Please Help Me Decide!

[Blackcat31]

It is so complicated Thrifty! I just don't know how to base my rate and with the continual changes, I just want to make sure I take care of myself, kwim? I am just not sure what to charge and if I go to easy, I feel like I am setting myself up for future issues with schedule changes, where I may end up kicking myself later on. Agh! I hate making decisions!

Given what you have added to the scenario...honestly the ONLY way I would do this is if the family simply hired you on as their nanny.

I would see if you can contact some agencies or area care places and find out what the going rate is for a nanny.

If the family pays you $400-$500 a week, you could basically be available when she/he NEEDS to work and even put up with a few changes in scheduling.

If however, the schedule changes so that additional hours are needed (say more than 5+ hours) or days then the rate will be increased.

I don't know, I am just thinking out loud because with what they are asking of you, you would basically be equivalent to a nanny. Just that you aren't in their home...kwim?

Anything less than $400-500 ....and I am seriously leaning towards the $500 mark as they are asking for a lot of 13 hour days .... anything less and I don't think it would be worth it. Plus you are already spending a ton of time and attention on even deciding if you should that I suspect you will have to do the same when she again presents "ANOTHER" schedule change.

I say term your other child and ask for nanny rates. Otherwise, these people really don't need in home daycare. They need a nanny or another parent.

That's a lot of hours away from their momma for such a little guy.

Good luck OP...I am sure I wasn't very helpful...

Keep us posted as to what you do decide to do.

[Unregistered]

Given what you have added to the scenario...honestly the ONLY way I would do this is if the family simply hired you on as their nanny.

I would see if you can contact some agencies or area care places and find out what the going rate is for a nanny.

If the family pays you $400-$500 a week, you could basically be available when she/he NEEDS to work and even put up with a few changes in scheduling.

If however, the schedule changes so that additional hours are needed (say more than 5+ hours) or days then the rate will be increased.

I don't know, I am just thinking out loud because with what they are asking of you, you would basically be equivalent to a nanny. Just that you aren't in their home...kwim?

Anything less than $400-500 ....and I am seriously leaning towards the $500 mark as they are asking for a lot of 13 hour days .... anything less and I don't think it would be worth it. Plus you are already spending a ton of time and attention on even deciding if you should that I suspect you will have to do the same when she again presents "ANOTHER" schedule change.

I say term your other child and ask for nanny rates. Otherwise, these people really don't need in home daycare. They need a nanny or another parent.

That's a lot of hours away from their momma for such a little guy.

Good luck OP...I am sure I wasn't very helpful...

Keep us posted as to what you do decide to do.

Thank you so much for the advice! I was suppose to email her last night with a decision, but I never got around to it until this morning. I felt like you...this is more of nanny territory, and that really would be the best thing for them, so the little guy wouldn't have to be woken up at 4 am to get here, so I mentioned that in my email and offered them a daily rate. I am really unsure if it is the right move, but with her schedule potentially changing again and the varying amount of days needed each week, it is just so much easier to pay by the day. I said $80 a day, which is probably high, but it breaks down to $6.15 an hour and nannies in my area are at least $10/12. Even a high school or college kid will charge closer to $8, since they can get a retail job for $12/15 in my area. And then you factor in time and half for the weeks where the nanny would have to work 65 hours, plus employment taxes, so I think $6.15 is a decent price. I hope they think so too, but I think the sticker shock of how much they will be paying each month will be harsh. The first month, they need 18 days of care, so $1440, but the second month, they only need 12 days, so $960, which is about what they pay now, so if they can just get past that first month, they will see that I am allowing them control over how much they need to use daycare, so I hope they see the risk that is for me, which is costly. I will let you know what mom says, if she emails me back. I will get worried if I don't hear from her soon

[Unregistered]

Mom emailed back and said they didn't think they could do the daily rate, so they offered $300 per week. I was thinking of countering at $325, but now I am just unsure what to do. She said that she has decided to stay with her company, so she thinks the schedule will be set from now on. Of course, I have been watching him for 8 months, and this is now the third time of potential schedule changes. I am getting a bit tired of being put in the potsition of having to readdress my job every time she decides to change things up.

[Gemma]

Long hours get old really quick and no amount of money will make that better. Think long and hard on this before committing....looks like a burnout potential situation with loads of stress.

this

[Annalee]

Mom emailed back and said they didn't think they could do the daily rate, so they offered $300 per week. I was thinking of countering at $325, but now I am just unsure what to do. She said that she has decided to stay with her company, so she thinks the schedule will be set from now on. Of course, I have been watching him for 8 months, and this is now the third time of potential schedule changes. I am getting a bit tired of being put in the potsition of having to readdress my job every time she decides to change things up.

Mom is only going to be thinking what is best for her. Do NOT let her play on your heartstrings. I have been there and done that too many times in my early years....Decide what you want based on what is best for your family and be non-negotiable with it. If she wants your services, she will make it work. If not, she was looking elsewhere anyway!

[Leigh]

Mom emailed back and said they didn't think they could do the daily rate, so they offered $300 per week. I was thinking of countering at $325, but now I am just unsure what to do. She said that she has decided to stay with her company, so she thinks the schedule will be set from now on. Of course, I have been watching him for 8 months, and this is now the third time of potential schedule changes. I am getting a bit tired of being put in the potsition of having to readdress my job every time she decides to change things up.

$1440 + $960/2= $1200 a month.

$300 x 52/12= $1300 a month.

The mom is offering you $100 a month more than you were asking for.

[Unregistered]

$1440 + $960/2= $1200 a month.

$300 x 52/12= $1300 a month.

The mom is offering you $100 a month more than you were asking for.

It is so funny you posted this, because I was just trying to do the math and figure out what to do. Basically, she needs 113 days of care for the next 8 months.

$80 a day x 113= $9040

$300 per week x 31 weeks= $9300
(*35 more weeks left for the year, two weeks unpaid vacay for her and two for me, so 31 weeks of care)

So, she will be paying me more, just drawn out over time. This is my issue. May is the first month of this new schedule and is one of the months where she needs the most care (18 days). What if she ends up changing her job or schedule after I work the month of may at 300 a week, expecting to have a little more time off for June/July, and then she ends up changing things again? It is only more money if she continues care for the year, but if she quits sooner or changes schedules again, then I risk working my butt off for the month of may for the set rate, only to end up getting screwed over come the next months. What if I said I will do the weekly rate, but only with the contingency that they give one month notice if they plan to leave and with the condition that my rate does not go down from this point. (300/5 days a week=$60)? Any future changes to the schedule, regardless of hour changes, will be at the rate of $60 per day. Is that too strict or should I make sure I am very sure to cover my @ss?

[Blackcat31]

Being that her schedule is so erratic I would charge a daily rate not a weekly rate....unless the weekly rate was a flat rate based on the average daily rate.

I would be concerned also about her schedule/needs changing yet again or her suddenly deciding in the next 2 months that she is pulling out of daycare all together.

...ugh, why does daycare have to be so complicated?!? ::

[Annalee]

Being that her schedule is so erratic I would charge a daily rate not a weekly rate....unless the weekly rate was a flat rate based on the average daily rate.

I would be concerned also about her schedule/needs changing yet again or her suddenly deciding in the next 2 months that she is pulling out of daycare all together.

...ugh, why does daycare have to be so complicated?!? ::

this is what I have thought all along....what if the provider accommodates and then the client leaves anyway.

[AmyLeigh]

If you really think about it, the daily rate is better for both parties. Mom technically pays less, as the math shows, and it protects you against possible future schedule changes.

[Unregistered]

I wouldn't do it. The extra money wouldn't be worth my family time and my one on one with my dd. I find my 9.5-10 hour days long enough.

[alicia@home]

try it out?

If I loved the kid and my husband was ok with having another kid around in the evening, I would probably do it. Somebody else mentioned being able to go out of the house and I completely agree with that! It is never fun to be stuck inside, and it's almost summer time!

Could you tell her that you will give it a try? Maybe have a trial period with a set amount of time to see how the hours work for you...You can't know how it will work until you actually do it.
Is she going to keep her current shift if you say you won't watch him those hours?

[Unregistered]

I wouldn't hesitate to do the daily rate. If she thinks it is too expensive, she can go somewhere else. I have learned the hard way that when you fall in love with the child - the parent takes advantage. They won't have an issue with moving to another state or going to a center vs. a home daycare, but they expect you to bend over backward because you really love their child.

This is the deal: these children will come and go. Your family stays the same.

If it is too rough on your family, don't do it at all. There are folks out there desperate for infant care. It will not be a problem filling an infant slot.

I actually charge an hourly rate of $13 an hour here in the MD area, and parents don't even bat an eye. Because I have a flex schedule, I am in between a nanny and a home daycare. I have all of the licensing and training, etc. of a regular home daycare, but I am able to offer more flexible scheduling. Due to my 24/7 approval from the OCC, I charge $75 from 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and then add $3 for before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. because it is rougher on my family to have daycare during those hours.

This is what she is asking of you. She wants your licensed daycare with all of your training and security measures in place...but using you as a nanny. She has to pay for it.

I guarantee you that she needs you more than you need her. Nannies get sick, don't come to work, can't pass background checks, don't have decent vehicles, etc....nannies are a lot more of a gamble. You are a sure thing. Do not let your love for her child cloud this business transaction.

I would do the daily rate, plus an X amount for the longer hours. Or tell her that it is $13 an hour nanny rate for the hours you would not normally be open.