ADVICE: Going Rate for in Home Childcare?

Is she doing stuff around your house for you? Currently I take my children to a sitter and pay 32 a day when they are UNDER 3, 29 a day if they are over three but not in full time school. Also, if you have two you get a $5 discount a day on one of them. She has set times, and anything over 4 hours is a full day. I wouldn't really do the gas thing either, the pay should be fair to cover things like that.. especially if she's in your home and will your food be helping feeding her kids? ( I assume she's not bringing something for HER kids, and then making your kids something different.. that usually doesn't work well). Also you have to figure out holidays and vacation pay... if any. Currently I give my sitter holidays, but no vacation. If she takes off, I don't pay. If I take off, I pay unless we have agreed otherwise.

Hope that helps?!

Hi J.,

I can understand your unease over this situation. I went through the same thing a little over a year ago when I hired my first nanny. I asked the nanny what she thought was a fair amount for the work she would be doing and we compromised from there. We did not pay extra for gas.

However, after a few months working for us and gas prices went over $3/gallon she didn't think she could travel such a long distance (21 miles - about 40 minutes one way) anymore. At that point we loved having her in our home (she also brought her 3 y/o daughter and occasionally her 9 y/o son when on vacation from school) we did offer to help with gas until it dropped back down under $3. I definitely agree with the other moms that have responded, it should not be something you have to pay for on a daily basis. No one gets paid to travel to and from work, that is just part of the job.

We also got all of this information (i.e. hourly wages, vacations/holidays, duties, etc.) down in writing for our protection as well as hers .

I hope this helps and good luck!

J.-Lee

Typically, most nannies charge $10 and up an hour. It depends what they will be doing. I agree you shouldn't have to worry about paying for gas. Good luck!

That amount sounds reasonable to me, especially since she'll have her own child with and everything. As far as the extra money for gas to get to your place, I wouldn't do anything like that. People don't get gas money to drive to and from their job. It's her choice where to live and whether to take the job or not. Gas money for taking your children on a field trip and such makes sense, but not for getting to and from work. You mentioned the rates of 10-12/an hour. Maybe you could explain it to her 11 instead of 10 an hour to help her pay for gas, or 12 instead of 11 an hour to help pay for gas. Something like that, without it being "extra money to pay for her transportation to and from work". I hope that helps. Best wishes to you!
C.