Am I unreasonable for thinking $25/hour is too low for all these nanny/house-manager duties?

Advice Needed: Replies from Nannies Preferred

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

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