How much to offer?

[2happymamas]

I have to go back to work on Monday.

We will be leaving our 8 week old daughter with a friend every other Thursday from 9:30 until 12:30. Three hours....maybe an extra 15 minutes, depending on traffic. Our friend has year old twin boys who will be home, although Coco will be there during their naptime. We will be driving Coco to her and picking her up, supplying breastmilk, and bringing our own cloth diapers.

How much should we offer her each time she watches the baby? We don't want to be cheap with her.

[dawningmama]

I don't know where you live and I think geography plays a big part in this kind of thing. I'm in NY and I would say, $10/hr so $30-40. I would probably offer to barter and take her kids for an equal # of hours every other week.

[AlwaysByMySide]

I live in the south, and I hear child care is less expensive here.

My kids go to a 4 1/2 hour Parent's Day Out program at a local church, twice a week. I pay them $220/month, for an average of 8 days, two kids. I think it works out to about $6/hour?

I have a sitter/nanny that takes the kids one day a week, for about 8 hours. She gets the asking price of most home daycares around here for drop-in care, $50/day for two kids. Obviously much cheaper, but I warned her ahead of time that that's what I would be paying. She said she doesn't care that that's all I pay; she's home anyway.

My regular sitter and I negotiated to $7.50/hour. I asked her what she wanted, and then brought her down to reality.

I provide everything (food, diapers, etc.) in all three situations. If the girl who has them for an 8 hour stretch needs art supplies or anything like that, I provide it for her, or reimburse her, but she watches them at her house.

I'd suggest that you ask her first. If she says something like, "Whatever you want to pay", I'd say, "Okay, here's $5." Then ask her again how much she wants. And if you think that's fair, then don't bring her down to reality. I like the idea of offering a barter for watching her kids.

[pranamama]

I'd probably factor in the potential travel time, so pay for 3.25 or 3.5 hours, it is better to pick up "early" than "late" especially when it is for such a short amount of time paywise.