My Husband's Coworker

[Alwaysgreener]

I got to call this week from somebody that works same place as my husband. I also worked there and the woman that recommended me is someone I know.

The family only need care every other week but they need Monday through Friday. I have been open on Fridays for families as requested, just not weekly.

Taking her child every other Friday isn't anything a big deal, I just won't be able to drive my daughter to school on that Friday. (It would be a total of two Fridays before school gets out that she would have to ride the bus)

Anyways I already told her I would still have to charge her for both of weeks but that was when we were discussing Monday through Thursday.

So how do I price it or one full week and then one week without a Friday? Should I charge her by weekly for 9 days? Should I contractor for 4 days a week and add in that the additional day would be x amount?

Preferably if she did find somebody to take the child on Friday it would not make me upset.

The other catch is she's an hour north of me and she would be arriving and picking up at the same time as my husband was leaving and getting home. I have always avoided having somebody come at the time that he is leaving so that he can leave on time.


This may sound like a confusing mess but we just took a financial hit and we need to income to recover.

[e.j.]

When parents need care every other week, I explain that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to fill the spots that would be left opposite their schedule. If they still want to enroll with me, they have to agree to pay weekly whether or not their kids attend. Like you, I don't normally work Fridays so if it were me, I would charge only for those Fridays they need since I wouldn't be trying to fill the spots on the opposite Friday and wouldn't be taking a loss on those days. Bottom line, I would charge them M-Fr one week and M-Th the following week.

[Alwaysgreener]

She is more trouble than she is worth. I have a feeling that she uses an unlicensed, under-the-table, unreliable Babysitter and wants to pay the same for licensed, legal, reliable care.

[GirlMomma]

I would do what e.j. suggested.

[Alwaysgreener]

Here goes. I told her on the phone that I would have to charge her for both weeks.

I explained that I was open M-Th so her weekly cost would be $160 and an extra $40 for the weeks that she needed F (and that I was available). That the nonrefundable deposit was $360, $160 + $40 for the first week of care, and $160 for the last week of care. That payment is due on Thursdays. I said I charge for any time I am open and available and for some holidays. I told her that I was competitive for the area. (My niece pays $250 for her DC for the week a couple of towns away)

She wrote back, asking if she paid on the off week and I said as discussed on the phone I would have to charge you for both weeks.

So I am too expensive and she does not want to pay every week. She did use the single mom card, even though she has someone she living with that (talked to DH) is helping her.

The only thing else I could offer (but I do not want to) is for her to pay a holding fee on the second week and pay bi-weekly $280 but I have a feeling that it still would be too much.

I had even agreed to open earlier than normal, I do not normally take someone that needs to arrive when dh is leaving because he needs to get to work on time. I can see that being messy if they had car trouble, could prevent him from leaving on time or carpooling which he would not be happy with.

[Alwaysgreener]

No I ain't gonna offer any more to her, I already told her good luck on her search. If I did it would make me look desperate and I refuse to do that.

I only considered quoting her the holding fee for the second week. I have never had an every other week family.

My concern is, if a dcf paying full for the second week than dcf could potentially show up for care unexpectedly. If I do a holding fee for second week, I would then have it clearly written that they couldn't just show up because dcf wasn't expected, and then if dcf did I could turn dcf away at the door and not feel guilty.

So I think that is what I would do if I ever contracted a every other week dcf.

[Alwaysgreener]

e.j. I have two single parent sisters. One plays the card on a regular basis especially on FB, the other one you wouldn't have any idea she was single parent. When people help the second one it's because they want to not because she asked.

The other one still uses her card even though her son is 26.

I don't mind helping people and I was trying to help her, but it is when she through that card out that annoys me.

[e.j.]

Yeah...I was annoyed for you! lol It's doubly annoying if what your husband was told is true and the person she's living with is already giving her help.