Need child care cost advice...

[larksongs]

Hi , I am a homeschooling mom and just started babysitting and helping a girl (8) with school work after school 2 hours a day. She needs an extra nudge with academics and her mother works so this is where I come in.Usually we spend one hour on academics/homework then another hour playing , cooking , eating, games, park etc activities. No TV plunking here Mom, girl and teacher say she's very happy here, so that make me smile

Anyway, I have never had a baby sitter for my son. I charge 8 an hour. Tomorrow her mom has to work but the kids have the day off. Mom has the choice tomorrow of free care but says she's happier here and has some school work that she wants her to work on with me. So I would have her from 9 to 5.

Anyway, mom asked me "What would you charge for the full day?"

So, what do I charge for the full day? What would you pay or expect to be paid. I have experience having kids here all the time but am still relatively new to the whole getting paid for it. I don't want to charge too much.

[LoveOhm]

I think that depends on your relationship with the mom, the needs of her child, the mother's expectations of you, etc. it is not really black and white.

The rage in my high COL city ranges from $10-$15 for hourly babysitting / nanny work but as a single mom who is in school I am lucky a close friend has a college-age daughter who babysits. I pay her $10 an hour most days but she charges $8 and I am so thankful because some days I cannot afford the $10 an hour..... this is for one on one care.

My friends who have a nanny share pay $15 per hour for two kids and they split the hourly cost, making it 7.50 per hour? Maybe you should think what would you feel comfortable asking for and state this is a one time commitment / price so it does not set a ongoing price.....

[staceychev]

My DD's daycare/preschool charges $8 per hour per kid for "drop in" care. Babysitters in the area are more. My feeling is that, if you charge $8 per hour, you charge $8 per hour. Multiply it out for the whole day.

[annekevdbroek]

Since she pays you $8 an hour now I would expect that rate. I wonder if she was thinking she would get a break on the rate for a full day care? $8 is very reasonable. In this high COL area it is $10-$15 easily for babysitting. In fact, in the low COL area we were in previously it was that much too, at least, for an adult babysitter.

[HollyBearsMom]

Min would $8 an hour as I don't see what a whole day would change the rate.

My afternoon sitter gets $13.25 an hour and gets the same rate when/if I need her the whole day.

[Ellien C]

I think $8/hour is quite reasonable. I pay my adult babysitter with a car and a ECE degree $12/hour.

On the ohter hand, my day care typically ran $40/day and when it was closed, I offered that rate to my back-up homeschooling mother with teenage daughters.

Another arrangement I've had was to offer one of the day care girls $100/day and split that between 3 or 4 families. This worked out well for everyone. It was more than the girls made (I'd say about 10 hours/day), tax free and they had fewer kids than regular day care. One girl took the girls to the zoo or local children's museum, which we parents paid for.

If you are really uncomfortable or want to offer a discount, go somewhere between her daily rate and $8/hour OR ask if they girl has school friend who also needs care and then you'd get more money, but both families would pay less. It sounds like the mom doesn't know what to offer, so you should take the lead here. I find if you just use some logic and reasoning, most people are happy with what rate you offer, as long as you can justify.

edited to add:
sorry - just saw that the mom had free care.