How do you charge for childcare?

[bisous]

My dear neighbor who had fallen on hard times, has found a job! She's been a SAHM for YEARS but was lucky enough to find a job that is perfect for her. She wants me to watch her son. He pretty much lives at my house now and I love him very much. I'm happy to watch him and she's willing to pay me. I have offered to watch him for free (because he's really easy) but she insists on paying and I understand her perspective. We are trying to figure out how to pay. An hourly rate? A "per day" rate? I will watch him for about 2 to 3 hours on weekdays and also on school holidays and summer vacation. I will also watch him on minimum days. How does this work?

TIA!

[lil_acorn]

I think the going rate for daycares is $50/day. So for 2-3 hours, may $20/day? Is she providing food or are you? You'd need to figure out that cost too.

[Philly Mom]

I think $10 an hour would make sense since your kids will be there too. At a minimum, I think you should charge minimum wage for California. I agree you should think about the cost of food too.

[egoldber]

I pay my after school nanny $25/day for 2 hours of afternoon child care. I pay her $20 if she comes in the morning to get younger DD off to school (~1.25 hours). I pay her $12 an hour for other intermittent sitting. I pay a high school sitter $10 an hour.

I have to ask, do you really want to do this? What happens if one of your own children gets sick, needs an appointment, wants to do a class, has a birthday party, etc. What if you want to leave early one Friday afternoon to get out of town for the weekend. What if you are sick? What if she has to work late one day? What if you want to do something on one of those days off?

This is a huge commitment to make to her. If it were me, I would offer to do back up child care for her. One of my neighbors did that for me today (DH is out of town, sitter doesn't work on Tuesdays, and I had a mandatory meeting) and it was a huge relief to know she was there for me.

But I would strongly encourage your friend to find either a regular sitter or after school care.

[KrisM]

I pay my after school nanny $25/day for 2 hours of afternoon child care. I pay her $20 if she comes in the morning to get younger DD off to school (~1.25 hours). I pay her $12 an hour for other intermittent sitting. I pay a high school sitter $10 an hour.

I have to ask, do you really want to do this? What happens if one of your own children gets sick, needs an appointment, wants to do a class, has a birthday party, etc. What if you want to leave early one Friday afternoon to get out of town for the weekend. What if you are sick? What if she has to work late one day? What if you want to do something on one of those days off?

This is a huge commitment to make to her. If it were me, I would offer to do back up child care for her. One of my neighbors did that for me today (DH is out of town, sitter doesn't work on Tuesdays, and I had a mandatory meeting) and it was a huge relief to know she was there for me.

But I would strongly encourage your friend to find either a regular sitter or after school care.

Yes, be sure to think it through! Many of my neighbors work and need childcare in the mornings and/or afterschool for 1-2 hours a day. I've told them I'm absolutely here for them if they are in a pinch. If their sitter is sick, I'm happy to pick up a kid at the middle school or have the younger one over after school. No problem at all. But, I do not want to do it daily .

[azzeps]

What everybody else said. Make it worth your while so there's no resentment. Reliable childcare is worth it's weight in gold!

[JustMe]

I agree with the others that you should really think about the carefully before agreeing to all that you are taking on! Will you really take him for all school holidays? I understand he already spends tons of time at your home, but what about your kids' appointments, family things you may do, etc? Now, if he can just go along that is great--but it really may be a good idea to talk to her about at least back up care of some sort/things that could happen when you can't watch him, etc/

All that said, if you are happy to do this, I would probably charge a little less than some others have suggested. First of all, I probably live in an lower cost of living area. A full no school day of childcare would run me about $37 here. Secondly, I think some hybrid of you are getting paid/but you are still doing a friend a favor/and this is easier considering he is happily with your family so much already. Its hard for me to come up with a dollar amount because I think this really varies upon location, but I would take into account extra expenses (food, etc--even if he normally eats food at your house), inconvenience (another kid to take along), and everything else that goes along with that.

[westwoodmom04]

I think $10 an hour would make sense since your kids will be there too. At a minimum, I think you should charge minimum wage for California. I agree you should think about the cost of food too.

This is what I what say as well, $10 an hour is the going rate in our area for babysitters who bring their kids.

[bisous]

This is what I what say as well, $10 an hour is the going rate in our area for babysitters who bring their kids.

That sounds like so much to me! I guess I just look at this as an opportunity to help out a friend. I'm sure the money will be nice but I feel like "what's one more?", lol.

Neighbor boy (NB) is like another child. An easier, sweeter child than any of mine, lol! He's exactly 10 days younger than DS2 and he's 7 so he isn't a toddler that is in to everything. If my kids have an appointment, he'll come with me. If they are sick, he'll still come over (does anyway). If I'm sick, I'm screwed. I've seriously never had DH take care of me when I was ill, even with the stomach flu and even with the full fledged flu and a 2mo. So really, he'll probably help me more than anything. The clincher is that he's only coming over for a few hours during the school year. I think we'll probably address the summer when it comes. (Like maybe he'll do a few camps or something). But I bring him with me often places and it just makes it more fun. Trust me, if he was like my DS3 you couldn't pay me enough to watch him. But he's sweet and easy.

[westwoodmom04]

That sounds like so much to me! I guess I just look at this as an opportunity to help out a friend. I'm sure the money will be nice but I feel like "what's one more?", lol.

Neighbor boy (NB) is like another child. An easier, sweeter child than any of mine, lol! He's exactly 10 days younger than DS2 and he's 7 so he isn't a toddler that is in to everything. If my kids have an appointment, he'll come with me. If they are sick, he'll still come over (does anyway). If I'm sick, I'm screwed. I've seriously never had DH take care of me when I was ill, even with the stomach flu and even with the full fledged flu and a 2mo. So really, he'll probably help me more than anything. The clincher is that he's only coming over for a few hours during the school year. I think we'll probably address the summer when it comes. (Like maybe he'll do a few camps or something). But I bring him with me often places and it just makes it more fun. Trust me, if he was like my DS3 you couldn't pay me enough to watch him. But he's sweet and easy.

She would have to pay a college student or nanny at least $15 an hour so she is still getting a discount and having her child watched by someone she knows and trusts, plus the companionship of your kids.