Pool resources with a neighbor who provides child care under similar arrangements, so that the two of them cooperate in caring for twice as many children as Patrick currently does.

Replace payment by actual hours of child care provided with a fixed weekly fee based upon the number of hours of child care that Patrick would typically be expected to provide.

Hire a full-time helper and invest in facilities for providing child care to sick children.

Increase the hourly rate to a level that would provide adequate income even in a week when half of the children Patrick usually cares for are absent.

Increase the number of hours made available for child care each day, so that parents can leave their children in Patrick's care for a longer period each day at the current hourly rate.