How much to charge for childcare?

[lunamama]

I am considering taking care of a baby soon in my home. I would only be watching her, and then in March, I may be watching another baby. I really need some help with how much to bill. I would be watching for about 40 hours a week, each child.
It is a big convenience for me to watch the babies here as I am right down the street from the workplace and all other daycare options are a half hour away. One family would have to drive a half hour away for daycare and then drive back to work.
What is the going rate?
Also, both parents work 40+ hours a week at the same location (both families).

[lyterae]

I think you might be better able to find accurate information from your tribe as it seems that the rate varies widely based on where you live. Where I am it ranges from $25-$40 a day. With most places being around the $25-$30 mark.

[lunamama]

Thanks. I don't really live in a place that has much of a population. We live in a national forest in a very rural environment. I am in California, but not in a city. The economy is really extreme here. But, both of the families do have well paying, stable jobs.

[JudiAU]

I think you need to go to a regional board to find out about daycare rates and/or call around to other places and/or look at sittercity.com to find out nanny rates. Nanny rates are usually twice or more what daycare rates are.

[mama to B]

I take kids into my home and charge 30/day. I include all snacks, meals, drinks. They provide diapers wipes and formula and anything else special the child needs.

[mommariffic]

Whoa, $30 a DAY? I have to pay babysitters here $12 an hour minimum! That's an hour! Not an entire day -- that's less than $5 an hour. If I were having kids in my home for 40 hours a week I'd be asking at least minimum wage.

[Vancouver Mommy]

I charge $65/day and she brings her own food. I also pay my babysitter $15/hr when we go out, so making minimum wage was a bit of a shock to me.

[SubliminalDarkness]

I watch my friend's baby about 45 hours a week and she pays me $175 a week. That's low, IMO, but it's fair for this area.

Where we lived before, I used to make at least $300 a week.

[SuzyLee]

Originally Posted by SubliminalDarkness

I watch my friend's baby about 45 hours a week and she pays me $175 a week. That's low, IMO, but it's fair for this area.

Where we lived before, I used to make at least $300 a week.

IMO, you are offering a premium service: AP childcare for a baby (which even the easiest baby is way more work than a 3 year old) with a very low adult:child ratio.

I would charge 8$ an hour per baby personally. Faced with the alternative I bet they will pay it. Then when they hit age 1 or 18 months or something, drop it to 6$ an hour.