how much to pay a weekend babysitter

[LynnTH]

I guess I'm in the minority here. I would jump at the $350 - where else can she go for a weekend and make that amount of money. My kids would be thrilled to make that kind of money in a weekend. Yes - it's 4 kids but it's not exactly rocket science...

 

[TwoMisfits]

The mother offered her $350 for the whole weekend, early Friday until late Sunday after dinner. DD asked for $500. The mom is "thinking it over", DD told her she will keep the weekend open.

I still have family in that area and I would jump at the $350, too. In fact, I'd jump at $250 and all meals paid/provided. $500 is too high for the weekend and I wouldn't pay it, nor anyone I know in the area pay it (they'd just bring the kids along with a nanny - I've had family members do that, too). And the 16 year old will likely be a helper, not a net drain. I see it as sitting 3 kids with a helper.

 

[AZMermaid]

The mother offered her $350 for the whole weekend, early Friday until late Sunday after dinner. DD asked for $500. The mom is "thinking it over", DD told her she will keep the weekend open.

That's basically 3 full days. Assuming a minimum of 12 hour (awake) days, that's less than $10/hr, not even accounting for the responsibility of staying over 2 nights. That does not seem like enough for 3 kids under 6 plus a teenager who may or may not help. Does she know the teen? Is the teen expected to help? If so, maybe the $350 is fair. But if the teen is not really helping/ has stuff going on, for sure $500 is more than fair.

 

[okeydokey]

I guess I'm in the minority here. I would jump at the $350 - where else can she go for a weekend and make that amount of money. My kids would be thrilled to make that kind of money in a weekend. Yes - it's 4 kids but it's not exactly rocket science...

Mine would too, in a minute.

 

[jewjubean]

I wouldn't take less than $400 coming from someone who does this on a regular basis

 

[penn19]

I guess I'm in the minority here. I would jump at the $350 - where else can she go for a weekend and make that amount of money. My kids would be thrilled to make that kind of money in a weekend. Yes - it's 4 kids but it's not exactly rocket science...

We may be in the minority here, but my thoughts exactly.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I live in Cherry Hill!! Hi neighbor

I've paid my cousin to watch my kids for a weekend. $200 because she's family.

I can say without a doubt she would jump at $350 in a heartbeat.

I don't know anyone that would pay $500 for the weekend. I sure wouldn't.

I wound watch the kids for the weekend for $350 lol. As long as it wasn't in my home.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

In 2008-2010 (3years in a row) I would stay with two school age children for a week while their parents were away. Two school age kids, two dogs, laundry, meals, running them to school (I was a teacher at their school) and to after school activities and weekend stuff. The family would pay me $200 per night and it seemed pretty fair. It was a ton of work even though they were in school from 8-4. This was in MD, in what is frequently cited as one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country.

 

[Shanna-like-Banana]

I really don't know anybody who would pay a sitter $500.

Maybe if it were a professional nanny full service, meals cooked, laundry done, chores, house tidy, kids totally cared for, etc. But by golly, that is just not a price anybody around here would pay.

$500 would be the cost of the vacation in a whole, not the amount to pay the sitter !

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I really don't know anybody who would pay a sitter $500.

Maybe if it were a professional nanny full service, meals cooked, laundry done, chores, house tidy, kids totally cared for, etc. But by golly, that is just not a price anybody around here would pay.

$500 would be the cost of the vacation in a whole, not the amount to pay the sitter !

Really?? That wouldn't get us far. At least not anywhere I'd like to visit.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Another thing to note...

For a babysitting job, a 21 year old is not as "valuable" as a 55 year old mom with 3 grown, moved out kids who would offer the same service, or a mom who does daycare as a business. While more experienced than a teen, a 21 year old still cannot command in payment what a mom who's gone through it all can.

Have your DD call the mom back and take the $350. It will be a nicely paid learning experience for the future.

 

[aprilgail2]

I really don't know anybody who would pay a sitter $500.

Maybe if it were a professional nanny full service, meals cooked, laundry done, chores, house tidy, kids totally cared for, etc. But by golly, that is just not a price anybody around here would pay.

$500 would be the cost of the vacation in a whole, not the amount to pay the sitter !

500 for a whole vacation? That would barely make 2 nights in a hotel nevermind anything else. My daughter babysat for 4 hours Saturday and got 50.00-

 

[Mickeyluver37]

I still have family in that area and I would jump at the $350, too. In fact, I'd jump at $250 and all meals paid/provided. $500 is too high for the weekend and I wouldn't pay it, nor anyone I know in the area pay it (they'd just bring the kids along with a nanny - I've had family members do that, too). And the 16 year old will likely be a helper, not a net drain. I see it as sitting 3 kids with a helper.

These are my thoughts exactly as someone with teens as well as a younger child (almost 2.) My 17 y.o. DD could probably handle her siblings for an entire weekend herself, but the issue would be clearing her calendar, which I can't ask her to do with her extracurricular activities. I'd be calling in back up to help with the younger ones, not to "babysit" my DD who is self sufficient, drives herself, and helps with the other kids when she's home.

I'm interested to hear an update on this one. I think the mom might pay it if she has no other options, but I wonder if her "thinking it over" means she's looking for someone else that will take the $350. She obviously didn't jump at the opportunity to pay the $500.

I also don't agree with those that are quoting a "per child" rate. Nanny services don't usually consider how many kids are involved. This is why families with more than one child look into full time nannies vs. daycare. It cost the same for 1 or 4 kids.

 

[bethy]

I also don't agree with those that are quoting a "per child" rate. Nanny services don't usually consider how many kids are involved. This is why families with more than one child look into full time nannies vs. daycare. It cost the same for 1 or 4 kids.

I have 3 kids who are spaced pretty far apart so I've experienced what it's like with just one, just two and now three. For me, my workload in a weekend is so very, very much higher with 3 kids versus with one or even two. Three kids do not equal 2+1 in our case.

Anyway, a lot of this depends on the sitter and what she's willing to take on and for how much - she's the one on the front lines. For one sitter, $350 might absolutely make it worth it to her. But for another, it might not be worth it. Part of this is a simple equation of supply and demand. And that's OK between two negotiating parties. When it comes down to it what works for others doesn't really matter.

I do like the PP who made the point that for a teenager, one must take into account that opportunities to make a chunk of money quickly don't necessarily pop up every day. In which case the $350 might be worth it to them even if the workload and responsibility is heavy.

For me, when I was 21 I would have considered the 16 year old as a factor. At a minimum an arrangement like that could get very awkward. Unless we were BFF's the benefits of the teen's help with the young children may outweigh the actual increased workload and emotional outlay of being in charge of a teen who is only 6 years younger. Or they may not. Technically the 16yo is a child and a minor.

 

[Kellydelly]

I think $350 is plenty enough payment for the weekend.

 

[kamik86]

My answer would depend on how well she knows this family and some other things.

For example if she knows the 16 year old will listen to her, generally behave and even help with their younger siblings then the 16 year old doesn't count and if mom is paying the 16 year old too may even be an assistant. I was babysitting kids at 16 not for days at a time but the 16 year old could help.

However if not. I would NOT be taking this job for 350 not worth it to me.

 

[kamik86]

Heck I pay my niece (who is 19 now) $200 plus the use of my car for the week (mine is better then hers) to watch my cats for a week when I'm gone. And that only requires her to actually be at my house for 30 min a day.

(It would cost 12 dollars a day per cat to board them, plus it would be 9 days due to the times they are open for pickup/drop off. With three cats this was a steal. With 2 I still save a few dollars and my cats can stay in their home for the week.

 

[msmama]

OP - I don't know how much I would charge, but I'm annoyed that it seems like the Mom didn't say... "I'll pay you X for this much work" in the beginning!!

 

[Judique]

Hi all, my DD 21 has been asked to babysit 4 children ages 16,4,5,2. From early Friday morning till Sunday evening. We are from the Northeast where the cost of living is higher than some areas.

Has anyone every paid a sitter for a weekend?

How much do you think is reasonable?

When my DD asked me I said "let's ask the budget board people" they will know!!!!!

I asked my 22 year old would she do this for $350...answer NO.
I asked her would she do it for $500 - same answer.

She does occasionally babysit for the family across the street for 4 or 5 hrs at a time for whatever they give her - usually about $15 per hour. (Done as a favor for the neighbor - not for the money.)

I'm kind of on the same boat with my daughter - you couldn't pay me enough to spend that much time with someone else's kids.

Guess we won't be opening a daycare anytime soon.......<G>

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

OP - I don't know how much I would charge, but I'm annoyed that it seems like the Mom didn't say... "I'll pay you X for this much work" in the beginning!!

True! As if maybe this kid might be willing to do it for less so let's see how low I can get away with.


My kids (17 &14) both went to home daycares and I always paid them what they asked for (instead of trying to negotiate down) and even paid them for their vacation weeks & holidays when they said we didn't have to. (I get paid for my vacation days & holidays, why shouldn't they?) I've always given them generous birthday, Christmas & then retirement gifts when our kids moved on to elementary school. This is not because we're wealthy & have money to burn.


I want the people taking care of my children to know that:
1. I think it's an important job.
2. I value the great job they're doing & I'm grateful to have them.
3. If I want THEM to take their job seriously, it should start with ME taking their job seriously & give them pay & respect they deserve.
4. I want them to feel secure that I'm not going to yank my kids out at the first opportunity to find cheaper care.

My kids spent most of their waking hours with these ladies. They were like a 3rd/young grandmother to my kids & partly shaped who they are now.

Sure, most babysitting isn't this big of a deal but it just irks me that people would cheap-out on child care.
3 full days has a lot of potential to go wrong with 4 kids. Is the 16 yr old a rebel? Will she run off with her boyfriend? Will the baby be crying for his mommy half the time? This isn't just a night of watching some movies and having popcorn with 1 or 2 kids. Even if everything goes super smooth, it's a lot of work.

jmho.