I have a babysitting/nanny question

[julie_yet]

I have an "interview" with a couple who need someone to watch their baby girl during the day. Probably from 9am to 5pm. I would also be watching their other daughter for half the day after she gets out of school. So that's a 10 month old and a 5 year old and they live about 10-15 minutes away from me.

I know that the going rate differs from state to state but I was wondering what I should charge. I have a friend who has been a nanny for years and she charges $10 to $12 an hour. Even though I've done this before and I'm very good with children the circumstances in the past were such that I settled and wasn't paid very much. I know I shouldn't sell myself short but $10 seems like a little too much since I'm not as experienced as my friend. I was thinking more like $7. Is that too little or too much? I just need a little help. Any would be much appreciated

 

[scoutsmom99]

I used to nanny and I would say you should charge $10 an hour...you would be suprised what people are willing to pay. In a few weeks I'm heading over to spend a week with a 13 y/o I used to nanny while her parents go on a cruise and I used to make $10 an hour nannying there a couple years ago.

 

[geetey]

Definitely no less than $10 an hour. My mom still babysits (not as a nanny - just on an hourly basis) and she gets paid $10 an hour. Luckily she watches her grandkids for free.

 

[julie_yet]

This is so irritating! I had a casual interview with the parents today and he suggested $4 an hour! Minimum wage is $6.15 (or will be in May) for crying out loud. His wife said that she wanted to do some research on it and that she would call me tomorrow. Our little meeting was very spur-of-the-moment and she wasn't prepared.

Why don't people want to pay decent wages to the people they're putting in charge of their babies? It's ridiculous!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

This is so irritating! I had a casual interview with the parents today and he suggested $4 an hour! Minimum wage is $6.15 (or will be in May) for crying out loud. His wife said that she wanted to do some research on it and that she would call me tomorrow. Our little meeting was very spur-of-the-moment and she wasn't prepared.

Why don't people want to pay decent wages to the people they're putting in charge of their babies? It's ridiculous!

Well, that is wrong!

I got paid $7-8 when I baby-sat in HS. I would charge $10 minimum.

 

[KatelynnsAuntie]

This is so irritating! I had a casual interview with the parents today and he suggested $4 an hour!

I think $4.00 is waaaaay on the cheap side on their part to be there full time. Please don't sell yourself short!! I think $10 is reasonable. Or maybe $7 until the older one comes home from school, then $10 during the time you have her too.

 

[cgcw]

This is so irritating! I had a casual interview with the parents today and he suggested $4 an hour! Minimum wage is $6.15 (or will be in May) for crying out loud. His wife said that she wanted to do some research on it and that she would call me tomorrow. Our little meeting was very spur-of-the-moment and she wasn't prepared.

Why don't people want to pay decent wages to the people they're putting in charge of their babies? It's ridiculous!

BIG red flags going up here. If the are only offering you $4/hour now, what's going to happen later. I would be very careful. Part of your discussions need to bring up taxes. Are they willing to pay cash (at $4/hour I would hope so) or are they going to want to write this off on their taxes.

By the way, I pay my teenage babysitter $6 for a 4 & 10 year old. No splitting hours. Any part of an hour, I pay her the full hour.

Daycare in my area for full time (anything more than 4 hours per day) is $160-$190 per week. 1/2 day care for a 5 year old is $125 per week. This is for licensed care.

FWIW, I'm currently a licensed provider and have had many parents walk into my home for an interview and I knew instantly I wouldn't be able to work with them. Not everyone is a good fit.

 

[Hillbeans]

Funny the $4 came into play here, but my woman charges $4 an hour, however that's for one 4 year old (she told us what her rate was). She also watches about 4 other kids, and we do pay her cash.

This comes out to about $36 a day, which was actually close to the amount we were paying for daycare at a licensed center.

When my son was an infant, we paid close to $700 a month for 3 full days a week - there is a big difference babysitting a baby and a pre-schooler.

On the rare occasion DH and I go out for dinner, we pay $7 an hour to our teenage sitter.

Edit to add - for 2 children, one being a baby, $4.00 an hour is wayyyy underpaid.

 

[Daisy Duck 5]

Do not take 4 and hour! Last year I took a $6 an hour job but never again. It is not worth it for the amount you travel. I currently have a job where I get $10 an hour for 3 kids. I would say dont take any less than $8.

 

[disneymom3]

This is so irritating! I had a casual interview with the parents today and he suggested $4 an hour! Minimum wage is $6.15 (or will be in May) for crying out loud. His wife said that she wanted to do some research on it and that she would call me tomorrow. Our little meeting was very spur-of-the-moment and she wasn't prepared.

Why don't people want to pay decent wages to the people they're putting in charge of their babies? It's ridiculous!

OH My gosh!!! NO WAY! I can tell you right now, you do not want to work for these people. Maybe if they come up with some major improvements and say that oh they were so misinformed. I have done home daycare and run a daycare center and I agree with the poster who said you can just tell some people are not worth your time and effort. Absolutely do not take less than $10!

 

[Lewski709]

400/wk minimum....not an hourly rate.

 

[julie_yet]

Okay, I've been babysitting since I was 11. I helped raised my niece and nephew from the time they were born. I've baby-sat babies and children of all ages. A couple of years ago I even had a regular job of watching a little girl a few days out of the week sort of like a nanny. But since I'm not a licensed caregiver should I expect to be payed less?

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

I agree that $4 per hour sounds low, BUT----8 hours a day makes $32 per day or $160 per 5 day week. That is more than most full time day cares around here.

Where I live, you could probably ask $5 per hour or $200 weekly for full time care. $7 - $10 per hour would be for occasional care.

 

[scoutsmom99]

I don't think you should be paid less at all...I never had any formal training I took a babysitting class in like the 4th grade and at the time I was CPR certified, but other than that I did not have any other formal training other than a lot of babysiting experience (which I had references for!). I agree with all of the other posters big red flags should go up for you only getting paid $4 an hour (When I really started babysitting in 93-94 I was making $5-6 an hour on my street. I would not accept anything under $10 unless there was some perks to make it very worth your while.

 

[KarenC]

In Chicago, 13 year olds make $10 when they babysit. You should earn at least that much.

 

[r3ngels]

I am home with the girls all day so I don't know what the rate is but we pay our "kid" babysitter $7 an hour...

I am so out of the loop of nanny's and daycare-- If you pay a nanny $10 an hour from 9-5, they are really getting paid $400- a week. Isn't that a lot of money??? I guess that is why my DH said we couldn't afford for me to work anymore (That's what I wanted anyway )

 

[laurie31]

I agree that $4 per hour sounds low, BUT----8 hours a day makes $32 per day or $160 per 5 day week. That is more than most full time day cares around here.

But don't day cares have a ratio of 1:4 for infants? For one person to take care of 4 babies, each paying $160/week, is hugely different from paying one person to take care of one baby (+ one 5 year old )

It was very worth it to me to pay someone to keep my children in my home. They are in their familiar environment and the kids get far more attention than in a formal day care (IMHO). (I know there are cases of the nanny abusing/neglecting the kids, but these are the exception rather than the norm). However, I only need care for 90 minutes in the afternoon, where my hours overlap with DH's. Plus, I only work part time, therefore I only need care 10 days per month. I pay my sitter $100/month. However, if I ever work extra hours, I pay her $6/hour. If she stays all day, that's $48. So I don't work extra very often

Sorry, I digressed big time. My point was supposed to be that in-home care is more expensive than a day care, as there is a lower caregiver to child ratio. Don't underestimate your worth! No way would I do this for $4/hour!! Babies are a LOT of work!!

Laurie

 

[megan4777]

I worked as a nanny for a few years. You'll be a full time employee and should be paid as one. I was paid weekly, but it came out to about $10/hr. I would be very hesitant to work for anyone who wanted to pay me $4 an hour to watch their child. You have a HUGE responsibility to ensure that the child remains safe. On top of that you need to feed them, engage them in fun and educational activities, bond with them, etc etc....
Make sure you're comfortable with the parents and that you will be able to communicate with them openly and honestly because that's key.
Good luck!!!

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

My sister is a professional nanny and goes through an agency. She gets $15 an hour and the family pays for her benefits and her car insurance.
I pay my teen babysitter $10 hr I would not take less than that if I were you.

 

[disneymom3]

But don't day cares have a ratio of 1:4 for infants? For one person to take care of 4 babies, each paying $160/week, is hugely different from paying one person to take care of one baby (+ one 5 year old

Yep that is right, plus you have to understand that most daycare centers actually lose money on their infant programs. The ratio has to be so high that in order to pay a semi decent wage, you would have to charge a LOT of money to break even on infants alone. Where you make it up is in the older kids who are cheaper via tuition, but have better staff ratios to make up for it. Infant care around here is at LEAST $180 a week and that is from like two years ago so I know it is more now.