I bases my charges on $6 an hour for before school and a flat rate of $12 for afterschool care. I walk to pick up the kids, but I am really close to the schools. I charge the flat rate of $12 because most of the kids need two hours of care afterschool. Plus it take care of the problems of families who want a spot for only a short time. I have one teacher who wanted to pay me only $3 to pick her kids up at the bus, walk then home, feed them snack and then have her pick them up 15 minutes after they were done eating. No thank you! The teacher agreed to pay the $12 because she couldn't find any dayhome willing to take her kids for $3.