Cost of a Babysitter

[inkedupmomma]

If parents only hired people like you, the teens in the neighborhoods would have no work . I live in MI and pay $6-7 an hour for a teen to watch my 4 children. $10 is ridiculous unless you are paying an adult.

When I was a teenager I expected a decent rate as well. I was no sucker! and no one ever tried taking advantage of me either. They got what they paid for as well!

 

[tinkermom23]

In all honesty, a 14 year old would NOT say no t his isn't enough. So asking her if that is enough is pointless, and puts her in an awkward position.

You are probably right.
It's not like I expected her to say "Well, since you asked, you are the cheapest guys on the block." But I do ask her to show her that I respect her opinion and I can usually read her reaction if she is disappointed or satisfied.

When I was a teen, granted it was looong ago, if I didn't feel I was paid enough for babysitting I would have said I was not available the next time. Which never happened because I was grateful for whatever I got, but that was me.

 

[inkedupmomma]

You are probably right.
It's not like I expected her to say "Well, since you asked, you are the cheapest guys on the block." But I do ask her to show her that I respect her opinion and I can usually read her reaction if she is disappointed or satisfied.
and that IS awesome that you do respect her enough to ask! you def gte props for that!
When I was a teen, granted it was looong ago, if I didn't feel I was paid enough for babysitting I would have said I was not available the next time. Which never happened because I was grateful for whatever I got, but that was me.

agreed. if I don't/haven't liked someone, then I do just that. I just don't ever want to be the one, that people won't sit for

 

[stitchlovestink]

I pay $5/hr, but never less than $20. If the kid is 15, this is more money than she could make at a PT job (once you figure in the taxes that are witheld.) Not to mention, babysitting is an easy gig. Once the kids go to sleep she can do homework or watch TV.

Talk it over with the kid, but my 12 yo is thrilled with $5 a hour.

First off in MD anyone under the age of 13 CANNOT be responsible for another child under the age of 8 (sibling or otherwise). Now that said, there aren't babysitting police out there monitoring this. But, I'm not so sure what the consequences would be if there was an emergency that warranted a call to the police/fire depts or a trip to the ER? Since Min wage just went up to what $7.25 hr. I do think that a good quality babysitter is worth this. But that is my opinion. I know that is why we rarely used a sitter when our kids were young, the cost. Now many if not most of the teens 16 or up, aren't the least bit interested in babysitting as they want their weekend nights for friends/fun. My 13 (almost 14yo) would love to get some babysitting jobs and she is CPR certified too. She would take what was offered to her and if she felt it wasn't fair/worth it, she just wouldn't go back. for a 2 and 4 yo (depending on if she is feeding them, bathing them, etc..) and how long they will be awake, I would say at least $8 an hour. I also agree w/ the poster who stated though that what is expected should be clearly spelled out (i.e. dishes cleaned up if she is feeding them, toys put away, etc...) I'd also specify what drinks/snacks are acceptable if you choose to go this route. I, personally, took my own years ago. that way, I'd know that I'd like what there was to eat.
best of luck with working all of the details out and I hope you enjoy the concert and your time out together.

 

[inkedupmomma]

First off in MD anyone under the age of 13 CANNOT be responsible for another child under the age of 8 (sibling or otherwise). Now that said, there aren't babysitting police out there monitoring this. But, I'm not so sure what the consequences would be if there was an emergency that warranted a call to the police/fire depts or a trip to the ER? Since Min wage just went up to what $7.25 hr. I do think that a good quality babysitter is worth this. But that is my opinion. I know that is why we rarely used a sitter when our kids were young, the cost. Now many if not most of the teens 16 or up, aren't the least bit interested in babysitting as they want their weekend nights for friends/fun. My 13 (almost 14yo) would love to get some babysitting jobs and she is CPR certified too. She would take what was offered to her and if she felt it wasn't fair/worth it, she just wouldn't go back. for a 2 and 4 yo (depending on if she is feeding them, bathing them, etc..) and how long they will be awake, I would say at least $8 an hour. I also agree w/ the poster who stated though that what is expected should be clearly spelled out (i.e. dishes cleaned up if she is feeding them, toys put away, etc...) I'd also specify what drinks/snacks are acceptable if you choose to go this route. I, personally, took my own years ago. that way, I'd know that I'd like what there was to eat.
best of luck with working all of the details out and I hope you enjoy the concert and your time out together.

Excellent point on the age thing. many states do not allow children under 13 to babysit legally! Also, keep in mind, you are paying the sitter to watch your children no matter what happens. You never know if there will be an emergency. So the whole line about your paying the sitter to watch your kids sleep is old. You are paying the sitter to be responsible for your children regardless of whether they are sleeping or if there is an emergency. As parents you all know how hard taking care of a child/children is.

 

[mjkacmom]

If parents only hired people like you, the teens in the neighborhoods would have no work . I live in MI and pay $6-7 an hour for a teen to watch my 4 children. $10 is ridiculous unless you are paying an adult.

Maybe in MI, but if you paid that here in NJ, there's a good chance you'd only get one to come back to do it again, especially with 4 children.

 

[TeaForTulips]

clearly you have plenty of opinions here, but im gonna throw mine in there too.

i am a certified professional nanny so of course when i watch kids what i expect and what a 15 year old would expect are completely different. an adult watching your children and a child is 2 different levels. altho even when i was a teenager i would have never sat for $5 an hour. minimum wage isnt event that low.

i think what you should pay depends upon what you expect someone to do. if your kids will be in bed and you dont expect anything but this person to sit there pretty much, well of course that would be less than if you expected baths, dinner, homework help, activities, etc. a person should also be honest in the matter knowing if they have children who will stay in bed and cause no trouble or who will cause havoc while youre away. however, you have to remember you are paying for someones time not just their service. isnt your time valuable? well believe it or not so is a 15 year olds.

the cost of a babysitter is the value you put into your childrens safety and comfort. also the ability of being able to go out with out feeling nervous and worried. what is that value to you?

good luck!

 

[mpbest]

We paid a high schooler $7 an hour and a young adult $10. They are both very responsible girls we either went or still go to church with. On average they would be here for about four hours and would need to finish/feed dinner and then put him to bed. I do not know anyone that would babysit for $4 an hour. Although it would be nice!

 

[java]

My 11 year old gets $10 an hour for 2 kids. Actually older than your 2 too so they are easy. She has babysat for 2 different sets of boys- both families pay her the $10 an hour.

 

[JoBird]

I look at paying a babysitter the same as paying a waitress a tip at the end of a meal-- if you can't afford to pay both well.... then you shouldn't go out.

When our children were younger, we paid extremely well... we have paid up to $100 for a whole afternoon into evening out before, plus dinner for the sitter, plus picking them up and taking them home at night.

If the sitter sat on the couch all night and didn't play with my kids, or they left dishes to be washed in the sink, they didn't get a call back to sit again.

My daughter is now going into 9th grade and has been babysitting for the neighborhood kids for a year.
She never asked for a certain amount, but is in great demand and gets $10-$12 an hour for her services. She is CPR certified thru the Red Cross and knows that if she babysits, she is to leave the house in better shape than she found it. No dirty dishes in the sink- not even a knife.
She is busy just about every night babysitting, and sometimes during the day (in fact, she just got home from a job)

Once, one of my girlfriends had a company party to go to- and she asked my DD to babysit for her as well as another couple. She asked me how much my DD charged and I said "IDK, probably $5 a child in that circumstance." (the boys were VERY much a handful-) My friend agreed and thought it was a good price.

Well, when it came time for them to pay her, the other mom (not my friend) pitched one huge fit and said she wasn't paying that amount b/c she "Doesn't even make that amount in her day job" (Seems like you're in the wrong business to me-) and my DD "is only 14." -- It doesn't matter the age- it's all time spent working whether you are 13 or 45.


Needless to say- she hasn't sat for those people again- I guess they can't afford her.

 

[Kellydelly]

Maybe in MI, but if you paid that here in NJ, there's a good chance you'd only get one to come back to do it again, especially with 4 children.

Did you notice that the OP lives in my state ? It's all about demographics.

 

[disfan07]

In northern virginia i was paid $15/hour for 4 kids (1 yr, 4 yr, 7 yr, 10 yr) and $13/hour for 3 kids (4, 7, 9)...that was when i began babysitting 2 for these families 2 years ago....by the time i moved to california 2 months ago was getting paid $20/hour for the 4 and $15/hour for the 3...parents choice...i did not raise my rates

I never made less than $8/hour for 2 kids and i started babysitting when i was 12....since i was 14, ive never made less than $10/hour...i think $4-5 is cheap
I would regularly make about $70/night....i made on average between $250-$300 per month babysitting

Excellent point on the age thing. many states do not allow children under 13 to babysit legally! Also, keep in mind, you are paying the sitter to watch your children no matter what happens. You never know if there will be an emergency. So the whole line about your paying the sitter to watch your kids sleep is old. You are paying the sitter to be responsible for your children regardless of whether they are sleeping or if there is an emergency. As parents you all know how hard taking care of a child/children is.

Huh...i started babysitting when i was 12...the kids were 2 and 4...it was usually once a month about 5 or 6 hours/night....one night was 7 hours

My going rates were:
$10 for 1 kid
$12 for 2 and 3 kids
$15 for 4 kids
but i also have 8 years of babysitting experience and 8 years of preschool camp and daycare experience as well as infant/child CPR. I have babysat for 7 different families in the past 8 years

 

[mjhd]

FWIW minimum wage for minors in Michigan is around $6.25...

ETA obviously you are not required to pay this to her, I was just adding it in for reference.

 

[stinkerbellsmomm]

After reading all this my babysitters should LOVE me and my husband!!
We pay our 16 year babysitter $12/hours for kids and $15+/hour for 3 kids. Our kids ages are 5, almost 3, and just over a 1. BUT we live just outside of NYC, so I guess thats why??

 

[kpm76]

My 11 year old gets $10 an hour for 2 kids. Actually older than your 2 too so they are easy. She has babysat for 2 different sets of boys- both families pay her the $10 an hour.

I am sure your 11 yr old is very responsible but I cannot fathom leaving an 11 yr old with two children. I admit though, I am way overprotective when it comes to child care.......11 just seems so young to have that level of responsibility.

 

[inkedupmomma]

Huh...i started babysitting when i was 12...the kids were 2 and 4...it was usually once a month about 5 or 6 hours/night....one night was 7 hours

Idk what I didn't make clear? Laws have obviously changed since you first started babysitting, as they have with me. i was 10 when I started babysitting. That is no longer legal. In many states you need to be 13 to be alone with children. Especially for an extended period of time.

After reading all this my babysitters should LOVE me and my husband!!
We pay our 16 year babysitter $12/hours for kids and $15+/hour for 3 kids. Our kids ages are 5, almost 3, and just over a 1. BUT we live just outside of NYC, so I guess thats why??

I'm sure your sitters do appreciate you. As you obviously do them. Yes your area plays a big part of that too!

 

[caligirl stuck in va]

Looks like I need to stop looking for a second job and just start babysitting!

 

[tinkermom23]

Looks like I need to stop looking for a second job and just start babysitting!

I'm with ya!!!

 

[KennedyMcKenna]

Looks like I need to stop looking for a second job and just start babysitting!

For sure.

Maybe we can start a babysitter for hire thread with special discounts for DIS members! I'll start the Michigan one, you start the Virginia one!

 

[tnd]

I live in the Detroit area and pay $10/hour for one child, but I have only hire adults and our regular babysitter is a full-time nanny so I don't mind paying more. I probably would pay around $8/hour for a teenager.