If you send to a group babysitter, or if you babysit from ho

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 12:13 pm

Sorry if this is on the wrong forum. Wasn't sure where to put it.

I have a small babysitting group I run from my home. (3 kids)

I'm trying to gage some things, from both mothers who operate something similar, and who send to something similar.

I live in NJ (not lakewood, tho I'm not sure if that will make a difference?)
the kids are between 1 and 2yo.

My first question is:
what do you charge/pay? right now I'm charging about $8/hr per kid. I babysit from about 8am-almost 5pm.Mon-Thurs, and 8am-am on short Friday, 8am-2pm long Fridays. is this too much/little?
when they don't come, for example if they are sick, winter vacation, snow days, etc. they don't have pay. this yr I have not taken any vacation days, got a sub a couple times (with parents permission and approval before hand) when I had an un avoidable appointment, each tike was o ly like 2 hrs from the day, or less. I've heard from some people it is surprising I havent taken days off?

My second question is:
do you contribute either supplies or $ towards supplies, such as gloves for changing diapers, disposable pads to change baby on, and wipes for after snack, wiping noses, etc..(Not changing diapers. each mom is already supplying diapers and wipes for diaper changes.)

I don't provide snack/lunch. I did offer, for (I think $3/day, all snacks and lunch included, but no one took me up on it. so I'm also wondering, what would you consider a normal price to pay (per day/wk) for that? maybe it was unreasonable?

I'm possibly reforming it for next school yr and trying to gage what is reasonable/standard.
thank you in advance.

amother

Phlox

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 12:20 pm

1- charge monthly rate. You're entitled to know how much you'll be making regardless of kids getting sick or parents going on vacation

2- you're allowed to take vacation days (let's say if you follow school schedule or office schedule) but you must let them know before they commit.

3-you can charge a $50 registration fee(per year) so parents commit to taking the slot and buy all supplies with this money (gloves, pads, extra wipes, extra tisdues...)

4- I think $8 is a fair price but it's extremely community related.
In lakewood since you're offering long hours and you only take 3 kids which is very hard to find, you might be able to charge more.

You have to call babysitter or mommies in your neighborhood!

amother

Dimgray

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 12:21 pm

wow - can you open up near me?? LOL

no one offers as much as what you are offering..

also I wasn't clear on the supplies - but you def do not have to provide!!! especially not at $8 an hour!

my child that age is currently in a group that goes from 915/315 and 9-12 fridays I pay $800 a month. there are about 13 kdis in the group with an assistant morah.

she has taken off with a sub - generally no warning.. but usually either her or the assistant is there that knows the kids

I provide food snakcs diapers wipes and milk, bib... she has high chairs, toys, and pack n plays

amother

Peach

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 12:25 pm

I charge a monthly rate ($600 for that age 9-3 during the week and Friday 9-12, I’m on the low end in end my neighborhood, everyone else charges more than me.) If you charge per hour like a “drop in babysitter” then parents don’t have to pay when they don’t send. If you change it like a monthly rate then the rate must be paid wether the parents send or not. Depends how you set it up at the beginning of the year with the parents. In regards to taking off, I only get off with the school schedule (lakewood area) , any other day I would need to find a sub. I personally have not taken off any extra days besides the standard when everyone is closed for yomim tovim, bh there was never a situation yet where I needed to. Regarding providing the extra, I provide tissues, gloves, and just basics in my house (sometimes milk when kid doesn’t have). Parents provide diapers, wipes and rash cream if they’d like me to apply. They also send all the food they want their kids to eat for the day like lunch and snacks. I used to provide both and was totally not worth the headache for me always needing to be stocked up in my house and with inflation it started costing me so much (and I charged even less then what I do now…) Obviously rates and standards are different in all areas. Good luck!
P.s I’m not continuing my grp iyh, its not worth it for me personally

amother

Valerian

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 12:56 pm

Definitely community dependent.
I pay $1100/month, no matter when my kid does or doesn’t go. She goes off the school schedule, so kids are off she is off. Even if parent works in a non school environment and doesn’t have off. I provide diapers wipes but she has everything else. She gives yummy home made food, my daughter eats real meals which is great.
The only time she takes off is for extreme circumstances, this year I think it was 1 day so far. But then her group is closed no sub. It rarely happens though.
I’m paying a lot…but she’s great and I don’t have other options.

(Hours are school hours- 8:10ish-4:15. Friday we end later then Lakewood, she does the full day then)

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 12:59 pm

amother Phlox wrote:

I think for next year I will do a small fee in the beginning to cover supplies, bc it's really adding up. I've been buying in bulk, shopping around for the beat prices. It adds up all together to be quite a bit tho.

Thanks! I may have to switch to monthly for next yr as well. Bc, it does feel like a punch to the gut when they don't send for like, a couple days when they go away, or winter vacation (that differs from my kids school) and they didn't send for like a wk, and that was 2 of the kids!

amother

Phlox

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 1:17 pm

amother OP wrote:

Also if 2 kids don't show up then you're stuck for $8/h, not fair to you!
If you only have only 3 kids you can give them the option of taking off when most have vacation unless you want to take off when your kids are off!!

amother

Chicory

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 1:31 pm

I share a babysitter with two neighbors so it's not an official playgroup but we all hired her for our three babies. The only thing I'd say you should change is if a kid doesn't come one day when there is babysitting. If we all don't need one day like a vacation day then we give her the day off and no one pays. But if one of us doesn't send we pay half for the day so that she doesn't lose that much money.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 1:46 pm

tichellady wrote:

Definitely charge monthly, Schedule in advance in the calendar for the year a few vacation days for yourself for appointments, have a clear supply fee for the for the year, -operate like a daycare or school so you don’t get taken advantage of

Thank you, yes, this sounds way more doable.

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 1:48 pm

amother Phlox wrote:

I definitely think scheduling like this for next yr will be a huge game changer. Thank you!! This yr was so stressful figuring out checkups and stuff. Bc I work till after the pediatrician closes, but I need the money, and since it was hourly...

amother

Wed, Feb 21 2024, 1:51 pm

amother Chicory wrote:

Interesting.

I was thinking I'd do the opposite. If they aren't sending because of school vacation (that differs from my kids school) then I was thinking they should pay. But if I'm taking off for a school vacation that differs from their date, they wouldn't pay so they could hire a sub.