Going rate for babysitting?

[luckyboy]

Can someone tell me what the going rate is now for babysitting. I have
2 kids 7 and 6 and going to have a babysitter for about 4-5 hours a week
during the summer. I have some ideas but want to be sure I am in line.
The babysitter would not give me her rate and is leaving it up to me.

 

[thegrimdwarf]

It will widely vary depending on what part of the country you're in, the age and experience of the sitter, and what you expect from her (cleaning, cooking, driving the kids somewhere...).

I live in NH, and have an occasional Saturday night sitter. She's a high school senior, and is a life-guard so she's CPR and first aid certified. My 2 boys (ages 4 and 2) are in bed about 90 minutes after she arrives, so her 'hands on' time is limited. I pay her $12/hour.

In general, rates in my area vary from $8-$18/hour depending on what you get and what you need.

 

[mommyof2princesses]

My dd is 13 and is red cross certified to babysit. She charges only $5 an hour for 1 child and $2 more for each additional child. She usually makes $7 an hour since most of the moms she sis for have 2 kids. I think she may get more jobs because most kids around here charge agout $8-$12 and hour.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

It depends on the age of the sitter. I have a 13 year old neighbor that babysits for my DD (4 yo). I pay her $6/hour. There's also one of DD's former preschool teachers that babysits, usually when I know I'm going to be out after 11pm. I pay her ~$10, often a little more. When I asked her what she charged, she told me $10/hour.

 

[luckyboy]

Thanks everyone. I will have a 13 yo and she will watching my 2 kids over lunch. I was thinking 6-7$ an hour. We live in Ohio. I just want to be fair
to her.

 

[ibdamamma]

I live in CT and I have 3 children varying in ages. I have 3 sitters 15,17, and 21. I pay them all $10 an hour the 15 and 21 yr old seem to be more reliable but anywho, it does vary place to place so ask some of your friends what they pay for sitters

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I think $6 - $7 an hour is very fair for a 13 yr. old watching 2 kids. The other thing we often do is throw in a bonus if we know something is happening in our sitter's life. She's a college sophomore now, but when she was in high school and Prom was coming up, we'd slip her an extra $20. We knew her parents were not paying for anything, and we like to help her. Of course, we've know this girl since she was a pre-teen...If you like the sitter and want to have the option of keeping her for date nights next year, perhaps a little bonus at the end of the summer. She'll remember you and put you first on nights when it's hard to find a sitter (like parent nights at school when kids aren't invited, so everyone around you needs a sittter) ... It's also good that she's young and you can build a relationship with her. It helps everyone feel better as you go along.

 

[luckyboy]

I like all your ideas. We have not had her sit yet so I like the extra bonus
idea for special occasions. I also give extra occasionally if I know she
had to deal with them more etc. I once had my 2 yr old miss the potty
several times when she was potty training and I gave the babysitter extra
because that is a lot to deal with and clean up. I am hoping to keep her
long term so thanks for these ideas. I am also going to tell her to let
me know if the rate does not meet her expectations. Thanks again for all
your ideas.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

I live in a small little town in Illinois & I guess I have it made. Before my daughter started school & even now when I need her - it's an actual adult, parent that watches kids in her home. She only charges $3 per hour per kid and she has watched my daughter from when she was 2 until now (age almost 8). The rate started at $2 & went up to $3 around age 4.

WOW - maybe I should move & babysit!

 

[luckyboy]

I live in a small little town in Illinois & I guess I have it made. Before my daughter started school & even now when I need her - it's an actual adult, parent that watches kids in her home. She only charges $3 per hour per kid and she has watched my daughter from when she was 2 until now (age almost 8). The rate started at $2 & went up to $3 around age 4.

WOW - maybe I should move & babysit!

For an adult that is great! This is somewhat of a shock to me as well since
we have not had to use a babysitter but a few times. I am going to work
during the day when they are in school but now I am faced with the summer
months!! that is why I asked the question because I feel I am out the
contact with these things!!! But we have had free babysitting by my family
for a while when needed so I should not complain!! What is making it easier
is the babysitter really wants to do this so it helps me!!

 

[J'aime Paris]

I pay our occasional 16 yr. old sitter $4-5 an hour. We only have 1, and she is 9, so the sitter basicallly colors and watched Disney movies with her until bedtime.

 

[DVCsince02]

We pay $10 per hour for our 2.

 

[tkme4ard]

its threads like these that make me feel old. I remember getting paid 1$ an hour, heck 1.50$ an hour was a huge deal.

I pay my kids sitter 10$ an hour <sigh> Matthew at 11 is old enough to 'sit' himself but not old enough to baby sit his sisters so it's mainly for the girls that i pay the 10$ an hour for.

 

[canadianmom2three]

Interesting thread.....
I wish I could find a $2 or $4 /hour sitter. All of my $5/hr sitters have turned out to be duds, so now I have a $10/hr after school sitter, who is a FANTASTIC highschool student, well worth the extra $$. I give her Friday's off, and even pay her extra (like double overtime when I'm late) since I want to keep her. She made $50 off me in 3 days this week! My summer time sitter last year made $15/hr, plus had an extra weekly spending allowance of $25 to spend on fun things with the kids. She was great, and again well worth the $$, but I have 3 children and a pool. I was paying extra for someone who had lifeguard training, a drivers licence and just a really mature and experienced caregiver (she was a second year university student). Again, well worth the $$ to not have to lock up the pool all day.

 

[lpoeppelman]

Our b-sitters range from 2-4.00 an hour depending on how many kids are at home. 4.00 is quite a lot in our area.

 

[lpoeppelman]

Our b-sitters range from 2-4.00 an hour depending on how many kids are at home. 4.00 is quite a lot in our area.

Oh... and these sitters clean the house, actually PLAY with the kids, and make dinner. I think we're a bit spoiled after reading PPs.

 

[thegrimdwarf]

Our b-sitters range from 2-4.00 an hour depending on how many kids are at home. 4.00 is quite a lot in our area.

Wow! Where do you live? I can't even imagine getting childcare that cheap. If a sitter told me that's all she wanted, I'd assume she was going to eat my kids for dinner.

 

[AKBAFB]

I normally pay $5 -7 for one child and $7 - 10 for both my girls depending on the situation (how long will the sitter be there, how old is she, how much experience she's had, if she'll have to cook or give the kids a bath, etc...).

I have a funny story about paying sitters. The first time I had this one high school girl come and watch the kids, I asked her how much she charges and she said, "Well, usually just whatever the parents usually pay, but if the kids are bad I would like to get paid more." That just cracked me up! Hey, at least she was honest! When we got back, I asked her if it would be necessary to add the "Bad Kids Surcharge"? (She said no. )

 

[Neesy228]

We pay our sitter $10/hour for our three kids (ranging in age from 7 to 2). We're in PA. I've never paid less anywhere else...but, geesh, a $4/hour sitter would save us a ton of money!!

 

[GothTink]

I pay a sitter $6/hr. to watch my DD7. I remember back in the 80s/early 90s, I made $2/hr. Stupid inflation