BABY SITTING PROBLEM! what do i tell her? PLEASE READ!!!?

Question

okay so i'm about to start a summer job baby-sitting for a lady with 5 kids.

she called this evening asking how much i would want to be paid, and she said she'd pay anywhere from 250 a week to 300 a week.

i told her 250-275 sounded good because i wanted to be nice.

now that i think about it, i'm only 13 and 5 kids is a LOT, and they're all under the age of 6.

what should i say to her (NICELY!) to let her know i'd like 300 instead?

PLEAAAASE HELP!

Answer 1

She has no business leaving a 13 year old with that many kids that young.  If you were smart you'd tell her that that is just too much for you to handle at any price.  That's ridiculous.

The board of childcare licensing won't even let an adult care for more than three infants at one time without an assistant.  She must be nuts to leave her babies with a child.

***Actually....

Here where I live...you can have 6 kids if at least four of them are over two years old.  But if you have three that are under two years of age...you can't have anymore than those three without an assistant...but thanks for your thoughts.  

And those number include any children that the daycare provider may have of her own.

That's ludicrious...so if I have birthed 5 kids, and I open a daycare and take on 5 more....just because I gave birth to half of them...makes me more capable of caring for more children?? No...the providers children are included in the tally otherwise it would be an idiotic rule.  At least that's the way it is here (thank god)

*****And honey this has nothing to do with underestimating you....this has more to do with reality and the challenges involved in caring for that many kids...I'm a grown woman with children of my own and I pay someone else to do it...

At 13 I don't think I would have taken that on, and I started watching the neighbor kids when I was 11....

what you're talking about is alot for anyone to handle...especially somebody as young as yourself.  

And to answer your question...if you really want to do this...

Just tell her that you thought about it and that it's probably going to me alot more work than you had first realized and that after considering the number of children and their ages...that you think that $300 is a fair price for the job....and yes most definately set specific hours and days...otherwise you run the risk of being taken advantage of...  

Good Luck.

Answer 2

do your math....call around to other daycare sitters and get their rates for children under the age of six and times that 5.....you will find out that regardless that their prices will be WAY higher than $300 and that her paying you $300 is still a steal and nicely explain to her that your services will require slightly more money than you anticapated....if she looks at you funny tell her about the research that you did with the other day care prices and said that even though you raised the price slightly you still are trying to be fair be not not overcharging like they do

Answer 3

I would just nicely tell her that you thought it over and since it's a lot to take on you'd appreciate  if you could be paid a little more. Good Luck!!!

Answer 4

I run a home child care and I would advise you to get a written contract, a signed contract signed by both of you agreeing on a set number of hours and a set fee. Also include a specified pay day.

Tell her your basic services of care cost $275 per week plus $5 per child. That gives you $300 a week.

Type this up in a contract or have a parent do it. It will really save you if something goes wrong. If the woman does not agree to it, then it is her loss for child care.

As a side note, I'd say even $250 a week is pretty good for a 13 year old. I'm 22, running a business, and I only get $175 every 2 weeks for 2 kids..but I only have them 2-3 days a week, so it's a little different.

Good luck!!

ETA: SillyG, that's not true. A person babysitting or providing care for children whether licensed or private is legally allowed to care for 5 children plus their own without any assisstance if it is in their home or the children's home. It isn't until there is more than 5 children (plus the caregivers own), that an assitant would be needed, and a bigger facility, licensed would be needed.

Answer 5

No offense but even being grown, 5 kids under 6 is a lot to take on.  There really isn't a nice way to change your mind about the pay, you already had that discussion and you told her the amount you were comfortable with, if you wanted more you should have said so then.  Maybe after 90 days like in most real jobs you can ask her for a raise since you have done good and you both are happy

Answer 6

it is best to just be homest with her, call her or even  go over to her home. it is a lot on you, i babysit 4 kind under the age of nine, and i am 15 and even that is hard, so if this woman is going to be your employer it is probably best to just be honest

hope i helped<3

-kv

Answer 7

Tell her that 300.00 is what u would like to be paid for ur services 5 children that is a lot and shes getting a killer deal at that rate