Parent request/favour

[Balanced]

I have a parent that has asked me to watch her niece for 4 days while her sister is in town. I haven't answered her yet but I'm not sure how much I should charge her sister. I care for 3 kids and that's my limit so this will make four, this will be out of my comfort zone. This parent usually picks up between 6 and 6:30 so I don't really want 2 kids here that late. I was thinking of telling her they have to be picked up by 5 for these four days and charging her sister a higher rate. I've seen some charge as much as $7/hour. My regular rate for her is $40 - I thought of charging her sister $50. Would appreciate any feedback on this.

Thanks

[Dreamalittledream]

Whew you have a long day with 6pm pick up! Your arrangement suggestion sounds fair to me!

[DisneyPrincess]

If it makes you more comfy to charge so extra, then at least you'll be doing her a favour but at YOUR advantage because you'll get extra that week. Plus its only ONE week right !

If it was me, I would charge my regular rate if she sticks to my hours, and if she really cant and its ONLY FOR THIS ONE TIME, I would charge the extra 5$ every 15 min. after hours and suck it up that week if I can. I dont mind doing favours again though.. at my advantage, why not !!

After hours would be fine for that week, but I cant do earlier in the morning then 7am. I'm so not a morning person I would need lots of begin lol

[Monday 2 Friday Mama]

I think you're perfectly within your rights to charge a "premium" (higher) rate for drop in care. That's very common in this industry, and if your client asks why the higher fee for her sister that's the explanation I would stick with. Also, if you're lukewarm about the extra work associated with another child, the higher rate may "encourage" them to find alternative care for this child. (Hello Gramma ! ) I also think you're wise to set an earlier pick up time. It sounds like this crew are not terribly sensitive to the fact that you are a human being, and even amazing caregivers need to be "off the clock" after a certain number of hours. 6:30 is a really late day ? Do you have any options in your current contract that would allow you to make your hours a little more reasonable. Maybe you could use this opportunity as a springboard to instigate a new policy for your regular daycare babies. (i.e. effective March 31 2013 my hours will be changing from "insert old hours of operattion here" to "insert new hours of operation here" Please make any necessary arrangements in order to allow you to pick your child up no later than "insert your preferred closing time here") My hours are from 7:30 to 5:00. I find every 15 minutes after 5 P.M. too be just brutal. If parents need 10 or 11 hours of care for their child, I point them towards a nanny or a daycare centre where there are shifts of people to cover the long days. I mean really, who is at their best after 10 or 11 hours on the job ?

[bright sparks]

From what Im understanding, her sister is coming into town for 4 days so if she wants you to have this child as well as her own then it would seem to me that it is so they can spend some time together. To require a 6:30 pick up so they can socialize is just disresptful tou you and their children when it is a want rather than a need. I would charge a higher fee because the sister will be getting a premium service of drop in care but I wouldnt let them pick up later than 5 if all they are doing is catching up.

[DisneyPrincess]

Yah that makes me think... if she's coming to town, she's on Vaca ?? why does she need care ? unless she comes on business with her daughter ?!? or maybe looking for a job in the area to move ?!? thats weird. Plus if your client's sister needs so late pick up... will your client want the same for that week so she hangs out with her sister kids free, so you would have 2 at late pick up ???

[Balanced]

I think you're perfectly within your rights to charge a "premium" (higher) rate for drop in care. That's very common in this industry, and if your client asks why the higher fee for her sister that's the explanation I would stick with. Also, if you're lukewarm about the extra work associated with another child, the higher rate may "encourage" them to find alternative care for this child. (Hello Gramma ! ) I also think you're wise to set an earlier pick up time. It sounds like this crew are not terribly sensitive to the fact that you are a human being, and even amazing caregivers need to be "off the clock" after a certain number of hours. 6:30 is a really late day ? Do you have any options in your current contract that would allow you to make your hours a little more reasonable. Maybe you could use this opportunity as a springboard to instigate a new policy for your regular daycare babies. (i.e. effective March 31 2013 my hours will be changing from "insert old hours of operattion here" to "insert new hours of operation here" Please make any necessary arrangements in order to allow you to pick your child up no later than "insert your preferred closing time here") My hours are from 7:30 to 5:00. I find every 15 minutes after 5 P.M. too be just brutal. If parents need 10 or 11 hours of care for their child, I point them towards a nanny or a daycare centre where there are shifts of people to cover the long days. I mean really, who is at their best after 10 or 11 hours on the job ?

Yes, it is a long day and I am changing my hours as you mentioned in a couple months. This is the only late child I have and it's been very difficult with my own family after the other two have left at 4:30. Thank you for your reply!

[Balanced]

Yah that makes me think... if she's coming to town, she's on Vaca ?? why does she need care ? unless she comes on business with her daughter ?!? or maybe looking for a job in the area to move ?!? thats weird. Plus if your client's sister needs so late pick up... will your client want the same for that week so she hangs out with her sister kids free, so you would have 2 at late pick up ???

That's right.....they just want to spend time together "childless" - it is vacation.

[Sandbox Sally]

I'd do it at a part time fee, which is $5 a day more than my full time fee, and I'd insist on 5pm pickup.

[playfelt]

Because they will both know the cost the one is paying and yes I get that it is fulltime but this is a slightly different scenerio than we normally get. I would charge my regular per day fee - put the four days worth of extra money towards something really nice for ME... and then require that they pick up by 5-5:30 so they can spend some time together. So the cost of me doing the favour is 4 times my normal rate plus an earlly pick up. Make sure you get a written note in case the sister comes alone to pick up - you don't say if the mom has time off work if the sister is in town for other reasons such as a course or to visit other relatives. If she needs care it could be that she is there on business in which case you may have a hard time getting an earlier pickup.