I recently found out I will not be able to drive my daughter to or from preschool. I was thinking of asking a mom of another girl in her class if she can drive her the three days a week (my daughter and her daughter are very good friends). I am wondering what I should pay her? We live 5 minutes away in the opposite direction of the school. So, it would be about 20 minutes out of their away each day. I was thinking $30 a week...but I really have no idea if that is too low!
If she doesn't want to be paid...I would send her a $50 gas card every few weeks with a thank you card. Also talk to her that you want to pay her or help her out by watching her kids. Work something out with her.
Sounds fair-but if she says she doesn't want to be paid-insist on it, What will you do on the days her child is sick and she will not drive? I can pretty much guaranty that she is not going to put a sick child in the car in order to get yours to and from school.
G.:
You need to talk to the mom involved. Gas here is $3.75 a gallon and went up 6 cents a gallon in 6 hours yesterday alone.
I don't mind driving kids places, especially if I am going there. However, I'm not the mom involved and don't know her time constraints nor her financial situation - can she afford the extra wear and tear on her car?
What are you going to do if your child is sick and needs to come home?
What are you going to do if her child is sick and she still needs to go to school?
For me? It might also depend upon WHY you cannot drive your daughter to preschool anymore.
Do I believe that $30 is reasonable? Yes. If gas prices continue to go up? No.
Good luck!
I've been in that situation before where I've needed help getting my kids to or from school, and I always try to trade services if possible. Could you drive her daughter the other 2 days (or does she only go 3 days?)? Maybe you could offer to keep her daughter on Saturdays while the other mom goes grocery shopping, or work out some sort of deal like that. Maybe have another mom or a neighbor lined up as a back-up for the days when that mom isn't available. Good luck! My boys are 8 and 15, and I worried about getting them to and from school for years. Luckily we're in a groove now. :)
I think that $30 is fine. That's $10 per day....that's 2 1/2 gallons of gas for a 5 minute trip. It likely won't even add a gallon of gas per week to her expenses.
If you pay her, there may be liability issues..... ask her if there is something else you can do, like watch her daughter a certain amount a week?
I suspect that she cannot accept payment because her insurance would be invalid if she did. I do think that it's good to offer her something but don't make it about taking your daughter in the car. I think it would be OK to give her gas money when worded that way. $30/week sounds reasonable. If she won't accept money then give her gifts. Perhaps a meal every week. You could order take out or fix enough for both families if she'd be willing. Or give her gift cards.
I've taken care of my daughter's friends and wouldn't accept money. Their mothers sent me flowers at the end of the school year. I thoroughly enjoyed them. They also took my daughter with them from time to time.
To go 20 out her way isay 50 or 60 if she will even do it.
