Before / After school care - how much do you pay?

[sunlover13]

DD's school does not offer before or after school care so I rely on my neighbors to watch DD (1st grade). We currently pay them:

$15 full school days
$25 half school days
$35 full school days

On full school days, she is there about 3 hours.

We drop her off around 7:15AM, school starts at 8:25AM.
School gets out at 2:40PM, we pick her up around 4:30PM.

They usually end up watching her 4 days a week for a total of $60 per week on average.

Does this seem reasonable? Too much, too little?

The reason I'm asking is my neighbors are moving so I need to find another family for next year.

I plan on offering the same amount, but was just curious what others pay.

TIA!

 

[karibritt01]

I think that sounds reasonable to slightly high depending on going rates in your area. I keep kids in my home everyday. I charge $35/day for infant-preschool. When I have kept school-aged kids during the holidays and such, I have charged $25 for a full day. The price difference is mainly because school-aged kids are self-sufficient, and require little from me outside of food! I would call some childcare centers around you and see how they are priced, and go from there.

 

[mjkacmom]

That sounds high to me! Around here, a sitter that comes to your house gets $10 an hour, but it costs much less to drop off in someone else's home. The average home care provider charges $25 - $30 per day for older children (no diapers). It looks like you are paying more than $10 an hour for someone to babysit in their own home.

 

[walkerag]

We do YMCA Fun Company after school and it's only $44 per week. She's there from 2:45 - 5:30 and only 2-3 days per week when DH has to work but that is thier flat price regardless if the child is there everyday or not and they're open until 6:00.

For summer care it is usually around $100 per week (she has always gone to a day care that is run out of a church) for all day/all week but again she is usually only there for 2-3 days per week but the price remains the same regardless.

This summer she's going somewhere new. It's a summer care for athletes thing (she plays softball) and they specialize in whatever sport your child plays. They quoted us $105 every 2 weeks for 2-3 days per week! SCORE! No pun intended

 

[sunlover13]

I think that sounds reasonable to slightly high depending on going rates in your area. I keep kids in my home everyday. I charge $35/day for infant-preschool. When I have kept school-aged kids during the holidays and such, I have charged $25 for a full day. The price difference is mainly because school-aged kids are self-sufficient, and require little from me outside of food! I would call some childcare centers around you and see how they are priced, and go from there.

Thanks for the response. I figured I was close to where I should be if not high. I think the main thing with us is we need before care, not just after care. I looked into the YMCA and they are more expensive then what I would pay & I'm not sure they do before care, only after care which doesn't help us out.

That sounds high to me! Around here, a sitter that comes to your house gets $10 an hour, but it costs much less to drop off in someone else's home. The average home care provider charges $25 - $30 per day for older children (no diapers). It looks like you are paying more than $10 an hour for someone to babysit in their own home.

Where are you getting $10 an hour? I'm paying $15 total for a school day and she is there 3 hours so I'm paying $5 per hour. On full days, I'm actually paying less than $5 per hour b/c it is $35 for 9 hours.

We do YMCA Fun Company after school and it's only $44 per week. She's there from 2:45 - 5:30 and only 2-3 days per week when DH has to work but that is thier flat price regardless if the child is there everyday or not and they're open until 6:00.

For summer care it is usually around $100 per week (she has always gone to a day care that is run out of a church) for all day/all week but again she is usually only there for 2-3 days per week but the price remains the same regardless.

This summer she's going somewhere new. It's a summer care for athletes thing (she plays softball) and they specialize in whatever sport your child plays. They quoted us $105 every 2 weeks for 2-3 days per week! SCORE! No pun intended

Thanks for the response. I did look into our Y and it is way more than $44 per week. Our whole issue is we need before care too. That summer care for athletes sounds great! I've looked into camps around here and they all start too late. DH and I both leave around 7:00 / 7:30 for work.

 

[allison443]

I also figured your rate as $5 an hour. To me that is reasonable for a school age child. They are taking your dd to school and picking her up, right?

 

[sunlover13]

I just found an email for the YMCA rates from last year:

Before & After school
4 days: $390.00 (members) $515.00
5 days: $400.00 $535.00

So, the Y is way more expensive for us. We are not members so I would have to tack on $60 per month for our membership.

I figure I'm paying $240 per month on average to my sitter for before & after school care. I'm only paying for the days she is there also so if go on vacation or holidays, I do not pay.

The Y, it is a monthly fee regardless of holidays, etc.

 

[sunlover13]

I also figured your rate as $5 an hour. To me that is reasonable for a school age child. They are taking your dd to school and picking her up, right?

Yes, they drive her to and from school. I figured $5 an hour is a pretty good deal too. I like that I only have to pay when she is there also. I don't pay if they don't watch her, whether someone is sick, vacations, holidays, etc.

I'm sure there are people that pay less than $60 per week for 4 days, but it is probably a flat weekly rate and it is probably not before school care too.

If we didn't need the before school care, I would probably pay less.

 

[Minnesota!]

Where my son goes, it's $7.50/day for before school care (630 - 815), $10.50/day for after school care (3-6), and if it's full day (630-6), it's $22.50/day.

 

[DeniseinNS]

I don't use a sitter now but I have been enquiring for one for September and it would be $15 for two kids for 1.5 hours after school.

 

[4nana]

That sounds reasonable. Our area is pricey at $110-120 for before and after school care, be it professional or licensed home daycare providers. Better rates for 5 day full time avg. $150-175 wk. for school age child. Most centers and home day cares are usually open from 6am till 6pm, so work longer hours. In our area, both professional and home day care providers get paid holidays and vacation.

 

[NAB]

I watch a boy for an hour before he goes to school and I get $10.00/day . He is really only in a holding pattern until school starts then walk to school with my two kids. The boy is 10. By law here not allowed to stay home alone until 12.

I don't feed ,him he either watches tv or plays video games. He is the next door neighbour.

Only think I have to do different in the morning is get dressed and shower because he is coming. So I am up about a half hour earlier then normal. My kids are 12 and 9 so they can fend for themselves if I am in the shower.

 

[walkerag]

I just found an email for the YMCA rates from last year:

Before & After school
4 days: $390.00 (members) $515.00
5 days: $400.00 $535.00

So, the Y is way more expensive for us. We are not members so I would have to tack on $60 per month for our membership.

I figure I'm paying $240 per month on average to my sitter for before & after school care. I'm only paying for the days she is there also so if go on vacation or holidays, I do not pay.

The Y, it is a monthly fee regardless of holidays, etc.

Wow, that's high! I'm sure alot of the price difference is due to our different locations though. Ours is at the school and they don't offer before care but some of them do. We have relatives that technically could keep DD (a grandparent) but unfortunatley they are not always reliable.

I hope you find someone for the same price, good luck!

 

[sunlover13]

Thanks everyone for the responses!

Sounds like I'm getting a pretty good deal on what I am paying.

Now, I just need to find someone for next year.

 

[princessmom29]

For my DD I par $45 a month for before school. I don't use after school, but it is $120 a month for onsite at the school. IF she had gone to public school I would have needed to use a daycare for before and after school which would have bee $400 a month.

 

[BabyTigger99]

Wow, it is crazy to see how rates vary from place to place! When my DS went to after school care through the Y right at school, it was $33/week for 3 days a week (he was there from 2:45 to 5).

My infant is in home day care right now, and the sitter I found charges $25/day! For an infant!

 

[krcit]

My friend gets $15 an hour for watching 2 girls after school. I am thinking about seeing if someone needs before school care for the fall b/c I live across the street from the school and am up with my own kids by 6:30 anyway. I would charge $10 an hour/$50 a week. That seems like the going rate around here.

 

[allison443]

Wow, it is crazy to see how rates vary from place to place! When my DS went to after school care through the Y right at school, it was $33/week for 3 days a week (he was there from 2:45 to 5).

My infant is in home day care right now, and the sitter I found charges $25/day! For an infant!

Someplace like the Y or a school is a non-profit, right? Plus the kids are in a group setting, so they are taking in more money overall than someone who watches one child.
$25 a day to watch an infant seems very cheap to me. How much does that work out to an hour??

 

[Hillbeans]

$120 a month for 3x a week before school care on the school grounds.

Drop-off is anytime between 7 am - 9:10 am when school starts. It's convenient but not cheap.