A live-in nanny is a nanny who lives in their employer\u2019s home and provides child care. Families who opt to hire a live-in nanny instead of a live-out nanny (who commutes to the family\u2019s home) do so for a variety of reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Live-in nannies can be more available to parents who work non-traditional hours or travel a lot. Children who have special needs or require more comprehensive care may benefit from having a live-in nanny as well. And a live-in situation can make it easier for a nanny to continue to provide care in highly expensive cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you\u2019re considering a live-in nanny, here\u2019s what you need to know about their pay and what to expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Providing room and board for a live-in nanny might seem like you\u2019d get a good deal: they can work longer hours, be available more often, and have less chance of being late to work. Plus, you can charge them for room and board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s where you\u2019d be wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s a misconception that a live-in nanny should not be paid as much as a nanny who commutes to a family\u2019s home for work. Some families think that receiving child care in exchange for room and board and decreased pay is a fair arrangement. If your live-in nanny doesn\u2019t have to pay for rent, utilities, or food, they don\u2019t need to make as much money, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At first glance, a reduced rate for a live-in nanny seems logical, but it\u2019s not necessarily fair. Whether your nanny is live-out or live-in, the pay should be the same. <\/strong>We\u2019ll break down the expenses of having a live-in nanny in a moment, but first, let\u2019s talk about average nanny pay in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The average base pay for a nanny depends on where you live. Demand and cost of living can drive up the price of child care; in states like New York, Massachusetts, and Washington, nannies can make anywhere from $17 to $23 an hour. In states with cheaper cost of living like North Carolina, Arkansas, or New Mexico, the average pay may be closer to $13 to $15 an hour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can see how pay varies in the three cities A Perfect Fit serves<\/a>: the average hourly rates in Phoenix and Dallas range from $18 to $22\/hour, and Denver ranges from $23 to $28\/hour. A Perfect Fit holds to high standards, high-quality care, and fair wages, which is why these averages are higher than the national.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s another element that affects a live-in nanny\u2019s wages: their experience, education, and certification or training. The more experience or job-specific skills your nanny has, the more you can expect to pay. The job itself will also impact your nanny\u2019s pay. Nannies who will care for multiple children at once typically earn more. And jobs that require household duties or running errands should pay nannies accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you already have an extra bedroom and bathroom in your home, room and board costs for a live-in nanny won\u2019t increase as dramatically as you might think. Other factors, like the size of your home and the cost of water and electricity where you live, already make more of an impact<\/a> on your monthly bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Asking a nanny to live with your family benefits you, not the nanny. Remember that live-in nannies will eat, sleep, rest, and relax in the same place that they work. When the workday is over, they can\u2019t really distance themselves from the job, physically or mentally, because they live at their job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As comfortable and happy as a live-in nanny may be with their family, it\u2019s not truly their home. They have to be aware of how they spend their free time, what time they leave and arrive at the house, who they invite over, and so on. If you\u2019ve ever lived with roommates, you understand that you have to be mindful of everyone else living in the home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Plus, many live-in nannies find it very hard to have \u201coff hours\u201d when they live with the children they care for. Flexible scheduling is one of the biggest benefits to having a live-in nanny, but it can also make the boundaries of their job hard to uphold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to hire a live-in nanny, you\u2019ll also need to know legal qualifications and parameters of this working relationship. Live-in nanny agreements differ by state, which is why working with a nanny agency that excels in live-in placements<\/strong><\/a> can help. The agency will have everything you need to stay \u201cabove board\u201d and ensure a mutually beneficial relationship for your family and your new nanny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you officially hire a live-in nanny, the first step should always be to discuss schedules and boundaries. Having a live-in nanny does not mean they\u2019ll provide child care 24\/7. Determine a scheduled set of hours that your nanny can expect to work each day. At A Perfect Fit, we offer all our clients a live-in nanny agreement<\/strong> to guide this conversation and uphold those boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have a plan in place if you require them during their off-hours, and offer overtime if they work more than 40 hours a week. While overtime is not required for live-in nannies in Arizona, Texas, or Colorado, we do still encourage it as an agency. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At A Perfect fit, we get to know each and every family and nanny in order to create the best match. We provide placement services for full-time and part-time nannies who are live-in or live-out. If your family is searching for a nanny in Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix, let A Perfect Fit help. We\u2019ll also help you understand the process of hiring a live-in nanny, and the laws and regulations you\u2019ll need to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\nExpenses for a live-in nanny<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Working with a live-in nanny<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Find a live-in nanny with A Perfect Fit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n