Bringing baby to work = making less money?

[justgonnadoulait]

Hi Ladies,

I have a 6 week old daughter and I've been a nanny for the last 12 years and a doula for the last 5.  During my pregnancy I thought I might just do birth doula work and mostly stay home with my daughter.  However, my husband's work situation has changed and he no longer has the flexibility to care for our daughter while I'm at a birth.  So now it looks like I'll be doing childcare and bringing my daughter with me.  

As mothers, do you think I should charge less because I'll be bringing my daughter to work?  I feel like I should charge the same because it's the same amount of work, and because after so many years and so much additional education, I provide a unique and substantial service.  Also bringing my daughter with me will eliminate the distraction of me worrying about her while she's away from me, and eliminate my need to pump.  I'm able to nurse while she's in a sling too, so that keeps me more mobile and able to multi-task which I wouldn't be able to do while pumping.  

That said, I would charge less if it was a nanny share situation.  I know lots of moms charge much less than nannies, but I'm not "just" a mom (sorry to use the word "just", I know no mom is "just" anything), I'm a caregiver with lots of credentials, and I know a great deal about child development.  That's why parents paid me to help them before I had a child of my own.  I also know moms that take their babies to the office, and they don't earn less.

Some people feel I should charge less, and I feel it's one more example of how we punish women for being mothers, when what mothers deserve is more credit.  But perhaps I should accept what's feasible and work to change things outside work?  I don't like that idea, but financial I can't afford to be an idealist.

As mothers, what do you think?  Would you be willing to pay the same amount if a caregiver brought their child with them?  I see it as a benefit, especially if their aren't siblings.  I think children benefit from family style care when with a caregiver, such as learning to be patient, helping to care for a younger child, and so on...

One family actually offered $6 an hour!  That's $3 less than the minimum wage where I live!  I know it's hard to make ends meet in this economy, but how can a mother devalue another mother or caregiver like that?  (just needed to rant)

Thank you for taking the time to respond.

[cat13]

First of all, I think $6/hr is even too little for a teenager to come babysit your kids, let alone a regular nanny with experience!

I think you should try charging the same rate and see how families respond. I don't see why you should get paid less because your child is there. That being said, you might find people don't want to hire you regardless of your fees. When I was in labor I would not have wanted my doula to have her baby with her. It sounds selfish, but I felt like that is one time when I could be as selfish as I wanted to, ykwim? But other birthing mamas might feel differently. Same with childcare: some families might not want your time to be divided away from their child, but I personally wouldn't mind.

[~Adorkable~]

if i were to hire someone to do in my home childcare for me, i would not want her to have a newborn of her own, just because i would think that her newborn (or any newborn) would rightfully always come first.  now if i for example had a 2 year old and so did the lady, i would then see it as a positive possibly if i knew her to be capable of multi child care. if i had a long history and really loved having her with my kid, that would of course bring some flexibility into the picture.

as for rates, if she brought her own kid i would look at it like the rates for a in home day care center where the lady was caring for a number of children including mine and pay equal to that, if i was paying the going rate for a private nanny i would expect her to be totally focused on my child.

i do not believe that is punishing anyone, it is simply different categories of care and choosing what one fit best or was wanted and paying accordingly 

[GoMamaMel]

Thanks for posting this! I've been wondering the same thing because I'm trying to find a nannying job for DS and I & I'm in the same boat with lots of experience and credentials.

Can't wait to see what others respond with!

[Peony]

This is a hard one. Ok, I would pay a mom bringing her child along less then I pay my nanny, you said you did see that. My reasoning for that is that I pay a good wage for excellent care, and a small baby along makes that more difficult, not saying that you can't do it but a newborn along is harder then no baby. My needs are such that I would not consider such an arrangement as ideal I know it is for you. That is hard for me to say because I do bring my youngest child to work, he is 4 months and I will up until 12 months. I do make less then if he wasn't with me. I make a fraction of what other professionals in my area with my same credentials make. I took this particular job a couple years ago when DS1 was a baby despite the low pay JUST because it offered flexibility and the ability for him to be with me most of the time. If that wasn't a consideration then I'd be working someplace else with much better pay but no ability to work with/around my kids. I agree with the previous poster about checking out what the home daycare rates in your area and charging something similar. 

Edited by Peony - 12/2/11 at 5:11am