Child Care

Hi W.,
I am a child care provider too. If the mom stays with her baby at my house I do not charge but if I am watching the baby, I charge an hourly rate or a daily rate (whichever is less). I would NOT recommend watching her for free because almost any parent will take advantage of this. Why pay if you don't have to, where can you get free childcare? Your time is valuable and you are experienced. No parent would or should expect you to care for their baby free. I charge $6 an hour for drop in care and $36 a day for full days (over 4 hours). You can adjust your rate for single parents, I do. Anyway, best of luck to you!

L.
www.lisaslearningland.com

Hi W.

I am in home child care too, and I think if she drops the baby off for 4hrs or more I would charge her the daily rate. I would take what you said you would charge her weekly and divide it by 5 and make that her daily rate. I always felt after 4 or 5 hrs it should be considered a full day. It would probably cost a parent more to pay me by the hour v. the daily rate after 5hrs. If she drops the baby off for an hour or 2 I would charge her the going hourly rate in your area for the age of the baby. I think here in OKC it is about $7 an hour. If you have all ready watched the baby for a few hours and not charged her I would consider it good business but put an end to it nicely. I would tell the mom you have enjoyed getting to know the baby and would love to continue to have her as a drop in until she goes back to work full time, but if the baby comes less then 4hrs you will charge her (what ever you charge an hour) and if she comes more then 4hrs you will charge her the daily rate and explain how you got to that rate.

You will not look greedy at all. This is what you do for a living. I don't know why parents think we should do it for free or less. I watched a friends child once for about 6 weeks over the summer for about an hour or hour and half a day, and I said they did not have to pay me. I asked that they send her w/ a snack and that's it. The little girl is friends w/ my son so they played well together and I watched the little girl for several years and they paid me very well. So as friends and as a good fair business I did it for free. I forget why, but for 2 weeks they needed someone to watch her all day all week and instead of asking me to do it they paid another lady to watch her. And then came back to me for their free care. I think they (for a short time, we are still friends) lost respect for me or just took advantage of me. I don't give my services away unless it is one hour or so to get to know the child, that is good business, and I make it clear this one time there is no charge, but in the future get to know visits are welcome and encouraged but I charge $7 and hour. Just remember you are a business like any other. Know other business gives away stuff.

Well good luck, I hope it all works out well. Keep us posted on how it all works out.

T.

can i bring my kids over for the free getting to know you thingy?

i would never leave my child with a total stranger for a getting to know my child...i want to know the person that is taking care of my child as well...

a fair price by the hour is what i would do...which is like where i live about 5 bucks an hour..anything over 4 hours would be full day price...i agree with the others on here...you can't ever do it for free...remember you have a business....if she (the mother) were there with you that would be free...you aren't taking care of her if the momma is there

try to remember when you were a first time momma...remember how it felt when you had to leave your child for the first time with daycare? thats the same thing she is going through now...talk with her about your experience....

one thing...just don't let her take advantage of you

When I did the same thing in 1998, I charged an hourly rate. However the standard practice now is they charge by the day for anything over 6 hours and hourly for time less than 6.

I would charge by the hour. or a flat fee per day.

Since you offered a trial period, it wouldn't be right to ask for a full week's pay, maybe just a small hourly rate.

I am also a home child care provider. I have went through the same thing. I offered to watch a new mothers infant while she did errands, cleaned her house, etc. I discussed it with the parent and we came to the agreement that even though a home child care provider works from the comfort of her own home, that is still her job and source of income to provide for their own family. We agreed that we would take her weekly rate and pro-rate it making it a daily price instead of weekly. If the child was here for three days then we took the weekly price and divided it by three. After the child is receiving the same care she will get when she becomes full time.

I don't pay for childcare, but in my opinion if I was that mother and you offered to watch my child then I probably wouldn't expect to pay full price. Maybe you can speak to her and negoticate a price with her for those 2 weeks so that its fair for everyone. Good luck! Your one brave soul for takin on a 2 month old and a 6 week old.
I tried watch a 10 month old girl when my son was 8 months and it was a disaster. They were both in a really needy stage and boy was it rough on me and them.

Wow, you will be busy with your own 2 month old and this new baby too! Good luck :) If I were that mom I wouldn't expect to pay a full week's price for the time you're "getting to know" the baby. I would fully expect to pay a partial fee though, I wouldn't expect that I could drop my baby off for free! Just talk it over with her and ask what she thinks would be fair. Let her know what you're thinking and ask if she agrees or if she had another idea. It's not greedy to ask to be compensated for the work you are doing.

hey W....B. here, when i had katie, my oldest, i took her to the sitter for a trial run before going back to work. i think it was like 2 hours a day for 3 days a week for two weeks. i paid a very reasonable hourly rate to the provider. i think it worked out really well for both of us and katie too. i know that your great at what you do, and that the new mom and baby will be happy.

I would charge her by the hour. That is what my daycare provider does for me! She charges $5.00 per hour and $35 for a whole day!