A mom I know asked me today if I would be interested in watching her new baby starting in October (baby is due in August). It would be M-F 7:30-2:45 for the school year. What would you charge/pay for this. The baby will be the only one I will be watching -- my kids will be in school (youngest in pre-K 3 days/week). I told her I would think about it. Part of me likes the idea of being able to have an income and stay home. Another part of me really likes being done with all the baby stuff. Your thoughts are appreciated.

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Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas

Lots to think about - I know how you feel!

I think more than the amount of $ that they'd pay, I'd want to know how comfortable they are with you driving the little one around. Do they expect you to stay home? Do they expect a structured day? Do they want you to attend "Mommy and Me" types of activities with their kid? Will they supply all diapers, food, wipes?

Regarding the pay, will they pay you for days off? Are they going to pay you hourly or weekly rates?

I would want all of their expectations spelled out. I had one friend who said that her day care provider was great - that she "only allowed the kids to watch educational television shows..." but another of my friends was shocked at this - she said that she would have hit the roof if she ever found out that her day care provider was relying on T.V. to entertain the kids.

I watched a friend's child for a few days per week last year. They were adamant that there would be no driving around (not even to the post office - but in an emergency, I could bring their baby to the school to pick up one of my own kids, if need had been). Also - absolutely no television, and no food that they didn't send, themselves.

People's expectations can be so different. Good luck!

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"The errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief." - Thomas Russell

She said she would be fine with me driving the baby around -- I would have to to get ds to and from preschool. The schedule is a good one since she is a teacher in our school district and therefore has the same days off as my two older kids.
TV is very limited in our household but ds does like to watch Word World and Clifford. I'm fine with limiting it or not having it on at all.
There is so much to consider and I really need to sit down with her and work out the details before I make a decision.

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Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas

I am a teacher and I pay $30 per day for in-home day care. This is for one child. I supply diapers, wipes and food. I don't pay when I am not working unless it's an unexpected sick day.

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Shelley
blue5203@aol.com

~Mom to Andy-11/3/05 and Ryan-7/31/08~

I'd call around to local daycare centers to find out what they would charge for the same age child (see what is included for that price) and go from there.

Be sure to check into how much your self-employment tax and social security will be. You will have to pay those yourself and they will be at a much higher rate because you will be considered self-emplyed.

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Be sure to cover the amount for insurance - home owners will increase - because if their is an injury - your insurance will need to cover it. Sometimes people think - oh my friend would never do that -- sometimes it isn't up to the friend the insurance companies can insist that your insurance pay for injuries.

To be honest, this is more of a nanny position than a daycare one IMO. Around here, I would charge no less than $200 per week. Daycares here charge about $150 a week (6 kids per adult) and nannies make between $350 a week and up. It really depends on your area.

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