Favors For Friends?

[AfterSchoolMom]

I've had two friends ask this week if I'd fill in for them - not all the time, just a one time thing for a day (one 7 hours, and one ten hours, on different days). One is a pretty close friend and one is a newer friend that I'm not close to.

Do you all do this? Do you charge friends for childcare? If so, do you charge them your regular rate or give them a discount? I certainly don't mind doing it, but don't really want to do it for free.

[SimpleMom]

Are you meaning they want you to take their kids for a day or they are asking you to watch the kids at their house? Either way, I would charge my normal rates. It's still a business--friends or not. After business hours is a completely different story.

[AfterSchoolMom]

They want to bring their kids to my house, during the day, both on a weekday.

[Live and Learn]

for drop in when I used to offer it...I would get $8 hour....so if I offered to watch at my regular daily rate it would already be a huge discount....in my opinion the least I could charge would be my full time daily rate...

[TGT09]

I always charge my friends, just a discounted amount and that's only if they are a super close friend. I would NEVER do it for free nor has any of my friends expected me to but this can become an issue if you're not careful.

I never set the precedent from the beginning of giving them free care because they will expect it every time!

[QualiTcare]

i don't think they would expect you to do it for free?

things get sticky with friends. i was keeping the child of a friend and even though we had clearly discussed the terms, pay, hours, etc., she couldn't understand why when she got 2 days off work at the last minute one week that i couldn't watch her child for 2 days the following week with no more pay! she had used a center before and knows it doesn't work that way, but i think bc i was her friend - it would be different. she had 2 kids and i did keep her 2nd child one day without charging her, but that was truly a 1 day thing and she was paying me quite a bit already so i didn't mind...but if your friends don't use your services at all, i would think they expect to have to pay you.

[tenderhearts]

I would charge if it's during daycare hours or you may get taken advantage of. I did with my very own family and not that I didn't want to spend time with my nephew BUT they were taking advantage of the fact that I did daycare. He was in daycare but it was too sad seeing him in daycare so they pulled him, so my mom watched him which she CHOSE to do but it messed up her time that she could go out of town with my dad, SO conveniently they would call no other but me, so of course they were family and I did it sometimes but I would lose other drop ins that I would have gotten paid for so I finally told them that because it's a business and I'm losing money by watching him they'd need to either pay or I wouldn't be able to do that so they did it only a couple times and never called again for care during "daycare" hours.

[AfterSchoolMom]

Ok, then I'll definitely charge. If I usually get $30 per day, should I discount? One has two children, the other only has one but needs a shorter day.

[legomom922]

I give friends a $5 discount off my daily rate and do not charge them the extra fees such as early drop off, late fees, etc.

[juliebug]

yep i charge all my friends and it helps keep our friendship strong!

[Blackcat31]

yep i charge all my friends and it helps keep our friendship strong!

I agree...if they were your true friend, I don't think they would ask you to do your job for free...If I have a friend who is a doctor, I don't ask for free physicals or ask my friend who is a salon owner to do my hair for free. If I watched a friends kid on say non-business hours it would be a favor, but during business hours it is business. I have occassionally waived late fees but never given services for free.

[misol]

I would probably do it for free for the close friend and charge the other one. Either that or I would tell them both that I would be happy to do it in exchange for them babysitting on date night for me and DH.

[newtodaycare22]

I just took a good friend's kid today and did not charge. And by "good friend", I mean she was a bridesmaid at my wedding. She cuts my hair for free though...so I guess we barter.::

I would only do it for free for my 3 closest friends. Other than that, I'd discount.

[AfterSchoolMom]

Yeah, I have my best friend's kids all the time and I don't charge - but she returns the favor whenever I ask. It's funny though, because as much as I have other people's children, I feel really funny asking someone else to watch MY kids.

Well, I mentioned a rate to the one friend and haven't heard back. I wonder if I offended them?

[DancingQueen]

I have friends that I would charge but I have close friends I would never dream of charging unless it was a regular thing
my close friends haven't used my daycare more than 2x per year.
And their kids are like my family. I wouldn't dream of charging them... even though they always try like heck. I just tell them they owe me a bottle of wine and we laugh it off.
My close friends are like family and I'd never charge family either for an occasional favor.. but again if it was a regular thing then we'd establish rates etc.

I actually have a few friends that have all of my state paperwork filled out and on file so that they can use me if they need to.