What to charge

[Kaybeaa]

Hi everyone. Have had an enquiry from a lovely grandmother looking for care for her grandson, she's really stuck finding care and even though I don't normally work Friday's I said I'd help her out and have this child on a Friday morning as its only a maximum of 1 and a half hours every other week. However she knows my fees are £4 an hour (never done day or half day fee) and I'm now wondering if it's worth doing this for potentially just £6 every other week!! Seems a bit daft but I don't want to let her down. Was thinking of charging a half day fee instead, or saying I do a minimum of 3 hours, so that I'm not getting all the paperwork sorted and the toys out etc for just £12 a month. Maybe I'd say a half day fee of £15 to make it worth my while? What would you do, and does this seem fair? TIA

[watford wizz]

If you charge a half day rate she may leave child with you for the whole half a day which would take up more of you precious day off. This time I would do "the favour" but think seriously about my hourly rate for very part timers xxx

[JCrakers]

I would just tell her the truth. Because you don't usually work on a Friday and to have her grandson would mean admin etc then you will have to charge a flat fee of £15 per day. Tell her you will have to follow the EYFS, observe and track development. Its not just an easy thing where you just ' look after him for a couple of hours' You will have to show Ofsted how well you know him, where he is in his development, next steps etc.

There really is no point in doing someone a favour for such a small amount of money because once you start and realise your Fridays are not your own anymore, you may start to resent saying yes.

15per session, £30pm sounds fair

[Kaybeaa]

Thanks guys. Yes was debating the fact she might then decide to use the whole morning, but the way I see it, I will end up resenting doing all that prep for just £12 a month if I just charge hourly, so I might just say it's £12 a session because it includes paperwork on top of my "looking after" child. £24 a month is a little bit better to deal with. It'll pay towards petrol or something I suppose. And I guess if she's not happy she can go elsewhere...!!

[MrsP2C]

Honestly I wouldn't give up my day off for 1 child just a few hours (but then it took me years to get that day off & I wouldn give it up for anything !)

[BallyH]

I personally wouldn't do it as I value my day off.

Maybe you could write a 'condition' into the contract that in 3 months you agree to discuss if you both still want to continue the Friday contract. This way you know you'll be able to get out of it.

[Kaybeaa]

Yes I was in two minds about taking it, but I'm a pushover and she was so desperate that I felt awful not helping. I've agreed 3 hours 9 until 12 at £15. Funnily enough I'm going on maternity leave in September so I've told parent that we will reassess after the 3 months leave whether to continue. I guess this will be my get out clause if it's too much...!