Thursday, May 15, 2008

Babysitting

We usually trade babysitting but we are going to venture out and pay one of the YW (trying to raise money for EFY) to watch Eden for a couple of hours this weekend. What is the going rate these days?

16 comments:

kristi said...

That is such a tough question. I usually trade too, but I have paid a babysitter a couple of times and I never know what to actually pay. Of course, I have 3 almost 4 kids so I would have to pay more than you. I am curious to see what people say.

Linz said...

I usually ask the actual babysitter. I've had two different girls where I live. One said $3-$5 which I thought was kind of crazy since I remember getting more than that years and years ago. I give her $6. Another said she charges $5 and then $2 more for each additional kid. That's not a bad rate for me with just one child but if you had four kids, that would be mighty pricey. I would ask the babysitter. I usually didn't like when people would ask me that, but it's the only way to get any kind of base for what they expect.

Claire said...

We haven't paid a babysitter yet, but I definitely wouldn't pay less than $6. In fact, we've talked about what to pay when the time comes and I think we'd start at $6 or $7 and as more children come, work our way up to around $10.

Bethany said...

Are these prices for the entire time of baby sitting or per hour?

Linz said...

per hour

The Stump Clan said...

We rarely have sitters as well because we have family in the area, but we sometimes offer it to YW just for the reason of helping them to earn money for camp. But in our case, we offer it to certain YW who very much need the financial help to get to camp, so we usually pay a little more than the going rate. I think the last time we had a girl watch our son for about 3 hours and paid her 20 dollars. I know that is high, but in her case we figured we could give a little more to help her get to camp. But, I think the going rate is around $6 an hour.

highdeekay said...

thanks everyone - I was figuring around 6-7 and hour so you've confirmed it for me.

Do you expect your sitter to do anything other than watch the kids? Like do you expect them to clean your house? I was with some friends and they were talking about that expectation and it surprised me.

Claire said...

I expect that they clean up after themselves, and after my child. So if Cecelia were to get out all her toys, I'd like for them to be picked up when she goes to bed. And if the babysitter were to make some food, I'd expect that things in the kitchen be straightened up. But I think that is (hopefully) common sense. I certainly don't expect them to do my dishes that I've left piled up, or clean my bathroom or anything. :D

Linz said...

Yeah, I'm kind of disappointed if they've left out toys that were pulled out while the babysitter was there (especially if the baby has been asleep for two hours and they have just been watching TV), but I certainly don't expect them to do other stuff that was there before she got there.

Chantel said...

I pay $5 an hour for two kids. I think what you pay a babysitter would depend a lot on where you live. Since I live in Texas, where everything is cheaper I wouldn't expect to pay the same as someone in California. I have found that talking to the actual babysitter and sometimes there parent, who doesn't feel as uncomfortable usually about talking prices, is how I figure the amount out.

ReeSe said...

Wow, I must be jipping my sitters :) I usually pay about $4 or $4.50/hr and I have 2 kids. But my thinking on it is usually you get a YW who might not be 16 yet. Our minimum wage is $5.15 and it seems crazy that a babysitter can babysit for more than minimum wage & more than a 16yo would make at their first job. This is like their first job so I just keep it a little under min wage. I'm about to have a 3rd and will definitely up the amount but I usually go by the kids too. My girls are pretty easy, they play good & LOVE having sitters come over & the sitter also doesn't have to change diapers. I will also take into account if they have to fix a meal while they are there, put them to bed, etc. The sitters I get come back and babysit again & again so I'm not jipping them too much :)

The Schacher Family said...

In Utah people are crappy payers. Some families only pay a $1 an hour per kid. I don't get babysitters because growing up I got $10 an hour and would feel bad not paying the babysitter well. I have girls offer to do it free all the time but I still feel bad. But I agree it depends on where you live and the age of the girl babysitting also should be taken into account.

Liz said...

I've found with my sitters that if you pay them well, they are more willing to come back. Then again, what I thought was paying them well, isn't what some of you pay your sitters...

With that said, I usually pay around $5 an hour for my one 8 mo old child. After he goes to bed, though, it winds up being less per hour than that. Our babysitter now babysits from 6:30 pm to 1:30 am (the overlap of mine and my husbands shifts) and we pay her $25. Very fair considering my son goes to bed at 7:30.

As far as expecting them to clean up. I agree that if the kids have been asleep for a while when you get home the house should be no messier than you left it. If they are still up, its better that they paid attention to your kids and not to the cleanliness of your house.

We have had our current babysitter clean for us, but we paid her extra to do so. She has cleaned the bathroom and dusted and such after the baby is in bed. I think we paid her an extra 20 or 25 for that. But that should never just be expected...

Stephanie said...

Isn't the min. wage over $7 now? Or is it different in every state? I agree with the $5 an hour, but I also try to make it worth their time, and round up. For instance, if they are there 2 1/2 hours, I'd probably just pay her $15. I guess it just depends on how badly you want them to come back. You can try to get away with cheaper, but they may decide you aren't worth their time in the future!!!

Claire said...

I have a problem with the minimum wage thing because its not like the babysitter is making sandwiches or ringing up groceries, the somewhat typical first jobs. They are caring for my child! I feel that Cecelia's care is worth more than minimum wage. And I'd be willing to sit down and tell my babysitters that... I am willing to pay, but they need to be willing to give my child excellent care.

Liz said...

susan, you got 10/hour growing up??? that's amazing to me! we paid our babysitter 5.50/hour and she was always telling us we overpaid her! I think it is a regional thing but when I was a teenager who babysat in Utah, I don't remember getting paid crappy. I thought I was very well paid!