How much to charge my sister for childcare/food?
My sister is due soon and will need me to take care of her baby when she gets back to work.
I’m a SAHM and I take care of my two kids. One of them goes to school so during the day would be just my baby and hers and often her kid will stay over the night as some days she works during the day and others during the night. She’s married and together they clear 260k/y so they aren’t pinching pennies.
I’m not really looking to charge her for taking care of her kid but maybe to cover some part of the food that I would be cooking for her kid as let’s be honest he will have to have 3 meals and 2 snacks and when we go out I can’t just get things for my kids and not get something for him.
What do you think is a fair amount?
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Hey there, I would suggest a compromise where your sister offers to bring groceries /snacks. I think sending a grocery receipt and splitting costs in whichever way sounds most sensible and practical! .The most caution you should take is to just word it right , with love at the core and avoid leaving the message up for misinterpretation of things like greed or being a “cheapskate” or pinching their pennies. If your sister is mature and level headed she’d agree. I would actually would offer groceries up front if asking my sister to take care of my kids during the day/ evenings. Just because you’re sisters, doesn’t mean you can’t set boundaries and reciprocate help - help comes in many different ways and it has to be two directional, and for sure it takes a village to collaborate. For now it just sounds one sided if you’re looking after the children without additional material/ financial support.
My MIL watches my kids and we pay her $20 a day per kid. Plus we buy diapers and formula when they were small. Sometimes they go out and we send money for things without being asked.
I would definitely talk to her and ask what she thinks and negotiate something together.
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