Am I unreasonable for thinking $25/hour is too low for all these nanny/house-manager duties?
I recently spoke with a family in the western Chicago suburbs about a full-time nanny/house-manager position. They offered $25/hour and wanted the employee to:
Care for their four-year-old when she is home from school
Eventually care for a newborn
Manage the children’s daily routines
Prepare meals for the entire family
Pack school lunches and snacks
Do the entire family’s laundry
Tidy and organize common areas
Handle general household organization
Create the weekly grocery list and complete the grocery shopping
Clean and organize bottles and baby supplies
Run family errands
Handle “other household tasks as needed”
I explained politely that my requested rate was based on the complete scope of the position—not merely the number of children currently home—and that I couldn’t accept the combined responsibilities for $25/hour.
They responded: “Thanks for inquiring and using ChatGPT in responses. Take care.”
I understand that $25/hour is their budget, but I feel the duties should be reduced to match it. To me, this is several roles combined: nanny, household manager, family assistant, cook, laundress, and personal shopper. I have more than 12 years of professional childcare experience and a degree in education.
Was my requested range of $30–$40/hour unreasonable for that workload? I’m genuinely curious what other professional nannies think.
Posted Sep 5, 2026, 3:52 PM UTC