child care cost - 4 year old

Hi parents,
I know there are a million "how much" heads but I need to know how much people are paying. A relative watches my 4 year old son during the day at her house 7-3 T, Th and 7-1 M, W, F as he goes to school. The relative asked for a raise of $2 and hour, from 10-12. This is off the books and as such she gets a tax benefit and I can claim nothing. The relative does all of her own errands during the day (food shopping, hangs at the beach with her friends, cleans her own house, etc) with my child. I know that if I was paying daycare, the cost would be going down, not up 20%. This just isn't sitting well with me and I can't shake the feeling that I am being totally taken advantage of. I don't think I have a choice.

Re: child care cost - 4 year old

$10 an hour is decently low... But a 20% raise is a lot.

child care cost - 4 year old

Maybe compromise and give her $11?

child care cost - 4 year old

Typically if you break down daycare to an hourly rate, it's much less than $10/hr. I would go tour some places and compare. In my opinion, especially at 4 years old, the extra academics you get from a good preschool or daycare program are well worth it.

child care cost - 4 year old

I would def look into daycare.

Re: child care cost - 4 year old

I don't have the schedule of payment in front of me and my daughter is still in a different age/price bracket, but I would say typical full-time daycare for that age is around 1k a month, give or take a little in either direction. There are also some all-day preschools with extended hours that may be a little cheaper.

So I suppose you have to add the tuition you are paying for part-time school now with what you are paying this individual to see if it's worth it.

child care cost - 4 year old

IMO if she was watching him at your house it would be entirely different and 12 would be acceptable.

BUT, she's not. It wouldn't sit well with me either. My kids go to a licensed daycare and for part time we would pay 8 for the 1st and 5 for the second. Anything over 6 hours is capped at 50 a full day part time rate.

My sitter that comes to the house is paid 13/hr. I would never pay someone that much that is watching my kids at their house, taking care of their own home, running their own errands. For 12/hr she should be watching him at your house, playing with him and tidying your house.

If it was me I would definitely explore different options. If you don't pay her more now she's going to be unhappy.

Message edited 10/11/2015 11:41:20 AM.

Re: child care cost - 4 year old

If you breakdown my monthly cost of daycare at a center, we are really only paying $10/hour and the ENTIRE focus is on my child and it includes meals.

Message edited 10/11/2015 12:24:10 PM.