Mother's Helper

erhodes

I am considering hiring a mother's helper to help out with picking up my daughter from daycare and/or helping to straighten up around the house in the evenings.  The hours would be 5-7:30 pm from Monday through Thursday.  I was thinking $150/week, which ends up being $15 an hour.  One person so far requested an additional $20 a week for gas, which I guess makes sense.  But I wanted to get thoughts on whether $170/week sounds right for 10 hours a week.  I really appreciate any feedback you may have!

BirdGirl01

$20/week for gas sounds like a lot, but it depends on how far she's driving.  I wouldn't reimburse for driving she does to get to you, but any driving she does to help with DD, I would.  I would base it on mileage and use the fed mileage reimbursement rate.   $15/hr also sounds like a lot to for a mother's helper. 

Are you sure you want the mother's helper picking your DD up from daycare?  I'd really want me or DH to be the one to do that to talk to our caregiver about DD's day.  

erhodes

That's a good point about the federal mileage reimbursement rate.  I think we just want her to be able to pick up my DD if we have to work a little late, etc.  It probably wouldn't work out to her picking up DD more than once a week, so $20/week for gas would be crazy.  Thanks so much!

Sofka

My honest opinion is that it's way too much!! We don't have a mother's helper but we have cleaners - 2 women, every other week, 3.5-4hrs, $105 for 2 floors of our house. It sounds like this lady will be doing more cleaning than babysitting and perhaps a cleaning service is more what you are looking for.

My employer does not give me $$ to get to work, so I would not give her money for gas (unless it's for gas she uses while driving your child around).

You can find an in-home DC for $200/week, I think $170/week for 12.5hours is too much!

 

victoria1212

Sofka:

My honest opinion is that it's way too much!! We don't have a mother's helper but we have cleaners - 2 women, every other week, 3.5-4hrs, $105 for 2 floors of our house. It sounds like this lady will be doing more cleaning than babysitting and perhaps a cleaning service is more what you are looking for.

My employer does not give me $$ to get to work, so I would not give her money for gas (unless it's for gas she uses while driving your child around).

You can find an in-home DC for $200/week, I think $170/week for 12.5hours is too much!

I totally disagree with you. $15 per hour is the going rate in my area for babysitting (that is what I am thinking this is). And, if I was driving for work purposes (i.e. I have an appointment downtown)- my employer would reimburse me for mileage. 

Sofka

victoria1212:

Sofka:

My honest opinion is that it's way too much!! We don't have a mother's helper but we have cleaners - 2 women, every other week, 3.5-4hrs, $105 for 2 floors of our house. It sounds like this lady will be doing more cleaning than babysitting and perhaps a cleaning service is more what you are looking for.

My employer does not give me $$ to get to work, so I would not give her money for gas (unless it's for gas she uses while driving your child around).

You can find an in-home DC for $200/week, I think $170/week for 12.5hours is too much!

I totally disagree with you. $15 per hour is the going rate in my area for babysitting (that is what I am thinking this is). And, if I was driving for work purposes (i.e. I have an appointment downtown)- my employer would reimburse me for mileage. 

as would mine. But my company does not pay my commuting costs, which is what it sounds to me the OP's prospective babysitter is asking for.

 

erhodes

Thanks so much to all of you -- I'm going to propose that we only pay for mileage on her way from my daycare to our house on the days that she gets my DD.  So that should end up being MUCH less than $20/week.  Thanks for the advice!