Babysitting pay question

[BabyTigger99]

DSD is going to be babysitting for my sister's two kids on Thursday. They will be bell ringing with us from 6 until 7, and then I will be dropping them off at their house. The kids are 5 and 8. DSD won't have to make dinner for them, but will have to put them to bed. They go to be at 8:30, and my sister will be home by 10.

How much would you pay for 2 kids, 4 hours, but an hour and a half of that they are in bed?

 

[RadioNate]

$30-$40

 

[SandraVB79]

I used to be the most-asked babysit of Brussels when I was a student. The "family association" has a babysitting-service, so I got booked through them.

Over here, there was a fix hourly rate, at that time about 3 EUR an hour, with a minimum of 3 hours, and after midnight it was 4 EUR an hour. It didn't matter if the kids were in bed or not, the babysitter's time is as valuable while they are asleep as when they are awake.

Many parents realized their kids were way more work when they were awake and would pay additional bonusses for the extra fun provided during those hours.

 

[sacall]

We pay $6.00 an hour for DD 10 and DD 8, which is the going rate in our town. However, my SIL pays $10 an hour for DS 11 and DS 9, the going rate in their town. Did you ask your sister what she thought the pay would be? I usually ask first what a babysitter charges.

Stacy

 

[BabyTigger99]

$30-$40

HOLY COW! That is a lot! We were thinking for the $15 range!!

 

[barkley]

our sitter charges $5 per hour for two kids (crazy cheap for our area-should be closer to $10 but she's a good friend).

the standard practice around here is to pay the same rate no matter what the kids are doing. so even if the kids will be asleep when she arrives we pay the same per hour amount. we also pay her if she arrives at the schedualed time but for some reason we are delayed leaving the house.

 

[arielsleepingbeauty]

In my town the going rate for an experienced babysitter is $8.00 an hour for just a short time. My children are 5 and 6 and quite the hndful. If DH and I want to go out for a later night we use another babysitter. We pay her $10.00 an hour. She is 25 and a teacher at my daughter's preschool.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

No pay difference based on kids being awake or asleep. The babysitter is still there, taking time away from whatever else she could be doing.

In our area, the going rate is about $6/hour for one child, $8 for two, $10 for three or more, but we usually round up. We'd probably give the babysitter $35 for four hours, but is your DSD really babysitting during that first hour? I'm not sure that I'd count that, since that part sounds more like a family outing, where you are probably more in charge than she is.

 

[DVCLiz]

I'd take into account the fact that your DSD hasn't done much babysitting (is this her first time?) and I'd also factor in a "family rate", so I'd pay her $20 for the 4 hours. Whether the kids are in bed or not doesn't make any difference to babysitters - they still have to be there and be alert. I'd start off paying 5 dollars an hour to a new pre-teen babysitter and move pretty quickly to at least $6 an hour once she had a little experience.

 

[shirleyb]

I'd probably say about $20.

 

[EthansMom]

From 7-10, for two kids, I'd pay at least $20... maybe $25 or $30 including a tip.

 

[pixiepower1971]

I would give at least $20 ...maybe a little more.

 

[punkin]

My DD14 recently got $33 for slightly under 3 hrs of babysitting 2 kids. I should point out that DD is the only girl in the neighborhood who will sit for these kids. They are a handful.