How much to pay a SAHM to watch my 6 & 3 year old along with her 3 year old?

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking of moving my kids (age 6 and age 3) out of full time daycare and into the care of my neighbor, a stay at home mom. This neighbor is a former jr/sr high teacher and has previous experience as a nanny to young children. She would be responsible for the the 3 year old for roughly 7 hours a day, with 3 of those overlapping with my 6 year old. I want to pay her appropriately, but don't know what that amount might be. We live in Alexandria, VA and generally pay our regular babysitter (a current teacher in Fairfax county) $15 per hour. Any advice?

[Anonymous]

That would be a good place to start. I would say 13-15 an hour.

[Anonymous]

I would pay at least as much as you pay your sitter being that she has teaching experience. The SAHM title should not lessen her pay, just because she is already home. It's still the same amount of work to watch additional/new children.

[Anonymous]

She a teacher: at least $20-25/hr.
Nannies without a college degree can earn up to $25/hr if they're top-notch. I expect the teacher would never be doing the idiot box.

[Anonymous]

Does she have experience taking care of children besides her own? Is she going to be at her home or yours? Are you providing the food, diaper (or pull ups if needed)? Is she allowed to take your kids out - if yes, in your car or hers?

Who is going to care for your children when she goes on vaccation? How long are her vaccations usually?


I am assuming here your 6y. will be under her care after school hours? Does your 3y. goes to pre-school?

If she doesn't have experience taking care of children (besides her own of course), is going to be working at her home, you are providing the food (or part of it), diapers and the 6y. old is under her care after school hours, I would offer around $10.00 per hour.

If she does have prior experience or is going to be at your home I would offer something between $10.00/$15.00.

GL.

[khawthorne]

The cheapest center in our area charges $100/day for that combination of ages. The most expensive charges $175/day. However, since you are talking about full time 3 year old care and part time 6 year old care, I think that's pretty high.
I am in Fairfax. I think $200-$250 for the 3 year old per week. And $10-$15/hour for the 6 year old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does she have experience taking care of children besides her own? Is she going to be at her home or yours? Are you providing the food, diaper (or pull ups if needed)? Is she allowed to take your kids out - if yes, in your car or hers?

Who is going to care for your children when she goes on vaccation? How long are her vaccations usually?


I am assuming here your 6y. will be under her care after school hours? Does your 3y. goes to pre-school?

If she doesn't have experience taking care of children (besides her own of course), is going to be working at her home, you are providing the food (or part of it), diapers and the 6y. old is under her care after school hours, I would offer around $10.00 per hour.

If she does have prior experience or is going to be at your home I would offer something between $10.00/$15.00.

GL.

We pay high school kids $15 an hour!

[Anonymous]

khawthorne, not sure I understand what you're suggesting. Are you saying to pay $100-200 per week for 35 hours of care for the 3 year old and $150-225 for 15 hours of care for the 6 year old? Oh darn, I'm confusing myself most likely, but could you explain again?

(1 hr) 8-9 SAHM will drive both 3 year olds to preschool
(6 hr) 12-6 SAHM will pick up both 3 year olds, feed lunch, let them nap at her home, pick up 6 year old from bustop at 3pm, snack work on homework, etc. until I pick both up around 6 or 6:30.

does that help make my needs a bit more clear?

[khawthorne]

Hi,
khawthorne here, after looking at it again I'd say:

$230-$295 per week for the 3 year old because the 3 year old will be there almost full time.

$145-$170 for the 6 year old for before and after school, per week. But wait you are saying the 6 year old is only after school so I'd 1/2 that figure. $72.50-$85 for the 6 year old per week.

Hope that helps. I'm just going off of what the cheapest and most expensive centers near me in Fairfax are charging.

I have the break down here because I do in home daycare and I did some research. So I have a handy chart here.

[Anonymous]

khawthorne wrote:Hi,
khawthorne here, after looking at it again I'd say:

$230-$295 per week for the 3 year old because the 3 year old will be there almost full time.

$145-$170 for the 6 year old for before and after school, per week. But wait you are saying the 6 year old is only after school so I'd 1/2 that figure. $72.50-$85 for the 6 year old per week.

Hope that helps. I'm just going off of what the cheapest and most expensive centers near me in Fairfax are charging.

I have the break down here because I do in home daycare and I did some research. So I have a handy chart here.

How your children are cared for is such a personal thing. I would not compare any daycare with the care provided by a friend and a teacher who you already know and trust.
OP, ask HER what she'd like to charge. You want her to earn enough to make it worth her while. Otherwise you'll be her charity, OR she'll soon quit when she sees how much work it is.

[khawthorne]

Anonymous wrote:

khawthorne wrote:Hi,
khawthorne here, after looking at it again I'd say:

$230-$295 per week for the 3 year old because the 3 year old will be there almost full time.

$145-$170 for the 6 year old for before and after school, per week. But wait you are saying the 6 year old is only after school so I'd 1/2 that figure. $72.50-$85 for the 6 year old per week.

Hope that helps. I'm just going off of what the cheapest and most expensive centers near me in Fairfax are charging.

I have the break down here because I do in home daycare and I did some research. So I have a handy chart here.

How your children are cared for is such a personal thing. I would not compare any daycare with the care provided by a friend and a teacher who you already know and trust.
OP, ask HER what she'd like to charge. You want her to earn enough to make it worth her while. Otherwise you'll be her charity, OR she'll soon quit when she sees how much work it is.

Oh, I totally agree! Just trying to help with a point of reference for the OP.

[Anonymous]

Great advice here...I really appreciate you all taking the time to help me figure this out. I will ask the SAHM what it'd be worth to her...she'd do all the meals, transportation, have to have an additional carseat and bed for my daughter, and would even have to move her daughter to be able to join with mine a a local preschool (no room in their current school -- best to keep them on the same schedule) so there'd be some adjustments in order to make this work.

If I haven't pushed my good fortune with all of you too far, how are sick days handled? If the SAHM or her daughter gets sick, does that mean I have to stay home with my healthy girl? Would it be unreasonable to me to ask her to still drive/pick up my daughter from preschool and just keep the girls apart (same thing I do when one of my two are sick). Mom's don't usually get 'sick days' but that doesn't mean my SAHM friend shouldn't have room to back down from her job with my girls for a rest...what is fair here?

[khawthorne]

All I can really pass on is again, my experience as a home day care provider and a Mom who has had kids in both a center and home day care.

Providers in this area usually take 10 paid Holidays, that include the major ones like Thanksgiving/Christmas. She might want to choose from when her DH is off or her kids are off school. For example, my husband does not get every government holiday because he is not government, so I went with the school holidays for my kids.
As a provider I also take 2 weeks of vacation per year, but those are unpaid.
As far as sick days, if the kids are sick in my care, they HAVE to stay home. As far as if she is sick or her kids are sick, that's tough in your situation. I think you guys might end up agreeing to play it by ear. If I were you I'd have a back up person lined up for this in case it's needed.