tinuadeadebola said:
Bros Oloye, great to read from you again how is madam boljet and the kids doing? my warm regards to them all. Please can you throw light on cost of child care? we hear that minders are cheaper than live in care giver but i would love to have an idea of what either of them cost for a month. I have three kids and the oldest is 9 but would be about ten when we land hopefully summer next year (if Accra answers us b4 then) while the youngest would be 6 but an idea of the child care cost would help even in planning.
Madam Tinu, We are all doing good and God has always being so merciful onto us. As per the issue of child care, Child minders take less and you can even negotiate the minimum you can pay so far you both agree on time and nature of her job. Some may be just to take the kids to board the school bus and take them from the bus at a designated area after closing , which really is very close to your house and some may be that your kids will be with them after school till you close from work, probably for just 2 to 3 hrs (My friend does this and pays $30 per day for his 2 kids)
In the area of live in care giver, they are divided into 2, one that will come in the morning by 8am or as agreed by you and close by 4pm or the one that will live permanently in your house. The normal working hours is 8 hours and the minimum pay is $10.25/hr. If she works extra hour, you will have to pay. She will not take care of the house by washing you clothes, cleaning the house or cooking for you and your husband, (Unlike our Nigerian house girls)her job is basically minding the children. Cleaning and providing hygienic environment for them and if educated, help them with their home work from school. Basically focusing on the kids. You can also sponsor somebody from Nigeria probably that your house girl as live in care giver but the procedure involves govt of Canada (you can check this on the web) My friend that is using live in care giver had a very good arrangement as he feeds and provides accommodation for the lady but had an arrangement in which cost of feeding and accommodation are deducted from payment. How they both arrived on this arrangement, i still do not know.
Now to the ages of your children, the one that will be 10 years old can take care of the little ones with minimal supervision. There are always ways around this situation. All these I cannot open-up on the forum. But you will not have much problem in the area of children minding as your children are grown up though not to the age of staying at home alone. But there are ways and so many arrangements that make child care easy here. Networking also helps and work arrangement in between husband and wife is also good, community help and involvement is another good thing. Honestly, you will not have any problem.
Also there are schools that will take care of your children after school till 6pm but you will have to pay between $27 to $33/day. My children school is offering that but it is too expensive.