Advice needed on how much to tip a babysitter - PLEASE!

[kristin1724]

I don't post very often - mostly I lurk but I need some advice. I know there are a lot of Mom's on here so I thought some of you might be able to give me some advice. My dd turns 1 tomorrow so this will be the first Christmas that I've had to tip and/or give our babysitter a present for the holidays. My husband and I are pretty strapped this Christmas - especially with our daughter's first birthday being so close to Christmas and we've had some unexpected expenses. Anyway, I'm not sure how much to tip the babysitter. We've been pretty happy with her. She's extremely reasonable and she doesn't expect us to pay her when our daughter doesn't go to her. She's willing to let my mom keep my daughter over the summer and we don't have to pay her then either. Also, she bought Christmas presents for me and my daughter (besides a birthday present for my daughter). I don't think she spent a lot on any of the presents but I was still surprised. Like I said, we don't have a lot of extra money so I was wondering what I should do. I was thinking about getting her something personalized with their family name and giving $25. She has five kids (one isn't at home anymore) so I was also thinking about maybe doing a movie night basket instead of the personalized item (although she seems to be really into that kind of thing). Does anyone have suggestions for me? Also, do you think $25 is okay? Thanks so much!!!

 

[Darcy03231]

My kids are older now, but when they were young and went to the babysitter I paid her an extra week at Christmas.

 

[happygirl]

I don't post very often - mostly I lurk but I need some advice. I know there are a lot of Mom's on here so I thought some of you might be able to give me some advice. My dd turns 1 tomorrow so this will be the first Christmas that I've had to tip and/or give our babysitter a present for the holidays. My husband and I are pretty strapped this Christmas - especially with our daughter's first birthday being so close to Christmas and we've had some unexpected expenses. Anyway, I'm not sure how much to tip the babysitter. We've been pretty happy with her. She's extremely reasonable and she doesn't expect us to pay her when our daughter doesn't go to her. She's willing to let my mom keep my daughter over the summer and we don't have to pay her then either. Also, she bought Christmas presents for me and my daughter (besides a birthday present for my daughter). I don't think she spent a lot on any of the presents but I was still surprised. Like I said, we don't have a lot of extra money so I was wondering what I should do. I was thinking about getting her something personalized with their family name and giving $25. She has five kids (one isn't at home anymore) so I was also thinking about maybe doing a movie night basket instead of the personalized item (although she seems to be really into that kind of thing). Does anyone have suggestions for me? Also, do you think $25 is okay? Thanks so much!!!

I think a movie is a nice gesture, If you are strapped for cash I wouldn't worry about giving cash

 

[KirstenB]

My kids are older now, but when they were young and went to the babysitter I paid her an extra week at Christmas.

This is what I did too. If you're really strapped, just give her whatever you can afford.

 

[pearlieq]

It sounds like you have a really good sitter who is very flexible with you, especially not charging for days off and keeping a place for you while you're gone all summer. I would want to do everything possible to give her a full tip.

Usually a week's pay is standard for this type of service provider. I would do my best to find a way to pay it, even if it means cutting back on presents or your daughter's first birthday celebrations. I think her tip should take a priority since she's served you well over the past year.

 

[Justsyd2]

A normal Christmas gift for a babysitter is one week's pay.

 

[wovenwonder]

Since you are strapped right now, how about spreading her gift out over the next couple of months? Give her a small token gift now with a certificate that you will give her 2 or 3 days off paid. Then when you take off a day or take her to your Mom's a day you could pay the sitter for that day off. This way the expense would be spread out over a period of time.

 

[happymommy]

I have always heard that two weeks' pay was a standard tip for someone who works for you. Like, my cleaning ladies make $100 a week from me, so I give them an extra $200 for Christmas. Yes, it's hard to do, but they are so flexible, always show up on time, and I've canceled when we go on vacation. They have also come on a weekend, after I had to throw a big birthday party for my DFIL one year (his 70th).

I've heard of others who have nannies that give two week's pay as well.

You sitter sounds like someone I'd want to really thank, so I'd do what you can to provide at least a week's pay.

 

[AndreaDM]

I have a sitter that watches DD after school just a few days a week for a few hours for $30 a week. I'm giving her a $25 gift card to a local grocery store.

 

[mjkacmom]

Babysitter tend to get one week's salary, housekeepers one cleaning.

 

[DisneyBabies]

I was a Nanny for the same family for 3 years and although a Christmas gift is nice to get, you should not feel obligated to give if you can't afford it. My first christmas as a nanny, the family gave me this beautiful sweater and I LOVED it, but it sure didn't equal the cost of a weeks pay, much less two weeks and I certainly didn't expect it to. I think your idea of a movie night basket is great.

If you can afford to give cash totaling a weeks worth of pay (or even two), go ahead and do so, but don't feel that it is a requirement. It sounds as though your babysitter understands exactly how strapped your family is for now and I think she would understand not receiving an expensive gift.

 

[wiggles]

Give what you can....I would love to get a extra weeks pay but it's not going to happen in the area where I live. Last year I got $30 dollars worth of movie passes w/movie candy and a $25 dollar gift card for pizza(my favorite). I spend $20 to $25 each on presents for my kids that I keep. Basically I am working for free those days

 

[DisneyMOM09]

I babysit for my sister so I am pretty sure that there won't be any Christmas bonus! I do think that you should do what you can afford. I know that for me the thought and appreciation from the person I babysit for means alot. I would be happy with a five dollar tip if it was given, just because it would show that I am appreciated and they know that my time and the care I provide is valuable. I would also try to let her know throughout the year that you appreciate and value her. Even if it is just a thank you card, or a small gift. It will truly mean alot to her to know how much you value the care she provides for your daughter!

 

[3boymthr]

A normal Christmas gift for a babysitter is one week's pay.

Wow! That's not a tip that's a bonus!

For my sitters that would be $300 - EACH! That's my week's pay. Of course, I have two sisters who trade off who sit for my kids. I work part time and they get $60/day.

I used to do a gift basket for my day care provider - filled with all kinds of goodies that I knew she'd like, candies, a small yankee candle, a nice christmas ornament, a crafty item made by the kids, a scarf or gloves in a color she liked, a coffee mug with tea and coffe samples, etc.

Now I give a gift card with a few extra little goodies, but my kids are older so I only have my sitters for random days like school vacation.

 

[clutter]

"Wow! That's not a tip that's a bonus!

For my sitters that would be $300 - EACH! That's my week's pay. Of course, I have two sisters who trade off who sit for my kids. I work part time and they get $60/day."


Not a week of YOUR pay, a week of what you pay them.

I think it also depends on where you live. I'm in a major metropolitan area, so it's pretty standard to give your sitter a bonus at the holidays. One week is the norm, but I used to give my sitter 2 weeks. She was worth every penny, and yes, I reduced other people's gifts to do it. It was so very worth it, she was family.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I love the idea of a movie gift basket.. than can be done cheap.

It is great that you are thinking of your babysitter. I babysit 2 kids full time and 3 others pt and dont usually get a christmas gift.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

I think it would also be cool if you made a simple ordment to give to her. Let your child help. With the one's at the center I used to work at, the teacher took popicle sticks and glued them together to make a snowflake. She put glue on it and dropped it in a bag of glitter. She then let the kids shake the (sealed) bag to "decorate" there snowflake. Simple and a personal gift.

 

[squirrel]

I have worked as a babysitter, nanny and daycare provider over 15 yrs and I have never been given $100 or even close to that as a Christmas gift.

One of my daycare parents did give me $100 gift card at Christmas. That's the most expensive gift. I don't expect it. I am shocked to hear that there is a set amount that others have posted - a weeks worth of wages (never heard of it before).

I think your idea of a movie night is great.

 

[disneychrista]

I think you give what you can and what YOU feel is right. This one weeks pay thing is crazy.

 

[3boymthr]

"Wow! That's not a tip that's a bonus!

For my sitters that would be $300 - EACH! That's my week's pay. Of course, I have two sisters who trade off who sit for my kids. I work part time and they get $60/day."


Not a week of YOUR pay, a week of what you pay them.

I think it also depends on where you live. I'm in a major metropolitan area, so it's pretty standard to give your sitter a bonus at the holidays. One week is the norm, but I used to give my sitter 2 weeks. She was worth every penny, and yes, I reduced other people's gifts to do it. It was so very worth it, she was family.

But I have TWO sitters. If I tip each of them 1 week's pay then I'm tipping them MY week's pay (after taxes and other deductions). KWIM? And really a week's pay is not a tip - that's a bonus. Semantics of language I know but still it is what it is.