Question from a Preggo re: Child Care

I have a friend who has 3 grown children (the last is a senior in high school). She has indicated that she wants to quit her job and take care of my baby when I return to work from maternity leave. I am due in March, and going back in Sept.

I love the idea of her taking care of the baby in my home. The convienence factor of not taking them out and having all their stuff here is really appealing.

The thing I am struggling with is $$$. I know that most daycare centers recommended to me range from around $1K-1400. To give her somewhere around 1K-ish, I would have to pay her $5 an hour. I feel like paying my friend that little to quit her job to come here and watch a baby is too little, yet that's how much it works out to for daycare. She would be taking a pay cut, I think (after taxes, I'm not sure, since this money would be off the books).

Would you have her come?

Re: Question from a Preggo re: Child Care

I would pay her more than the minimum daycare if you are going to do it. Did she specifically say she would do it for the same cost of daycare? Most of the nannies I know charge between $500-$600 for the week. I think that if she is willing to do it for $1400 a month I would pay her at least that, or tell her that you don't feel comfortable paying her so little and see what she says. If she is fine with it, then you should be too! Either way she probably doesn't view this as too difficult a job, and it's a great way for her to earn some extra cash.

Re: Question from a Preggo re: Child Care

Thank you for the advice. I guess the underlying thing here is that by having her come, I am going to end up spending a lot more than a daycare center...at least that's the way it looks right now. 500-600 a week takes me to 2000-2400 a month, which is almost double the price of daycare.

Thanks for telling me those numbers...that makes a difference.