What would you pay someone to care for 2 kids 9-4pm for a week?

[american_mama]

I have just been offered a week's worth of work in September by my former office, but I can't do it with kids in thehouse. So I am thinking of asking a SAHM friend if she would take care of my kids (ages 2 and 4 years, roughly). What should I offer to pay her?

My friend has children roughly the same age and our children have played together at playdates, parks, etc., but never in each other's homes, so caring for them is likely to be a bit of work and unfamiliarity on everyone's part.

It would be 3-6 days of work, about 7 hours a day. She would probably be housebound during that time, or only able to walk to a neighborhood park, since neither of us have cars that would fit four carseats. I would insist on paying her, as I think it is unfair for me to earn money while she does me a favor for free. Plus, I know she really needs the money.

I picked the below amounts based on what my sister was paid 5 years ago for taking care of one child for several months. It's a wide range, but may still be out of whack.

[BaileyBea]

I've been paying sitters between $8-12 per hour.

There has only been one $8 sitter that has been 100% worth it. She drives, she's great w/DS, and she cleans up all his messes etc... She's 22 years old and wonderful. My #1 sitter whom I just adore.

$12 sitter cleans, takes great care of DS, and knows CPR
$11 sitter cleans the toys and does the dishes, but she's not comfortable w/Cloth Diapering.

$8 sitters never change his diapers. They would much rather talk on the phone than watch DS. I come home to messes.

I think sometimes you have to pay more to get more. Especially when it's two kids. 4 kids all together is a lot of work. I would offer to pay for a few lunches too. Pizza etc...

[sidmand]

I agree if you were getting a full-time sitter (that you would need to pay over $10/hour to get a good person), but when it's a friend and it's only for a week or so...

I think $50-$70 for the day would be good. More or less depending on how *tough* it is with everyone. Do the younger ones take naps? Do the older ones?

I'm not sure she would even want to go out to lunch with 4 littles ones (I sometimes shudder at the thought of taking my one!), but maybe a pizza party or something at home one of the days would be a nice treat.

Debbie
http://b2.lilypie.com/BI7Tm5.png

[american_mama]

My older daugher does not take naps, but I think all the others do. My older daughter would also be at preschool for some of the mornings. I didn't consider paying an hourly rate the same way I would a night babysitter, maybe because I kept thinking of it as what to pay for the whole day vs. an hourly rate times the hours. Should the two equal each other?

[BaileyBea]

I think Daytime sitters work harder. Most of the time the nighttime sitters only see them awake for 1-2 hours.

Dh and I had a conversation about this. We wish we could pay the Daytime sitter more and the nighttime less. Since seriously they are just hanging out, not doing much of anything.

I dunno, did she give you any idea of how much she would expect? You could pay $8 per hour for one kiddo and $10 per hour for two kiddos. And just average it out daily and offer her that daily rate.

[thomma]

Well, if it's any help at all, I pay my daycare provider $8.50 an hour for 2 kids...so $68 a day and she provides all of the food.
IMO anything between $60 and $70 a day would be fair.

Kim
t&e 5/03

[bostonsmama]

People here are so generous! Where were you when I was watching children???

Last year I did a favor for a former friend by watching her 24 month-old son in my home for a work week. I believe she gave me $200 for five days of 7am-4pm. For two children, $35-450 would have been nice, but really at that point I'd have (as a parent) VERY HIGH expectations for what the caregiver was doing w/ my child. Perhaps it was just so much fun to have her DS (since I don't have my own). We live in the mid-Atlantic region (non metro), so prices here aren't as inflated.

I'm sure she'll appreciate any generous offer, and of course that you're not trying to take advantage of her since you're paying, but you also shouldn't make it so you're not making anything by working and paying for child care. I would ask her what she's comfortable with, or if she had a figure in her head. If it's more, pay more, if it's less, pay a decent wage anyways. Four kids can drive the most organized parents bonkers.

Larissa
"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure." Rom 5:3

Proud Aunt to Jack Dorian, b. 3/06

[saschalicks]

Will she be providing food?
Will she be picking DD up from pre-school or are you brining her to your friends after pre-school?

Here's what I pay with my day care to give you an idea. I live in Los Angeles, CA, so take the geography (as far as fair in your area) into consideration as well.
-I have 2 children as well.
-My daycare is from 8AM - 6PM.
-She feeds them 3 meals plus snack, I supply bottles for DS#2 as long as he's on formula. Once he's done with formula I supply no food.
-I gave her a sippy cup for DS#1 that stays there (I don't know why I added this but I did)
-I supply all diapers and wipes.
-I pay $280/week, which works out to $56 a day.
-If I need help on the weekends it's $100 a day

I would say that $50-$70 is very generous and up to par for what is "normal". HTH

[denna]

I voted for $50 a day. We pay our sitter $20 a day (which is what she asked for) and we are there full time. We do live overseas, however our sitter is an American and a wonderul sitter.

I guess it would depend on your area, and what the local rates are. Have you tried asking the sitter how much she wanted to charge?!?

Good Luck :)