How much do you pay for in-home care for an infant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am paying $450/wk for infant care in Bethesda 10hrs/day full time 52wks including paid vacations 3 weeks per year plus holidays paid. Am I being overcharged?!

Not if they are doing a great job with your kid(s).

Does the rate go down as the infant gets older?

If you account for the 3 weeks vacation, you are actually paying $477/week for the care you are receiving (450 x 52 / 49). If you multiplied that out to a monthly rate (477 x 52 / 12) you are paying a little over $2000/month for care (and that is assuming your back up care you use for those 3 weeks costs the same). That is on the high end for in-home or a center, I think it sounds comparable to a nanny share but I am not that familiar with those. Whether or not you are being overcharged depends on how you feel about the care your child is receiving and whether you can find care you feel similarly happy with (care level, location, safety, adult/child ratio, etc.) for a lower rate elsewhere.

For myself, I would think that's too high, considering I'd have to find and pay for alternate care for three weeks a year. (I have paid holidays too, so no worries there.) Your mileage, of course, may vary.