Those are both great answers, thanks! I think I'll combine both of your answers. I'll let the parents decide if they want me at the house or if I can go home or if they want me at the house I'll ask them for a retainer. Thanks for your help and for keeping this a positive thread.

I don't think 30 minutes is a ridiculous distance to be from the school in case of emergency. Many parents work at least that far away from their kids schools, and it's not a big deal. So I'd discuss with the parents what they'd prefer. Give them the two options- either you go home during the day, and are available but not necessarily close in an emergency, or you stay near their house and they pay you for it- and see which they prefer.

Is this a one time or infrequent thing because the parents are out of town for work or something? If you don't think you'll be taken advantage of in the future I would ask them if they'd agree to a flat rate for the daytime as a retainer for being on call during this time. Also, I would ask if they have dark colored sheets or something that you can use to cover the windows to allow you to nap. Either that, or I would ask for a sleeping bag to camp on one of the bedroom floors while the kids are at school.

I know plenty overnight questions get asked on here, but I've got one that I couldn't find the answer to in any of the other posts. I work as an afternoon nanny and the parents have asked me to do an overnight. We already have the specified rate for overnights but what we didn't cover is what will happen after I take the kids to school? I live 30 minutes away, so I can't go home after dropping them off incase there is an emergency. But, I don't really want to be running errands and doing housework the whole time they're gone because then I'll be exhausted in the afternoon and evening. And I don't think it's fair to ask them to pay me to do nothing. So then I'm I stuck staying at their house and not be able to nap since I would be sleeping in the couch in the playroom that doesn't have window coverings? That just doesn't seem fair to me. Has anyone else had this happen? If so, how did you handle it?