Wage Help Please

[Anonymous]

I am working an overnight for a family with a 2 year old. Because I babysit so rarely and because the toddler is typically sleeping while I am working, I only charge this family $10/hr. Tonight I will be doing an overnight for the first time with this family. I will be driving about 15 miles to pick up the toddler at 8:30 from an event. Then together, we will drive home and I will get her ready for bed: bath, bedtime story, lay her down. Then I will be staying the night and caring for the toddler about 12 and a half hours total. My question is, how much should I charge for this overnight? I really need help. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Your regular rate for all awake hours and $50-100 flat rate for the sleeping hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your regular rate for all awake hours and $50-100 flat rate for the sleeping hours.

+1

[Anonymous]

I think I would first ask them what they had in mind. Did you already do that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I would first ask them what they had in mind. Did you already do that?

Why would she do that? They pay her $10/hr so they should be expecting that is what the non-sleeping hours will cost. What OP wants to charge for sleeping hours is her right. The parents could say no and find someone else if they wanted to, or OP could say that is the amount she wants but is willing to negotiate it. I would not ask the parents what they wanted to pay, as I am sure it would be the cheapest they could get away with. Who really WANTS to pay more than they need to? This is a special circumstance and the OP's personal time that she is giving up, so it is the OP who gets to bring a rate to the table for the start of negotiations (if she is willing to negotiate at all). Let them see how much it really does cost for overnight childcare as letting them start negotiations lets them think that what they want to charge is what gets done.