Childcare Payments

malchurning · August 2013

My husband and I are dual military. We are stationed at Bragg and pregnant with our first child. A friend of ours who is a mother of two, has offered to be our childcare. My husband and I are excited, but I want to be clear with what is a fair payment. I love the flexibility that we will have with her, but I also don't want this to affect our relationship with her and her husband. Is this just a bad idea from the get-go, or what is a fair price, for what will most likely be 5 days a week for almost 12 hours? She lives close to post and I would plan on going over there during lunch to BF baby. Help!

Chargersgrl33 · August 2013

Honestly, I don't ever mix friends with business. And that's what daycare is, a business. What is wrong with using the on base CDC?

Sammy0709 · August 2013

Chargersgrl33 said:
Honestly, I don't ever mix friends with business. And that's what daycare is, a business. What is wrong with using the on base CDC?

I had a friend that did this because she and her husband didn't get off work until after the CDC's required pick up time. It must have worked out fine until she EAS'd because the friendship with the sitter is still in tact. Idk how much they paid a week though.

ETA: I babysat for my cousin for 3 months. She offered to pay me $25 a day which I didn't take because she's family but anyway, she also told me daycare was going to be $40 a day.

panicked228 · August 2013

I would look into using FCC or the CDC over that. Besides the obvious "don't mix business with pleasure" aspect, I know that certain posts have regs on who can watch children in housing. Here you can only watch one family for less than 10 hours per child per week without being licensed. I know a stellar FCC (family child care- licensed, inspected, regulated) provider at Bragg. PM me if you'd like her name

HisChamaoleGirl · August 2013

Other than the above advice of don't mix work with play, I would also suggest considering asking her to become certified if she isn't already. If you want to claim childcare on your taxes you will need her tax id number.

Chargersgrl33 · August 2013

Sammy0709 said:

Honestly, I don't ever mix friends with business. And that's what daycare is, a business. What is wrong with using the on base CDC?
I had a friend that did this because she and her husband didn't get off work until after the CDC's required pick up time. It must have worked out fine until she EAS'd because the friendship with the sitter is still in tact. Idk how much they paid a week though. ETA: I babysat for my cousin for 3 months. She offered to pay me $25 a day which I didn't take because she's family but anyway, she also told me daycare was going to be $40 a day.

I look at it from the standpoint, what if something went wrong. I personaly would rather not lose a friend over something bad happening. But I also am the person that believes that you get what you pay for.

Carnation77 · August 2013

It sounds like she's off post, from your original post, so there wouldn't be any problem with violating Ft Bragg regs. You do have less certainty doing things informally (ex. no background checks, no required certifications, no third party inspections) but if you really know this person well, feel comfortable with her, and are OK with who else may be in the house, then it might be something to consider. As for rates, I think $8.50/hr is about the going rate around there. Why don't you just ask her how much she wants to be paid? Also, have you gotten on the on-post waiting list just in case?

paigeapoe · August 2013

Not much to add but we pay for off post in home daycare. Full time is $100 a week, overnights during the week are an extra $10 and ours will also do date night/weekend sitting for $20-30 a night... I can't remember what it is because we don't use it much. Also, I'd suggest calling a few daycare centers around your area to see the cost... last time I called around the ones in the cliffdale/rim/reilly area were ranging from $135-$150 a week but didn't have many openings.

Smudges*Mom · August 2013

I don't know what the going rate is for child care, but to add to the list of questions/concerns would be how both families will handle things when someone gets sick. What is the mother gets sick, who stays home with the three children? What of one (or both) of her kids is sick? What about if your LO is sick? All scenarios that will happen. How will you handle things when she or her kids have medical appointments? Will you pay her for holidays? What about when you and your DH take leave? How will you handle child care arrangements when she goes on leave with her family? Will you pay her daily/weekly rate when she's on leave? There seem to be a ton of loose ends with a situation like this. I would sit down with both sets of parents to discuss these matters before moving forward. Good luck with your decision!

Stephanie2167 · August 2013

We used my DHs XPO's wife for the first 8 weeks or so. We were worried about it affecting our firnedship if I wasn't happy but everything turned out fine. The reason DD was only there 8 weeks was because the sitter was pregnant and at about that time she was having trouble watching her son as well as picking up and feeding DD. She was just tired. Which I totally understand. It gave us time to find the perfect home daycare for her.

If I remember correctly, we paid $25 a day or $125 a week. It was great those first few weeks that I was back working. I worked from home and we lived 5 minutes from eachother. So I was able to drive over and nurse on my lunch break.

ufsandra85 · August 2013

we are duel military and will pay 140 at the cdc per week. our cdc is open 24 hours a day so it doesnt matter how late i work.

Childcare Payments

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