OT: How much to pay a babysitter?

[RangerPooh]

I am new to the idea of using a babysitter and am unsure as to how much to pay her. She's 19 and a college student (if this makes a difference) and will be watching a newborn. She lives close by so she'll be walking over not driving (I heard that this can influence the price?). Someone a few months back said that they don't pay their sitters (high schoolers and adults) more than $3.50 an hour. This just seems low. We live in a smaller community in Washington state and I was thinking more along the lines of $6-$8 an hour. Does this seem reasonable for a daytime sitter?

Thanks.

 

[lisadisney2003]

We pay our high school babysitter $5/hr. and always round up. For a college student, I would think $6-$8 would be about right.

 

[pigget74]

For our little guy we pay about $6 per hour when he is by himself. If his siblings are staying as well we pay $10 per hour.

 

[RangerPooh]

Thanks for the responses. I was also thinking of a flat payment of $20 for 3-3.5 hours of sitting. Does anyone do this?

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

Thanks for the responses. I was also thinking of a flat payment of $20 for 3-3.5 hours of sitting. Does anyone do this?

Yes, I do this all the time. I always break down the hourly figure that I agree to pay and make sure I'm paying a reasonable rate. I also tend to take into consideration the day of the week and the time of day. Example: I have three kids, 6, 4.5 and 4.5. If Nicole is giving up her Saturday night out, I'd probably pay about $40 dollars for three hours for hubby and I to go to dinner. On the other hand, she sat for two hours one Wednesday evening, after the little ones were already in bed, I think I paid $25 or $30.

does this seem reasonable? she is a neighbor, walks to our house, and she's a senior in high school... am I being too cheap? Even if she felt that way, I'm not sure she would tell me.

 

[princesspwrhr]

Becuase of the level of care a newborn requires I'd pay at least $7-8 per hour. Actually I pay more until the kids are about 4 depending on when they're potty trained. I also pay more if they have taken the Red Cross babysitters course or are first aid/CPR certified.

For my 3 (2,3 & 8) I pay my 15 yo neice $15 p/hour if it's during the day and they're all up, $8-$10 if it's bedtime and the younger ones are asleep when she gets here. My 2 yo is 90% potty trained, my 3yo has been for over a year and they eat regular food so there's not a lot of 'special' work that has to be done. I also have to provide transportation for her both ways. Price would be different if it were just one (or 2) of the 3.

 

[jodifla]

In Michigan, the going rate is $10 an hour for an adult. $5 for a high school student.

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

Apparently I'm really cheap.I just don't pay that much. I pay $25-$35 per night for my high school sitters. That being said, my kids go to bed at 8pm, both are potty trained and go right to sleep, the sitter then spends the evening on the computer, phone, watching tv, etc. I can't see paying them $10 an hour to watch tv. My kids never wake up and if something were to happen we'd be home right away. I also try and utilize gramma's for sleepovers whenever possible!

 

[damiel]

We live in washington state also. I pay min. wage $7.75 (Washington has the highest in the nation) for my driving babysitters. I only have one child - 9 years old. I often give them money for a movie or pizza so it's fun for both. This summer I paid my sitter $8.00 hr to watch my son while we were at work. When my son was an infant I paid a college student a flat guaranteed rate per day, we had her as our "nanny" for 5 years. If you find someone good pay them well so they will always be available for you.

 

[MATTERHORN]

I agree! When I was in high school 8 years ago, I got paid $10 per hour for one kid in Phoenix. They would ask what my rate is and I always said "whatever you think is reasonable". My families would always say, we pay you well because we want to keep you. It is hard to find a good reliable sitter this day in age.

You are paying them to watch the most important thing in your life. I have three of my own now and have only had a babysitter two times in 6 years, but I would expect to pay about $15 an hour for all 3. Even if it's after bedtime! Their time is still worth money just like mine. Would you want to get paid less at work if you had a day where you didn't have as much to do as other days? No you would want the same because you are still there and still giving up your time.

It's a sticky situation, but they will be loyal if you are good to them. I gave up many many Friday and Saturday nights for one family throughout high school. What they were willing to pay me let me know they wanted me, appreciated me, and valued my time. Of course then I went and got a normal teenager job!! What was I thinking????

 

[erik'smom]

I pay $10.00/ hour and have her favorite foods available. We left our son with a babysitter when he was about 4 months and paid that babysitter $12.00/ hour. Both of my sitters are excellent and I want to keep them as long as I can- if only boys and/or college wouldn't interfere.

 

[lovinpoohbear]

The going rate in connecticut is $10-$15 per hour.

 

[almburr]

WOW!! we live in a very small town in Kansas and a daytime baby sitter is paid around $1.25-$1.75 hr. I have never had to use a high schooler at night (have family) When I ran daycare out of my home I charged $1.25hr.that was 6yrs ago. Now i have a high schooler that comes during the summer while i work I pay her $250 every 2 weeks plus a pass to the pool. She watches a 1yr. and a 4yr. older brother and sisters go with me. I manage our city swimming pool.

 

[lazydazy8]

We pay our 20 y/o babysitter $10/hour! We paid a highschooler $8. We have daughter,7, and our son is 5.

 

[nicolemomof4cuties]

Is she going to be watching your child while you work? If so, I would pay her the larger amount of money. Good quality child care is hard to come by and if there is one thing that people should never skimp on it is their children's care providers. You have the right idea.

 

[RandiB]

I get away pretty cheap with my niece. On high demand nights (weekends) I am starting to pay her more. Durring the summer she was getting $15 a day for about 7 hours. Next summer will be a LOT MORE.

If it's all cash I think $5 is okay. $6-$8 would be nice, but if you are doing this during work hours you are getting into a payment level of an in-home daycare (I pay $30 a day). And though your child isn't the only kid (that is actually why I chose a day care), it is a tax write off for you.

Now I pretty much pay my neice at least $20 a night, more if we stay out more then a few hours.

 

[lazydazy8]

We just don't get out that much! My DH and would go to a hockey game last winter. It took us an hour and a half just to get to the game. We'd have a $50+ babysitting bill.

You're right about quality of care, though. If you take care of your sitter, they will take care of you!

I told our sitters that I want to pay them appropriately, have the best food, and the best behaved children so that they will always want to sit for us. If at any time we are not their favorite, I want to know about it. I also get them Christmas gifts. (Granted, we only have two sitters.)

 

[Disneyfaninmn]

Hey i'm a high school babysitter i usually get 7 dollars an hour, but if i babysit with my sister i we get 10. I think it also depends on how many kids, i say if u have 1 pay 5 an hour, 2 or 3, pay 7,if u have 4 or more pay 10. It also depends on the age too. If there a little older pay 5, even if there is a littler kid too, the older kid will usually help!

 

[crzyred]

the one thought that came to mind as i was reading this is "holy lord god almighty, i am moving to where ever you people live!!!!!!!!" during highschool i made my living by babysitting and i usually got about $2.50 and hour. some families did it per child and some did just as flat rates. now coming from the babysitter, parents don't need to pay me a lot of money if i like their kids and enjoy being with them. if the child is a pain meaning, doesn't listen, doesn't think i am in charge or if the child just has complete control over anything and everything, i usually just would tell the parents i had other plans for that time i wouldn't babysit. i think that the fact that you are 'paying' to keep a babysitter is very disrespectful on the babysitters part. if your children are good then usually the babysitter won't have a problem watching your children again. most of us greatly enjoy children and love being around them and playing with them. If anyone (even now) tried to give me that much for babysitting i'd laugh at them and tell them not to worry about it at all.

 

[Disneyfaninmn]

I don't charge that, thats what they pay me.