Question about Whether or not to charge my help?

[Amtnk]

Hi there I just wanted some advice about a situation. I want to hire an on call stay at home mom to my home daycare when I need the extra help or if I'm sick, etc. It would be on call, no set hours or anything. She wants to bring her son (14 months old), when she comes to work. Would you charge this lady for a daycare spot for her son or does that sound Terrible?

I just don't know what I should do because I'm paying her to come here to help me... Thanks in advance!

[torontokids]

Why would you charge for her son? If she is the caregiver (and you live in Ontario) then her boy would not count in her/your numbers. That being said, your children would not be able to be in the daycare for the day as they would count in the numbers if she was being the caregiver. I don't know how many moms would be interested in a position like this so if its a match then go for it.

[Lee-Bee]

Well, I don't think charging her for the child would work as she'd likely then be working the day and walking away with little to no money earned.

But, frankly I would be weary of such an arrangement because if it is ad hoc and not consistent then I would expect her child would be rather confused with what is going on and I would expect the mother to have a hard time caring for the other children if her child is clinging to her demanding her attention.

It isn't easy to share mom, and at 14months I would expect there is a strong likelihood the child would have trouble adapting. As a parent I would be weary of my child being cared for by a mother that is trying to juggle her own toddler and a group of up to 5 other children that she is not overly familiar with.

[Amtnk]

Well in Jan 2016 her son would count in the numbers...
Anyway, I just ask because my friend who is an ECE brings her son to her work and she pays full time for him. I am still providing food for him too. I don't know... It does sound bad, but in a way maybe not lol.

[torontokids]

If it was a full time position then maybe I could get charging her. But she is just covering for you as needed.

[torontokids]

I think Lee Bee brings up some very valid points as well. I had a helper and she would bring her son. Them being there made things more work for me as the son would act out and he wasn't used to the rules/routine/ He took a lot of his mothers attention. It did not work out for that reason.

[Amtnk]

It is a valid point actually... Thanks for the input!

[5 Little Monkeys]

I don't know if I would charge for her child to be there but I would discuss it with her and maybe not pay as much to her as I would to someone who was coming without their child?