Thes are good questions and feedback! I don’t want to miss anything and make sure we’re all on the same page and have a plan for “what if” situations that may occur. Thank you!

Anonymous wrote:Will you be “on-call” for the older children at all?

For example, in case the school needs to send one child home due to sudden illness?
Or what about holiday weeks off?
Or any school closures??

I would need to ask about “on call” but I would assume that I would be required to pick the child up from school on normal days and if the child became ill. But they (parents) are a train ride away, so in the event the situation would arise, I think they would be able to pick up (sometimes) based on past situations. I currently get 2 weeks paid vacation of my chosen and 7 holidays, plus 2 extra days (the day after thanksgiving and Xmas eve) all paid.

Will you be “on-call” for the older children at all?

For example, in case the school needs to send one child home due to sudden illness?
Or what about holiday weeks off?
Or any school closures??

Four children is a lot of work. between both families you should be getting $30 an hour with no additional responsibilities.

Anonymous wrote:I think your rates are completely reasonable if not on the cheaper side. I currently get paid $25/hr for two children in the same family so with four children I’d probably want at least $30/hr

That’s what I was thinking. That’s good from one family! I don’t cook or do laundry, so I thought $25 was good.

I think your rates are completely reasonable if not on the cheaper side. I currently get paid $25/hr for two children in the same family so with four children I’d probably want at least $30/hr

Anonymous wrote:How will you be able to accommodate the babies nap schedule and the older children's school schedule and need to be out and active? All the children including you will be very stressed out. Just don't even do it.

Any school the children would attend would be walking distance (no more than a 15 minute walk). Infants are perfectly fine and capable with sleeping in a car seat, stroller or baby carrier (safely) while I pick up the children or we go out; as I did with my part time family when the children were 3 months, 24 months and age 4.

My question was about rates but thank you for showing concern.

How will you be able to accommodate the babies nap schedule and the older children's school schedule and need to be out and active? All the children including you will be very stressed out. Just don't even do it.

MB just asked me about an additional child. I’m currently in a share with two toddlers (they’ll be 2 in May and June). She would like to start trying but working out the details (budget, maybe school for the older child etc.) but is being proactive and wanted to see if I would be okay with 3 children. I told her yes. Then, she asked “hypothetically”, would I be okay with 4 kids? The other MB would like to have another child but I don’t know how soon (MB I talked to today I think she may want to start in a few months). We also talked about putting the older ones (well at least her child) in school when she turns 3 but wasn’t sure if it would be a half day or a whole day.

The next question that came up was rate. I’m thinking $2 to $3 (per family) if there are 4 children and $3 TOTAL if 1 additional child was added to the share (3 children total). I currently work 40 hrs with an hourly rate of $25. Obviously I told her I would have to think about it but I want to make sure I’m being reasonable. We are in the Capitol Hill area. Would the rate (I’m thinking) be different if I only had 1 (or 2) infants all day and the older ones were in school?

I do have experience with more than 2 children at once, we would just need to figure out the traveling situation. We currently use metro but my car sometimes but it doesn’t fit 4 car seats and neither would any of their cars.