Hi I am a SAHM to 2 girls aged 7 and 1 1/2. Starting in November i will be watching my neighbors 3 month old baby when her mom returns to work. The baby is due early Sept. I agreed to watch the baby for them, but i'm wondering what should i charge? I will probably have the baby for 10 hours on most days. Monday through Friday. I was thinking $20 a day? Also should i offer them anything else? Time sheets of when baby is fed/changed/ napped??? Any sugestions thought or ideas are welcome.
Thanks in Advance!
T.
I agree with the $35 a day rate. I watched an infant in my home when my twins were babies and I charged $4 an hour but I think it's easier if you do it by the day or by the week. I also did the time sheet that had when I changed diapers, fed bottles, naps, etc.
Tiphanie,
I did daycare for a short time in Phoenix. Before I began, I checked around to see what the going rate was. Typically, home daycares charged $25/day per child over the age of 18 months. Most charged a little more for infants (averaged around $28 per day). Most home daycares included lunch/snacks for that price for older children. However, parents were expected to provide diapers, wipes and formula/breastmilk or babyfood for infants.
Providing some type of daily report on the baby's diapers, feedings and naps is a great idea. The other responses you have received gave great suggestions on how to go about doing this.
Good luck!
When our oldest went to his first babysitter, I was so pleased to receive a note at the end of each day detailing times (and contents) of diaper changes. She would write the time, wet or bm, and anything out of the ordinary. She would also write down when he ate, how much he ate (ounces of breastmilk initially), when he napped and woke up, and some of the things they did. (Some examples were: went to the playground to swing, read books, played with stuffed animals, etc.) If he really enjoyed something, she would let me know. I loved it, and it made me feel a lot better about leaving him to go to work.
FYI... each note was about 1/4 of a page. She just made a form on her computer and printed off several copies. She would use 1/4 of a sheet each day, and it was enough for me.
The time sheet thing would probably be a good idea. In all my years watching kids, I always did this for the parents no matter if it was necessary or not. Could help with scheduling needs.
That's only $2/hr. Infant care in Tx is about $35 a day. I would go with a flat rate of $150 a week and yes, do a time sheet and make sure that you have a contract. Also check your state's laws about in-home childcare. You might need to get listed with the state.
