Babysitting question

[PrincessKitty1]

I've posted this on the Budget Board but only got one response, so I'm re-posting here.

I've asked my boss to let me know when any part-time or job-sharing positions come open. I can't afford to work part-time, but my job hours are so crazy that I need to cut back for the sake of my personal happiness.

My plan is to work hard at my book/ephemera business (I only have about 600 items listed on Amazon, and probably 1500-2000 more items waiting to be listed!) , possibly work a part-time retail job in a store I enjoy (a bookstore, or Macy's), and possibly babysit.

I'm a pediatric nurse and I love working with kids. I realize most babysitters are teens and I don't expect to make big $$$ babysitting, considering the competition ,but I think it will be a fun way to make extra money.

I also realize pay rates are very regional, but since I'm completely clueless at this point, I would love to know how much you would pay an adult babysitter!

 

[LadyyRedd]

Are you interested in doing just occasional/random babysitting jobs or are you interested in doing daycare?

Either way, you may get away with charging a little more since you are a pediatric nurse and would be way more qualified to administer medical care in the event of an emergency as opposed to a young teen who might be watching those same kids.

Kimya

 

[clh2]

Something else you may want to consider to is childcare before or after school. Many parents need this, and it is hard to find a great sitter for the 1-hour until school starts, or the 2 hours after school starts.

For grades 1-3, we paid a sitter $8.00/day for about 1.5 hours, for afterschool care for 1 child. Now keep in mind, if you multiply that by several kids, you'll be making far more than $8.00 per day.

This was paid to the sitter in cash i.e. TAX-FREE MONEY.

Good Luck!

 

[MAKmom]

You should take an Ad out & try & find a family with special needs children. They would pay more for a night out. You could also call Pediatricians offices & let them know you would babysit for Nights out.

We would pay $5.00 an hour for a babysitter for a night out.

 

[hlane]

The going rate in our area is $100-$150 a week per child. Friday was my kids last day at the full time sitter we've used for the past 4 years, we've paid her $200.00 a week since we started using her. A month ago I started a part-time job, I go the office 5 hours a day until Aug for training, then after training I'll be working from home BUT $$ is already getting tight so I have decided to start babysitting also. I plan to charge $125 per week per child for full time.

HTH

 

[RadioNate]

with your qualifications I'd say no less than $10 an hour, closer to $12 in my book. If you live around San Antonio and can be here tonight...I say $12! lol

I agree to look for some kind of regualr nanny position rather than just the occasional babysitting job. 15 years ago my best friends mother babysat during the day at her home. She wasn't a licensed day care but she did do day care type sitting for people. I know she got $120 a week per child (she never took more than 2 regulars plus a 3rd occasional) She also had several elementry aged kids throughout the years for before and after school care.

 

[PrincessKitty1]

I will definitely be looking for part-time nanny-type positions rather than daycare (I will still be wroking part-time at my nursing job). There are lots of professionals in my area looking for part-time nannies. I don't plan to do childcare in my own home--that would require inspections, licensing, etc. and it's not worth all that for part-time work.

I would love to do some sitting with special-needs kids. There is a Medicaid Waiver program for which I could be a respite care provider as an independent contractor. I will be checking into that.

Thanks for all the response, and please keep them coming!

 

[PrincessKitty1]

with your qualifications I'd say no less than $10 an hour, closer to $12 in my book. If you live around San Antonio and can be here tonight...I say $12! lol

I agree to look for some kind of regualr nanny position rather than just the occasional babysitting job. 15 years ago my best friends mother babysat during the day at her home. She wasn't a licensed day care but she did do day care type sitting for people. I know she got $120 a week per child (she never took more than 2 regulars plus a 3rd occasional) She also had several elementry aged kids throughout the years for before and after school care.

I did live briefly in San Antonio (internship) 10 years ago, but sorry, right now I'm in Florida.

I am thinking $10-12 per hour too.

 

[Cindy B]

Many special needs students in my public school district need nurses to shadow them during the school day. These nurses check blood sugar, check insulin pumps, adjust/readjust shunts and feeding tubes, and be on hand for seizure activity.

These nurses are not necessarily certified school nurses but contracted by a nursing agency to shadow that particular student. Of course they have nursing licensure, one I know is a RN, but these contract positions don't require a school nurse license.

Its school hours and only 9 months a year. Some contracts have the nurses there all day, and some only part of the day or week.

Its worth looking into!

You can definetely charge higher as a babysitter because of your nursing background.

 

[KristaTX]

I worked full time as a school nurse for several years (RN/BSN making the same pay as a teacher - about $25 an hour currently). You might like those hours - days only, no weekends, summer/Christmas/Spring break off, etc. Plus with your pedi experience, you'd be a shoo-in if positions were readily available. The problem now would be that positions for next year might already be filled. Check private schools, too.

When I got tired of doing that full-time I tried to find a job-share position doing the same thing, but it's hard to find a school district that is progressive enough to have job-sharing. So I started substituting for the nurses in the district where I had been full-time. That only paid $80 a day (it varies drastically depending on the school district). I got fed up with that pay since it was only around 40% per hour what I had been making. I'm now working prn in my allergist's office for about twice that. But, if you love working with kids, then school nursing or school nurse substituting would be worth looking into. Maybe you'd be lucky enough to find a job-sharing position where you live - I would so LOVE that.

How about working for an agency? You could probably specify pediatric doctor's offices only and days only, if you are in a city big enough to have enough work for you.

If you find a school nurse job-sharing position in Florida, let me know. I might come work the other half .