Pricing child care

[auralia]

My dh has a friend that is having problems with her day care. She has a 2 year old daughter. She wants someone for six weeks to bridge the gap to when she goes on maternity leave it would be at least 50 hours a week. My dh suggested me. She pays her current day care 80$ per week(woman has 6 children in a in home day care). Dh suggested that I might be willing to do it for 3-4$ pr hour. She came over and I met her daughter she and my son (20 months) and daughter 5 get along well. I would have to take her lo with me every day to pick my dd up from school but aside from that it would be just her and my son with me all day. I would be expected to provide meals and I believe diapers.

She wants to pay me the 80$ a week she was paying the day care. By the time I feed the child (huge eater) I would be making about 1.20$ an hour. I feel like this is a bit of an insult but feel bad for her situation. Her daughter is a bit of a puker and has some runny nose issues (the other day care sends her home too much so this is why she is seeking other care). I don't feel the wage is worth taking the time away from my son, but I feel terrible and money grubbing for feeling that way. I feel like even at 4$ an hour I am undercutting myself but I am willing at that rate to help her. Dh is going to talk to her today but I'm afraid she will be mad it me for expecting so much (please mind I pay my baby sitter 10$ per hour).

Am I being unreasonable is 4$ an hour too much to ask for 50 hours a week. Her dd would get much more one on one attention with me. I have more toys and games than most moms and a playground in my back yard complete with 3 slides and a play house. I have had workmen ask if I have any openings at my daycare because they are looking because of how child centered my house is.

How much would you charge an hour for this. In our area a center day care runs about 600-800$ per month while homes run from 70-80$ a week. The cheapest rate on sitter city is around 10$ an hour and that is what I pay my baby sitter (a prek teacher at a daycare). I have worked in a school setting for several years before I had children and finished 3 years of a teaching degree in college before I decided it was not the career path for me.

I know it's long but would love some opinions or thoughts. I'm so mad at dh for even giving her the impression I would do this for 80$ a week. She wants to hire a nanny when then new baby comes and I think she is in for a HUGE expense shock. She has a huge house on a big piece of land, cars that are worth twice as much as mine and we chose to live smaller so I can stay at home. I love extra money for the Disney fund but 1.60 an hour seems crazy.

What would you charge?

 

[DOREEN1779]

I do not think $5.00 an hour is unreasonable. If you are providing meals and need to change diapers, I think it is very reasonable. Parent helpers in our area of NJ charge $5.00 an hour and they do not do a fraction of what you will be responsible for.

 

[clm10308]

She wants to pay you less than $2 per hour for 50 hrs per week? I wouldn't do it.

I have been doing in home care for the past year. I live in a very small town with relatively low incomes and no commercial child care at all. Most people here rely on relatives to watch their kids for little or no pay.
I have been charging $3.50 hour. I do provide food for the girl now that she is 1, but mom provides diapers and wipes. In my situation the hours that I have the girl vary greately each week.

If it is really just for 6 weeks, I might agree to do it for $100 per week, just as a favor, but I would wonder if you would get sucked into caring for the infant when she can't find a nanny that will work as cheaply as she wants.

The lady that I babysit for just lost her job as the nurse at our local clinic due to budget cuts. She is looking for another job, but will get much less money since she doesnt want to drive to neighboring town to work as a nurse. She asked me if I would watch her DD for only $2 hour since she will be making only $8 hour herself. I do t think that is worth the effort, so I have started looking for other work. I told her I would babysit for that amount only until I find another job.

 

[DOREEN1779]

I would also go on the internet and price out nanny sites, to show your husband, even a shared nanny gets more then $5.00 an hour.

 

[connie1042]

I am a licensed in home Daycare Provider. Have been for 40 years. If you get 4 dollars an hour for one child, go for it. We get 25 dollars a day, or 125 a week. A lot of people do not go back to work because of the cost of daycare. If the kids are on assistance, the county pays 2.37 an hour or 23.70 a day.

 

[Darcy03231]

I paid $125/wk 15 years ago to have the type of care you would be providing. There's no way I would do it for less than $5/hr.

 

[beansmom]

SERIOUSLY????

WE pay (for ds's kids) $400 a week for 2 kids. Yes, $400 and we provide diapers and lunches. The center provides a small snack for them.

In their previous daycare center, it was $600 a week for them. And lest you think theyare going to 'private school'...that was Kindercare.

Dang, daycare in Massachusetts will break ya...actually, they just (this morning) had a story about this on the news....how daycare is more expensive than a year of college or rent.

 

[VAfamily1998]

Why would you be expected to provide diapers?

I might agree to do it for the 6 weeks, just as a favor to help a friend out--but I would not provide diapers and I'd probably ask for help with the food too...

 

[Anastasia]

15 years ago, I paid $150.00 a week for in home daycare. I would not even consider doing this for $80.00 a week.

 

[jillbur]

My boys used to go to a home daycare. She charged $3.75 for one child & $5.50 for two. I brought all my supplies (diapers & wipes) and she fed them, but she is part of a YMCA food program that reimburses her the cost of food.

To be honest, I wouldn't give up 50 hours of my week for $80. That's a little ridiculous in my opinion. I'm guessing it's 10 hours a day so that's $8/day? No way. She'll probably find that she won't find anyone to do it at that price. I hate to see what she'll do when she has 2 kids that need care!

 

[horseshowmom]

My boys used to go to a home daycare. She charged $3.75 for one child & $5.50 for two. I brought all my supplies (diapers & wipes) and she fed them, but she is part of a YMCA food program that reimburses her the cost of food.

To be honest, I wouldn't give up 50 hours of my week for $80. That's a little ridiculous in my opinion. I'm guessing it's 10 hours a day so that's $8/day? No way. She'll probably find that she won't find anyone to do it at that price. I hate to see what she'll do when she has 2 kids that need care!

I agree, and by the time you take out food and diapers, you don't even get that. At $16 a day, she could easily spend more than half that much just for her lunch each day. I doubt she would even think you were doing her a favor since that's what she was paying the other place.

If you could use the extra money, fine, but otherwise I don't think it would fit into my schedule. Don't let anybody make you feel guilty either. They're her children to care for, not yours (not intending to sound harsh).

 

[okeydokey]

The difference between her old place and you is that the other day care person had 5 other kids also paying her. She is getting much more attentive care with you and you deserve at least $4-5 an hour for that, and she provides her own diapers. If she is not interested in your price, then she can find someone else.

$80 a week is crazy low.

 

[Hannathy]

I have never heard of a day care of any type that would provide diapers! That is like saying you will provide the kids clothing or underwear. Sorry diapers are your responsibility. (the parents)

I would be so po'd at my DH. How insulting that he thinks your time is only worth $1.60 an hour. We would be having strong words, that is for sure.

Next question is do you want to do it? You don't have to if you don't want to. She isn't family and it isn't an emergency for something catastrophic. So if you really don't want to just say no. Nothing wrong with that at all. You made choices and sacrifices for your child, she can do the same, it isn't your responsibility.

She is working and it sounds like at a good job. There is no way I would do it for less than $175. AND she provides diapers. I probably would ask for $200.

Sad that her job and cars mean more to her than placing her child in quality day care, she is only looking for the cheapest way out.

 

[FigmentChick]

SERIOUSLY????

WE pay (for ds's kids) $400 a week for 2 kids. Yes, $400 and we provide diapers and lunches. The center provides a small snack for them.

In their previous daycare center, it was $600 a week for them. And lest you think theyare going to 'private school'...that was Kindercare.

Dang, daycare in Massachusetts will break ya...actually, they just (this morning) had a story about this on the news....how daycare is more expensive than a year of college or rent.

I'm with the others who have said $80/week for 50 hours is ridiculous!!!

Like the PP, I paid a lot for daycare for my two children about 10 years ago. Back then, I paid $250 a week for the both of them and that was only for 40 hours or less a week.....not 50.

Four years ago, when I had my little guy, I was paying $150/week for 40 hours.

I live in Southern, rural (think farms) NJ, lest you think I'm from a major mentro area. AND.....these payments were to a regular daycare, not Kindercare or Goddard.

I think you are getting the way short end of the stick. Best of luck.

 

[auralia]

Dh agrees that anything under 4$ isnt worth what it would take from my son. So thank goodness for that! I hope she isn't mad at me. She is nice, but my kids have to come first. She makes about the same as dh does and her husband I believe about the same so over 100000$ a year combined I'd guess.

 

[starry_solo]

You didn't post your location either, but I would also assume it depends on location.

But no, I would ask for a minimum of $5 per hour and she provides the diapers/baby toiletries.

 

[horseshowmom]

If she gets mad because you don't want to do it for $80, that proves you don't want to deal with her. What she's asking isn't reasonable.

 

[susieq76]

I sit for my friend who's husband left her with no support and a 2 year old. She supplies the diapers and still I get paid $80 a week (and its like 38 hours a week). And this is my friend who I am doing a favor for.

No WAY would I do it for that if I were you.

 

[JennyKS]

I feel fortunate I live in Kansas. When my daughter was one she started daycare for 165 a week. Now that she is 7 its 105 a week (full time during the summer) field trips included. It only drops to 95 for before and after school care. Of course this isn't a home daycare, its a church daycare. I always thought though, my daughter is there about 11 hours a day, dividing that out, not much per hour. We did supply our own diapers. But they provided breakfast, snacks and lunch.

 

[QVCshopper]

I wouldn't do it unless it was a close friend or family member. Your sanity is worth way more than $80. I just had a third kid, and believe me, three is much more work than two... But then, my third is just a baby.

If you were to help this lady, she can't expect to pay you so little. A box of diapers will run you $20, food at least $10. Which means you're watching the child for $10/day. Nuts and not with the money.

Since its for a set amount of time (five weeks?) maybe say you'll do it for $1,250-1,500 and she brings diapers. Don't get taken advantage of. I had a "friend" like this, and she never spoke to me again after I said I wouldn't watch her kids for super cheap.