She has been with us since my leave ended and she's good with the baby. Yesterday she asked for more, politely, and mentioned another family in our building had offered her more. I don't want to lose her. I also don't want to agree to a number I'll resent in a month. How did you decide? Match, meet halfway, or tie it to something like extra hours?
We're about to hire someone for when I go back, so I'm watching this one. Did she say how much the other family offered, or just 'more'?
The 'another family offered more' line comes up a lot, and it may well be true. When our boys were small we stopped trying to work out whether it was real and asked ourselves one thing: would we hire her again today at the new amount? If yes, pay it. If no, then it's a negotiation.
Replying to @mint_notebook_7286
Just 'more', no number. And yes, I'd hire her again without thinking. That probably answers it.
Replying to @mint_notebook_7286
Agree with this. One thing we learnt the hard way: write down what the new amount covers. Ours later assumed Saturdays were extra and we assumed they were included. That caused more bad feeling than the raise ever did.
Replying to @indigo_bookmark_7794
If you'd hire her again, I'd settle it this week rather than let it drag. We took a month to decide with ours and by then she had mentally moved on. Once someone in the building has made an offer, the clock is running.
Did she name a figure? If not, you name one first and make it a decent one. Haggling with the person looking after your baby feels awful.
No figure. I'll think of one tonight and talk to her on Monday.
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