Babysitting - OT

[sharibrat]

Hello, we have two children, almost 5 and 1 1/2. We are using a babysitter for the first time tonight. I don't know what to pay them!

Two sisters are coming here. One is 13 and the other is 17. They have both taken a babysitters course at a local hospital with intro to CPR but no certification. The 17 year old will be driving them here. I think they have some experience, but not a lot.

Should I pay them the same? Even though they are different ages? I was thinking between $6-8 an hour and also giving her $10 for gas, since she is coming here and gas is so high right now.....

Opinions??

 

[lilyv]

Hello, we have two children, almost 5 and 1 1/2. We are using a babysitter for the first time tonight. I don't know what to pay them!

Two sisters are coming here. One is 13 and the other is 17. They have both taken a babysitters course at a local hospital with intro to CPR but no certification. The 17 year old will be driving them here. I think they have some experience, but not a lot.

Should I pay them the same? Even though they are different ages? I was thinking between $6-8 an hour and also giving her $10 for gas, since she is coming here and gas is so high right now.....

Opinions??

I'd ask them what they usually charge. If it seems reasonable, go with that. If it seems too little, then adjust.

One other option you might consider. When I used to have new sitters I'd pay them to just come and play with the kids. I'd be busy with cooking dinner or something, and it gave everyone a chance to get to know each other, as well as our usual routines. I paid them the same thing I would if I was gone. It was money well spent. I was able to tell pretty quickly who was a good fit with our family, and the kids were much happier on subsequent sits when they were left with someone they has already spent some time with.

 

[sharibrat]

I'd ask them what they usually charge. If it seems reasonable, go with that. If it seems too little, then adjust.

One other option you might consider. When I used to have new sitters I'd pay them to just come and play with the kids. I'd be busy with cooking dinner or something, and it gave everyone a chance to get to know each other, as well as our usual routines. I paid them the same thing I would if I was gone. It was money well spent. I was able to tell pretty quickly who was a good fit with our family, and the kids were much happier on subsequent sits when they were left with someone they has already spent some time with.

Yep, we did just that. They came over two days ago to play while I was still here. They were so modest about what they wanted paid - the younger one said she didn't want paid at all! Then said something about $3 an hour, which just seemed way too low to me!

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I have discovered on these boards that it really depends on where you live how much money you pay your sitter. I pay $8 an hour and round up. I only have one 17 year old babysitter, and she does drive here, but we are only 5 minutes from her house. If someone replies who is from somewhere where the cost of living is much higher, you may see some who pay 15 or more.