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I have a DCM that asked me today if I would be interested in keeping their 18 month old daughter for a week while they are on vacation next month. If I do, I have no idea how much to charge them??? They pay $135 a week for 9am-5:30pm now. Any thoughts?
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No, don't do it. You are not a family member or legally responsible for the child. Do they have no close friends or family to watch her ? Maybe they should just take her with them. That is way more responsibility than you should have for someone else's child . -
I would only do it if they a) pay well and b) the girl sleeps well at night. And c) you CAN do it, legally, if you're licensed.
As for charging, it should be at LEAST double the weekly rate. I'd probably charge $400 for an easy kid. $500 for a more difficult one.Hee hee! Look, I have a signature!Comment
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a)They would have to pay a lot, or it definitely isn't worth it to me
b)She is super easy during the day, but she isn't a great sleeper.
c)I am licensed.
I really don't want to do it, but I could really use the extra money. I'm just not sure how much is too much to ask for. It would have to be more then double for sure.Comment
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Does your licensing rules allow it? Ours says we can not have a child in care more than 18 hours a dayComment
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I don't think I would even be allowed to do that here. There are guidelines as to how many hours I can have a child in my careComment
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minimum extra two shifts per day Plus the last 2 days would be 3 shifts in addition to the 135 they pay now. but really it should be higher for the after hour care because she is then the only one so hourly should be higher .It:
: will waitComment
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I would do $135 regular fee for her regular daycare hours, plus another $135 for the week day evenings plus $50 for each weekend day.....$370.....and I would round it up and charge $400 for the week. Yes I would do it. I have four kids here and one more makes no difference to me. I would make sure to have authorization for emergency situation, health insurance info, etc. which you may have already anyway. I would have parents provide all diapering and clothing items plus not allow any restrictions as far as what I do on the evenings and weekends. We will run errands and go to church just like we always do. I have had two different daycare kids go to church with me with the parents permission!Comment
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But the family already pays $135 for 8 hours of care per day. Lets say that 8 hours is 7 am - 3 pm. Then if she charges another shift of 8 hours, that would be 3pm -11 pm which would still leave another 8 hour shift UNPAID (11 pm - 7 am)
Plus, that $135 is for 5 days of care NOT counting weekends.....
I would charge closer to the $700 that KidGrind suggested. I think that is MORE than reasonable.
There is NO break in required supervision and responsibility for a 7 day stretch. That is ALOT to ask of your provider.
Technically, I would never personally do this. NOT for a ton of money even. I think it blurs the lines between me being a professional child care provider and someone's nanny or babysitter.
Plus, why would someone with a baby plan a trip when they really don't have anyone to care for her? That seems a bit odd to me. My child would be my first concern BEFORE booking a vacation.
No matter what the OP decides to do, keep in mind that if they ask you to do this once, it may be something they ask of you again. If it is part of the services you want to offer, great. If not, I would decline to this request now so that the family knows it isn't something you offer.Comment
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I've done it before. I've charged three times my normal weekly rate. Plus an additional $50 for food. Plus an additional $100 for the two extra days. Plus I charge a refundable $50 supply fee in case something comes up they forget or I have to buy and I show receipts.
So, if their weekly rate were $100 a week, I would charge $300 plus $50 plus $100 which is $450 plus the $50 refundable extra deposit.Comment
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