So I know there have been many threads on this but I still have a few questions. I know there is also debate from many re: the expense of hiring someone vs just having one less kid and I have already been weighing this.

I have hired a professional dance teacher to come one morning a week to teach a class to my dcks during the long winter. She will be starting in Jan. I had been toying with having someone come on occasion to help out. I am managing on my own but I think it would be nice to have the help sometimes but also free me up a bit to do some of those things that don't get to happen e.g. spending time with the older kids playing a board game or organizing games/toys during daycare hours etc. This teacher lives in the neighbourhood and is open to coming/helping as much or as little as I want her (she is a SAHM). She will bring her child with her so it is really win-win as her child will have a chance to socialize and she still gets to be with her child.

Questions:
I don't want to get into paying her EI etc. If I hire her as a contract employee and have her sign something that says she is responsible for paying her taxes will this be enough? I did something like this once when I was hired by an agency as a student.

Has anyone run into problems with their insurance carrier? My plan is to not leave the kids alone with her (I couldn't anyways because she would then be over ratio as my 2 kids are also there)

Any other things I am missing?