Skip to main content

I have a friend who will be going back to work soon and need some childcare for an infant.Can anyone suggest any good places and about what it would cost. She has also found a person to come to her home,so what she expect to pay for that? She really like the idea of someone coming to her house,but the reliablity of daycare
has advantages also.
Thanks all,
Proud to be an Army Wife!!!
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

If she can get someone to come to her home then I very highly suggest that. Daycares are great, I have mine in a really good one in Muscle Shoals, but nothing beats not having to wake children up in the mornings when its cold or going to be bad weather. It will make her morning routine of getting ready for work A LOT less stressful and hurried.
I take my youngest son to a *great* daycare in Muscle Shoals. It is $100.00 a week. I don't really know what to pay someone to come to my house all week but I do have a sitter that we use on occasion and we pay her $8.00 an hour. Let me know if you would like the name of the daycare and contact information... it is so nice and has excellent security...
We use a daycare in Muscle Shoals, by Hardees. They are great and very flexible. My wife is a nurse and we only need them every other week. All other day cares wanted us to pay for the weeks we didn't need them, they allow us to pay for what we use.

But we would much rather have someone in our home, if we could make it work. Problem is, what if that person is sick or out of town? I would recommend you find a day care that you can use part time (ours will let you pay by the day if you needed) if something happened with your home nanny.

Kirk
I'm with you Crusty. Remember you get what yo pay for. I would always suggest that you go with a daycare facility that is licensed by the state and is insured. Since you are an Army wife look into or call the Marshall Child Development Center Ph: (256) 544-8609. They have programs and a recommended list for military in North Alabama. With there being AGR members in the Shoals they will be able to help.

If your a National Guard wife try LINK.

Here is the link for licensed day cares in Alabama LINK

I hope this helps.
I think the price she is giving you is quite fair... actually pretty cheap! I agree with everyone else though, I would trust a facility with a great reputation then someone coming into my home. My son's daycare has security cameras outside and inside. There are several large TVs in the directors office so that she can keep and eye on things. The doors stay locked and the only way inside the center is for them to let you in... Also, if you just want to watch your child you can go to the office and sit and observe or you can ask for a DVD of your child's day... I LOVE it... They don't have a high turnover rate with their teachers either... most of them have been there for over 10 years and they all have degrees in early child development or are working towards one... Smiler
I had a lady that came into my house to keep my twins from the time they were 3 months until they started kindergarten. She had years of experience keeping some other families kids before I was able to use her. I paid her $50 cash per day, from 8:00-4:00 which was $200 for a 4 day work week I was working at the time. I also paid her for any holidays and days off that I was taking when she did not work but did not pay her if she took any days off. She was very reliable for me and was actually off only 3-4 days during the 5 years she helped me out and this was for other family illnesses, etc. When mine got older, I actually put them in a half day preschool but she continued to keep them after school and on days they did not go to school. It is very advantageous and also costly (approx $1000/month)but so nice for my kids to me kept at home and able to sleep late in the morning, etc. I have had other friends who have done this and finding someone as reliable as the lady I had is a problem. As one previous poster mentioned, if they are sick or have problems coming to work, you have no back up plan.
bamagirl, I hope you were able to claim the money you paid her. Many people who demand cash do so because they don't plan to report the income. The same thing goes for some housekeepers. Back in the day when I did home based daycare, I gave my SS# as my tax ID to the parents of the kids so they could claim childcare expenses as a deduction on their taxes, and I filed tax returns on my salary. I get furious thinking about the fact that so many people collect government assistance and make as much if not more than the rest of us who just barely scrape by. We shouldn't condone it, much less encourage it.
Last edited by SaltyDog
quote:
Originally posted by SaltyDog:
bamagirl, I hope you were able to claim the money you paid her. Many people who demand cash do so because they don't plan to report the income. The same thing goes for some housekeepers. Back in the day when I did home based daycare, I gave my SS# as my tax ID to the parents of the kids so they could claim childcare expenses as a deduction on their taxes, and I filed tax returns on my salary. I get furious thinking about the fact that so many people collect government assistance and make as much if not more than the rest of us who just barely scrape by. We shouldn't condone it.


You have made a great point. That is another reason I only use licensed day cares/providers.
quote:
Originally posted by CrustyMac:
You are talking less than $4.00 an hour. Besides being illegal, what kind of help can you get at $4.00/hr?


Minimum Wage does not apply to everyone. Casual babysitting services (not licensed daycares, but in home babysitters) are specifically mentioned:

'Some workers are not covered by the FLSA, that is, they're "exempt" employees, and so they're not entitled to the minimum wage. Some examples include:

Salaried executive, professional, administrative employees, and outside sales employees
Babysitters who work on a casual basis
Newspaper delivery workers'

Lawyers.com

Kirk
quote:
Originally posted by momma3xs:
The sitter that will come to the house wants $150 a week for M-F 8:15 until 4:00. $10 extra a day for anything after 4 pm. Is this a fair amount?



Use your head & your motherly instinct!
If it sounds too good to be true, then it most likely is. Go with a reputable daycare, but always check their references & also check them out with the BBB!
quote:
Originally posted by mekirk2:


Minimum Wage does not apply to everyone. Casual babysitting services (not licensed daycares, but in home babysitters) are specifically mentioned:

'Some workers are not covered by the FLSA, that is, they're "exempt" employees, and so they're not entitled to the minimum wage. Some examples include:

Salaried executive, professional, administrative employees, and outside sales employees
Babysitters who work on a casual basis
Newspaper delivery workers'

Lawyers.com

Kirk


True, but in the case presented, the babysitter was not "casual".

quote:

Picture of momma3xs

Posted 13 March 2009 09:01 PM Hide Post
The sitter that will come to the house wants $150 a week for M-F 8:15 until 4:00. $10 extra a day for anything after 4 pm.
quote:
Originally posted by CrustyMac:
quote:
Originally posted by mekirk2:


Minimum Wage does not apply to everyone. Casual babysitting services (not licensed daycares, but in home babysitters) are specifically mentioned:

'Some workers are not covered by the FLSA, that is, they're "exempt" employees, and so they're not entitled to the minimum wage. Some examples include:

Salaried executive, professional, administrative employees, and outside sales employees
Babysitters who work on a casual basis
Newspaper delivery workers'

Lawyers.com

Kirk


True, but in the case presented, the babysitter was not "casual".

quote:

Picture of momma3xs

Posted 13 March 2009 09:01 PM Hide Post
The sitter that will come to the house wants $150 a week for M-F 8:15 until 4:00. $10 extra a day for anything after 4 pm.


I've seen interpretations that go both ways. Casual babysitting exemption can be claimed only if the person is babysitting in the private home of the employer and not working for an agency (works directly for the employer). It also applies to people that sit with with elderly or people who can't care for themselves. But I am not sure if there is a limit to the amount they can make or the number of hours they work as a casual babysitter. I do know that, if the babysitter is employed by an agency of any type, the exemption cannot be claimed.

You can also file what you pay to the babysitter on your taxes, you just need that persons social security number. I would make sure the person knows you are going to file it on your taxes, though, because the babysitter is supposed to claim that income on their taxes if they are required to file.

Kirk

Add Reply

Post

Untitled Document
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×