Atlanta woman says the internet accused her of ‘slave labor’ after she shared her nanny arrangement. She pays $20/hour cash

An Atlanta TikTok creator says she did not expect backlash after explaining how she manages childcare and household responsibilities with the help of a part-time nanny. Lover Girl the Villain (@shefindslove) recently responded to criticism after sharing that she pays her nanny $20 per hour in cash for part-time work that includes childcare and light household chores. In a follow-up TikTok, she said some viewers accused her of exploiting her employee, an allegation she strongly rejected.

According to the creator, she outlined the job responsibilities before hiring the nanny. She said she explained that the primary responsibility involved caring for her infant while he was awake. During the baby’s naps or other downtime, she asked whether the nanny would be willing to help with household tasks such as switching laundry or doing dishes. She said those expectations became part of their agreement before the nanny accepted the position.

Her post begins, “I told the internet that I have a nanny and I pay her $20 an hour for part-time. And y’all are accusing me of slave labor. It is insane, y’all.” She added, “I promise you that no nannies were hurt in the making of our contract.”

Commenters felt it’s a fair wage, others still claim it’s not enough

The creator went on to emphasize that childcare remains the priority. She explained that when the nanny spends the entire day caring for the baby, no household chores get done because “she’s busy with the baby.” Lover Girl the Villain added that the chores typically happen only while the child sleeps. Both parties agreed to those duties before signing the contract, she said.

She described the arrangement as mutually beneficial, saying she offers flexible work while receiving support at home. The creator also shared that she hires a house cleaner twice a week for deep cleaning and works with a personal chef once a week. She said she sometimes barters services with the chef to reduce costs.

She also addressed criticism over the hourly wage. “I would love to be able to pay someone $30, $40 an hour,” she said, noting she’d be in “a different tax bracket if I could afford that. I barely make a livable wage. Me and my nanny are saving each other,” she said.

The video sparked debate in the comments, with viewers divided over whether $20 per hour represented fair compensation. One commenter wrote, “$20 an hour, while minimum wage is $7.25, and people are mad about this when this was a consensual agreement?”

Another added, “That’s actually not a bad rate. I work at a preschool and never sit down. We get paid $15 an hour, zero benefits. After taxes it’s not much.” Others disagreed. One commenter responded, “It’s still underpaid.”

Compensation for nannies varies widely depending on location, experience, the number of children, job responsibilities, and whether the position includes benefits. National pay estimates published by Care.com place average nanny wages above $20 per hour in many metropolitan areas, while rates often differ across local markets and job expectations.

The creator closed her response by encouraging other parents to explore childcare arrangements that fit their budgets if both parties agree to the terms. “So if you are a stay-at-home, work-at-home mommy, it is okay to look for somebody who is willing to take $20 an hour to watch your one child and help you with some chores,” she said.