What to Charge?

[Sandbox Sally]

I have a family who will interview soon, and they expressed a need for occasional (twice a month, maybe?) extended care, meaning a 12 hour day. My contract stipulates that my fee covers a 9 hour day.

How much would you charge? I was thinking $5 per half hour over my 9 hour limit. What do you guys think?

[monkeymama]

I have a dcg who comes 2x a month extended days. parents provide her additional meals (usually just breakfast) and I charge an additional $5/ half hour. I think it is fair and they have never complained.

[mimi]

This is overtime and family time. An extra 3 hours equals $40.00 including dinner.

[Skysue]

It really depends on the age if the child, will it be early mornings or late evenings. Dies the child require dinner?

[Inspired by Reggio]

If you are going to do it make it worth your while for sure ~ I would be charging 'overtime' as someone mentioned .... so if minimum wage is $10 an hour I would be wanting $15 an hour for every hour that the child is not there within your 'daycare hours' .... so basically $7.50 per half hour for the 'overtime'!

[Skysue]

Reggio's sounds reasonable but I would charge more if it were an infant.

[playfelt]

Another question is how many days does she pay for in the sense of working a 12 hour day means they get days off so they are working 1 1/2 days of work ie 8 + 4 so you shoudle be paid minimum full day plus half a full day plus the cost of any additional meals.

[Sandbox Sally]

Another question is how many days does she pay for in the sense of working a 12 hour day means they get days off so they are working 1 1/2 days of work ie 8 + 4 so you shoudle be paid minimum full day plus half a full day plus the cost of any additional meals.

Ok, so the rate would be $40 per day, and an additional $20, plus $ for breakfast or dinner, depending on which they need? $65 per day for a 12 hour day? I wonder if people in my area would even pay that...

Probably depends on whether other providers will do it for less. Sigh. Maybe I'm just going to have to pass them over. I mean, I'll pitch it to them, at that price, but if they don't accept, I'll keep looking.

Thanks all.

[playfelt]

Are they paying for the full week or only the days they are using.

One of the things that is very common here in Ottawa is working an extra hour each day and having a day off - ie a Friday off every other week. Most then expect their caregiver to work the 11 hour day and then complain about having to pay for the Friday day off if child doesn't come. Just like any overtime work if the parent is getting paid to work an extra hour I should too.

Those that work 12 hours do not work all five days but should still be paying the equivalent of a 5 day week for the privilege of having care for a full weeks worth of hours.

[Sandbox Sally]

Oh! Good idea, playfelt. Thank you. They asked for part time care, so if I charge them full time and do the 12 hour days, that'd work out. OR, I guess if they only want a 12 hour day once in a blue moon, they'd rather pay the increased overtime rate.

[Momof4]

I would NOT do it, period. I know it would make me unhappy. But if it will work ok for your family Alphaghetti then I wish you the best of luck, you deserve to be paid for all the hours you work. My fee would be $5/half hour for overtime as you stated in your original post.