Watch neighbors child over the summer?

[nicolet]

My good friend and neighbor needs someone to watch her child over the summer. I'm currantly on disability because I had leukemia at one time. Our soms are friends and both families hang out together. It would really be watching for 3 days a week. So used to pay her neice to do it around 200/week.
She told me that she would pay me but I feel funny talking money form a good friend.
Do I watch her son and take the money? Or help her find someone else.

 

[Green Tea]

My thought always was if you want me to keep your kids so you can go out to eat, have fun, run errands, bring them over. If you want me to watch your kids while you work and earn money, then you pay me. It always seemed reasonable. Why would you take on a "job" for free when your friend is earning money?

 

[dhdozier]

Watching him once in awhile is a favor and I would not charge, but to know you have the regular responsibility and have to make sure you clear your schedule for those 3 days every week IS A JOB and yes you should get paid. I hope he is a well-behaved child, if so then you are extra fortunate to take on a job you can love.

 

[Riles_and_Gabe]

I would watch the child and wouldn't feel funny taking the money. I would prefer to pay my friend to watch my kids and feel comfortable knowing them then have a stranger watch my kids.

 

[mjkacmom]

Yes, I'd accept money, but not $200 (I assume the niece watched him in his own home, which pays more). I'd take $25 a day (which seems on the low end of the range of home based drop in unlicensed daycare here).

 

[ah1126]

I wouldn't feel bad taking the money if it is something that you want to do. If he is a growing boy, the money will help cover the extra groceries you will need!

 

[DisneyCrazyX5]

I paid my mom when she babysat my son. She was a babysitter for others so I paid her too. It also made it easier to ask for Grandma to watch our son on the weekend - this was grandma time - no pay. I think your friend would like to pay you for the job, but I agree $200 may be too much - I would do 3 days for $100, extra days $25 each

 

[talulabelle]

I'm sure it's a regional thing the pay - but around here (MD) for in-home day care , it STARTS at $100 a day. No way I would do that for free. You have to be there for her - you can't just pick up and decide to go somewhere for a long weekend or something similar when you are obligated to be there for her so she can get to work. Even though your kids play, and he would be probably be there anyway for some of the time, you are now responsible for him and that adds a new stress. You might get tired of having him, and being compensated for the time definitely helps if that happens.

I used to be the only stay-at-home mom on my block, and if the schools closed early for snow or something - I was the one that they all walked home to until their parents returned from work. I didn't mind helping out every once in a while for my neighbors...but one winter we were pelted with a blizzard right after a blizzard and had an unusual amount of time off from school....everyone just assumed that it was no problem for me to watch their kids, since I was home anyway. It drove me CRAZY! I was not able to enjoy the time off with my kids. The kids expected me to entertain them daily with trips to go sledding etc. I didn't feel like it every day. And the thing that really got me was all of their parents were out MAKING MONEY. I kept thinking - I could get a job and be out making money, but I don't because I want to be home with my kids...(not the neighborhoods kids) MY kids. It burned me up.

For an entire summer, you should definitely take some compensation...enough to make you not feel used at times when the kid is on you nerves. (I think this would be more than $25 a day - at least $75) Or else, tell her you are afraid that you are not able to handle it and she should find someone else. If you are still collecting disability, I would think you are still limited in what you can do...or else you would not be able to collect.

 

[EllenFrasier]

I would accept $25 a day and he brings his own lunch. Snacks would be provided by you. If you are on disability, could this jeopardize your payments? I mean if you are working and collecting a salary and they are paying you disability because you are permanently disabled they might question how you are working then. KWIM?

 

[North of Mouse]

I agree with the PP that this would be a "job" and not once in awhile neighborly favor. $200 does not seem out of line to me because it's a big responsibility - have to keep friendship and "work" kind of separate and if she needs you for a drop-in at other times that would certainly be a freebie. It's a win-win for her because she can relax knowing who's watching her child and her child would be very happy. It would cost more than that here for a "one-on-one" child-care for sure.

 

[nicolet]

Ok looks like I'm going to be able to make a couple of bucks before our cruise in September.

25 looks like a good amount? I have often thought about maybe taking on a child while mine is in school.

BTW, the boy is really well behaved, and a pleasure to have at my house and a year older then my son.

 

[BubMunkeyBles]

I'd say $25/day. Plus its a playmate for your son over the summer.

 

[Kellydelly]

Ok looks like I'm going to be able to make a couple of bucks before our cruise in September.

25 looks like a good amount? I have often thought about maybe taking on a child while mine is in school.

BTW, the boy is really well behaved, and a pleasure to have at my house and a year older then my son.

Why would you charge only $25 for a full day when she is paying someone else almost 3x that? This would be an obligation for you, she is going to depend on you to not flake out on her. $25, and you may as well not even do it and just leave your summer FREE to do whatever you want with your child. You mentioned that it is a neighbor, so she doesn't have to go far to drop her kid off or pick him up. You would be providing a service to her and piece of mind, since she knows and trusts you.

 

[North of Mouse]

So agree with you Kellydelly, what's the point of taking on so much responsibility ( and it truly is) for a paltry $25 a day It's not like the neighbor is destitute, but has a job and has been paying for childcare. This would be a much better deal for her and practically free - so way would I do it under these circumstances. A NEEDY situation, yes, but not this

 

[jmac323]

I agree with most of the above posts that $200 a week seems high. I think $25-$30 a day is reasonable. And I know that if I had a friend that could do this for me, I would not expect her to do it for free or super cheap. I would look at it like a PT job.

 

[mrspaha]

I say take the $200 she offers you. You're doing here a HUGE favor. She doesn't have to drive him some place; he'll be with someone she knows and trusts: he'll be someplace where he feels comfortable. And, it sounds like you'd have additional expenses feeding him too. I'd feel funny asking the mother to pack a lunch for him. (unless he has special dietary restrictions, or is an extremely fussy eater).

 

[nicolet]

The other person that used to watch him was a niece that graduated from tech school had no job etc and was a family member. Didn't have any intentions of getting a real job
I used to pay someone 25 a day for my infant son.

So that's why I thought 25 was a good price

 

[North of Mouse]

Sorry to continue to disagree, but $25.00-$30.00 a day is downright cheap. When is the last time you checked out "top-notch" "one-on-one" childcare? The kid would not be stuck in a building all day with structured activities, would have a trusted friend to care for him, have a playmate he knows and likes, lives right down the street I know a lot of parents who would not only pay the going rate, but would pay dearly for that peace of mind This is a part-time JOB folks, not an occasional "night or day out" situation which is so different. I, personally would not take advantage of someone that I thought a lot of when they clearly didn't realize the value of what they were doing for me - but some people get taken advantage of (and I know some) and it becomes their problem

 

[Disneybuckeye]

$25 per day is like 2-3 dollars per hour. I think $200 per week is fine and I would be happy to pay it if I was her. I paid a friend of mine who was a teacher $400 to watch my 3 kids 15 years ago during the summer in our home from 6am to 3:30pm (we chose the hours together, she liked getting off early and I could flex during any 8 hour time span with an hour lunch). She dropped them off at our private swiim club at 9am and they did swim team and tennis lessons for 9am to 12pm. I paid for them to eat lunch at the pool most days. She spent the afternoons with them at the pool laying out in the sun while they played. If they did not want to come home when it was time for the babysitter to leave I came down and hung out with them for another hour or two. No, it was not a tough job, but my kids loved being at the pool all day with their friends so it was worth every penny to me. My friend really needed the money and I just needed a responsible adult to be readily available and drive them to the pool in the morning.

As a former working mom good childcare is priceless. I think this is a win-win situation for both of you since you like the child, he gets along with your kids and you can easily earn some extra money for Disney.

 

[North of Mouse]