are trying to balance the work + daycare balance, but in the end we decided not to keep up with the financial arms race.

Good luck.

 

[Joe Williams]

I feel for you. After doing all the math and balancing pros and cons, we simply chose to be a one income home. I was stay at home for 3 years, and my wife took over and has been running the home for the last 6.

I really feel for parents who are trying to balance the work + daycare balance, but in the end we decided not to keep up with the financial arms race.

Good luck.

A surprising number of people have two people working that I can't believe have done the math. Some of them are barely making $100 a month after paying for daycare, extra car, gas, etc. A stay at home parent provides, IMHO only of course, a better, more stable home for both kids and parents, and is far preferable. Wish we could do it forever, but we are not afflicted by the costs of day care, since Cathy had $30 a week day care written into her contract at her day care center. We need the money from me working. Shame... I'm showing promise as house husband

 

[danielocean03]

I don't see the difference in leaving in child with an armed or unarmed babysitter/nanny. It's not like the Nanny needs the gun to kidnap the 3 year old, you are handing him over. It's also not like the nanny needs the gun to control the 3 year old either, lol.

If I'm leaving my child with someone, a firearm would be a BENEFIT, not a liability imo.

In either case, a family paying benefits in todays age is insane to me. The costs are astronomical today.

I couldn't agree much more with anything you've said here. Thank you.