I have been caring for a friends daughter, she is 4 years old. I used to work in a daycare center, so I am a certified childcare provider. I am currently caring for my friends daughter about 3 or more days a week. Generally from 5:30am to 2pm. except on days when she has preschool, on those days I am the one responsible for getting her ready for school and transportation. In my home I provide all meals, toys and any other consumable products necessary. The chil is not exceptionally difficult but can be somewhat taxing. He arrives in a pull up diaper and still requires assistance to use the restroom. Having worked in a Childers facility I am fully aware that the restroom situation would generally increase cost to the parent. Currently I feel that I am being grossly underpaid, especially having knowledge of the various rates that would be charged in a childcare facility, without the facility providing transportation to preschool. As stated before I have all of the same training and certifications as she would find in any center in the area. I know I am underpaid, I would like to ask for more money, but a reasonable amount. At least enough that I don't feel like my services are being taken advantage of.
We came into the situation as a "omg I need a sitter all the sudden, could u do me a favor?" so I watched her for 8 hours that day and on her mothers payday she paid me $20. Then she asked if I would be able to be her regular sitter, said she would make sure to pay me on pay days. Well, now I have her daughter at minimum 2 days a week but most weeks it's 4 days. And I am transporting her to school, and provide food toys and laundry services when the daughter refuses to walk to the restroom and proceeds to stand there and wet herself. I have told my friend that the more days I have her an the more I have to do and transport I expect reasonable compensation. Well, she's still bringing me $20 on pay days. I keep reminding her of things like groceries, the cost of gas. As I said she is my friend and I don't want to be unreasonable but I feel that she is taking advantage of our friendship. I mean heck it costs me about $15 a week in gas to take her daughter to school, let alone groceries and other consumable products. So I guess I'm wondering, what would be a reasonable rate to request, and how do I broach the subject? I know what inhome childcare providers in the area are charging, I know what her old babysitter charged, and I know what chilcare centers charge, and let's face it none of those are going to care for your child at a loss of about $50 a week.
My in home provider is licensed and certified. She helped with potty training and provides meals. She takes my daughter on field trips, but at her will, not a situation of picking up daily from school.
She charges me $40 a day for my one child. .
Usually in-home child care is less expensive as day care centers. That being said if you feel your being taken advantage of, then by all means ask for more money. But be prepared, she may want to take her daughter elsewhere.
In homeday care is less expensive than corporate daycare. Didn't you have the discussion about fees in advance of agreeing to take care of your friend's child? You should have thought about all the work involved prior to what she is paying you. I am assuming you had the discussion with her and got an agreement on the expense and when to be paid. Kind of hard now to go back to her and um gee whiz um I need to charge you more because I underestimated what I should charge you. :)
Edit.
I just saw your updated. Ok so you started off with one day at $20 when your friend wanted to increase more days you should have at that point said I know we are friends but I am going to have to take a look at the cost for me to care for her 4 days now. I will get back to you once I put together what reasonable payment plan would look like. I am sure that she is relying on your friendship but that should have been handled from the onset.
Couple of things... she's paying you cash and I assume you are not claiming this as income. You also are NOT running a licensed daycare- meaning that you are not paying an annual fee for insurance and licensure. So... if this is all true, you would not be entitled to the same rate of pay as those who ARE claiming, insuring and licensing.
Having said that, I pay our date-night sitter $10 an hour. My son is 3.5 and completely potty-trained. She's a wonderful college student who drives very far out of her way to take excellent care of our child.
In your case, I would think that $5-$8 an hour would be reasonable. Add it up and see if that covers your expenses AND reflects the work you are doing with her child. Just hypothetically... if you are watching the girl for 30 hours per week, then you should be asking for $150-$250 dollars.
Personally, I would call around to local in-home daycares and ask what they charge for a part-time child. Per diem rate is usually slightly higher than a full-time kiddo. Get several quotes, type them out for mom (including the name of the daycare and the rate). Then factor-in the fact that you are working for her in cash (so figure out the taxes, licensure fees and insurance fees that the others would incorporate). Have this all ITEMIZED on a spreadsheet or something else that looks "professional".
Then... add in your "expenses"...
- gas mileage
- food
- diapers
- wipes
- extra paper towels, etc.
Show her the discrepancy between what she is paying you and what your final "loss" is. Allow her to look at the information in comparison to what she would be paying elsewhere. Remind her that very few places will take a child as early as 5:30 in the morning.
Then ask her what she feels is reasonable. Perhaps she increases your pay, but starts sending in food and other goods to offset your costs. Fine. Great. As long as you are making money in the end- that's fine.
Be willing to negotiate, but don't continue to watch this little girl for nothing- even worse, a loss!
I think you have a point that if the child requires higher demands that you should probably be paid more. Why isn't the child potty trained yet? Could you work out that she either needs to get the ball rolling on potty training or pay more? Does the child have a disability that is keeping her from potty training?
My son was delayed and didn't walk/talk until he was 3, so obviously potty training didn't come until later. He also used a feeding tube. Due to the fact that he was obviously higher needs there was a program that paid his childcare. They paid it at a higher rate due to his needs. I was very lucky to find a provider who had a child with a tube, so she knew more than I did!!!
I do have to agree that part of the reason I don't watch other people's kids on a regular basis (I've had some ask) is b/c I've tried it before and what I got paid wasn't worth my time. I think you have the right to balance it so that you are getting paid adequately considering you're providing meals etc and you're qualified.
Added: nope, I wasn't thinking you should lift her and take her to the bathroom at all! She's 4 and if she's not experiencing any difficulties there's no reason for you to lift her!!! I can see your frustration as she should be potty trained by now. In that case I stand by answer number one that you should assert that she either needs to get trained or pay more. Without special needs it seems as though a 4 year old should be trained. Many preschools around here won't even accept a non potty trained child, so I definitely see your point. Good luck!
If you become unavailable to watch her child then perhaps she'll realize what a blessing you are. I would sit down with her and tell her that you are not able to afford taking her child anymore. It seems like you are being nice but she really needs to pay you. If she is having a hard time financially then she can get child care assistance to pay at least part of her child care costs. If you were licensed that money could even be paid to you by the state. I had a contract for home a while and that worked well for me. I just had the machine by the door and the parent swiped the card each day.
Not sure how new this situation is, but if a year or less, I think a frank conversation with the mother along the lines of "sue, when we started this relationship it was new and I was not fully aware of all it would entail. After having worked this routine for XX months I realized it is a lot more invoved than what I initially thought. I also have come to realize my expenses increased significantly more htan what I anticipated and I would like to discuss raising the cost of care to XX. what are your feelings on this situation." If she says ' No , not fair' you need to be willing/brace yourself for the tough decision of either letting the child go, negotiate the salary or if she wont' budge and you need the extra income keep your current salary.
Regardless, I would have the uncomfortable discussion of the potty training - the overnight pull up, I kinda get, but the soiling one's self in the middle of the day, just because too lazy to go - not ok! mom needs to address that quickly as school is in their future.
Good luck with whatever you choose to do!! It is tough negotiating salary in any business!
I would just look I want talk about our baby sitting arrangement. I would like to watch your daughter...but I need to talk about the payment aspect. Hate to do this. But I have to work this out so that it works for me as well as you. I am going to have to change my daily price to X, I hope you understand this. Will this new arrangement work for you. Then she will say yes or no and you can go from there.
By the way when my son was this age I paid $50 a day to a lady who watched him out of her home. She did not run him around anywhere either. Hope that helps.
