27 August 2007

Quick Query for Parents

Update below, but I have a quick question for parents out there who have kids in daycare.

The twins spent one night with their daycare provider last week. She was reluctant to name a price for this service and asked me to pay her what I felt was fair. Here's how I determined what I paid her:
  • regular hourly rate for the extra hours the twins were there and awake
  • half the regular hourly rate for the hours the twins were sleeping (They usually do and did sleep through the night.)
I made that decision after soliciting some input from my local moms of twins group. What do you all think? Fair? I want to be sure I compensate R. appropriately.

16 comments:

uberimma said...

If they slept straight through the night, I think that's fair. If they wake up at night, or if they did while they were there, I think I would pay something closer to the regular rate through the night--I'd just round it off to something reasonable.

Klynn said...

Oy. That's a difficult one, but I think you came to an equitable solution. I think the sleeping part boils down to being "on call" but never getting called, though I don't know how different professions compensate their "on call" staff.

It never ceases to amaze me how you're able to juggle all your activities and responsibilities. But those kids are the absolute cutest (well, maybe except for mine, but I'm biased).

Boog did something similar to Riley's savoring of the french fry, recently, but I'll be darned if I can remember what he was eating at the time. While they're savoring the savories, we'll be savoring the cuteness. Hee hee.

Suz said...

I'm a twin mom too and that's very similar to the equation that we used for our caregiver. Sounds fair to me!

Yankee T said...

Sounds thoughtful and fair.

Alison said...

That sounds fair to me.

Tiffany said...

I think that is a fair rate and then maybe just round up alittle bit.

soralis said...

Sounds fair to me! Take care

Anonymous said...

I'm a nanny, and it sounds fair to me. I think when I've done similar things we've come up with a daily rate, but I can't remember what it was.

Inkling said...

I'm not a mom, but I've done that before when I worked as a childcare provider. The rate you mentioned and how you came about it sounds more than fair, that is, unless the twins were up all night puking or something. Seriously, you sounded quite generous. I now realize what a bargain my clients got. =)

Anonymous said...

Mine are older, and don't get up in the night at all. I pay for waking hours plus a bit for being "on call". So far no one has ever thrown up in the night - but I did get stranded by a snowstorm (at home, not where I was!) and needed an extra 24 hours covered and the sitter offered to do so for free! (Rest assured, I paid her at the same rates as for the other days...)

Mouthy Girl said...

I have no clue.

When I have to be out of town or need a night with just HG, I have two wonderful friends who will fight over who gets to take Buddha overnight.

On a positive note:
I love the wonderful report on Mads and Riley in your last post. You are SO right - great times like those are like well-earned payment for the hell screamies that kids sometimes get.

Steff said...

Great equation, very fair!

Angela said...

That sounds very fair to me and I hope your daycare provider thinks so too.

Anonymous said...

We had to do this when Gabe was a newborn and Emily got sick, so he did get up during the night, our provider at the time had a scale like what you did, I just added on a bit since he didn't really sleep all night long...I think it was very fair.

I've seen the savory french fry face on mine as well, so cute, and so scary I always imagine McD's puts some drug in the fries to make them so yummy, but it's just fat!

Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

I was a live-in nanny and I was paid a flat rate for overnights-$30 for two children. Granted they were older, but it was more than fair I felt.

Anna said...

That sounds reasonable to me.
I've got one 15-month old (born June 2006 also) (plus a three-year-old) and I love reading about your twins and their new accomplishments!