Babysitting Rates?

C

cjbate

Cathlete
My 13 yo neighbor just cheerfully informed me that she charges $9 an hour for babysitting! As soon as I got over my heart attack, I just had to ask....is this reasonable? I have 3 kids, granted...but they will be in bed an hour after she arrives! AND SHE IS 13! AND IT IS TAX FREE! AND SHE WILL SIT AND WATCH TV AFTER THEY ARE IN BED!

Am I being cheap? I am afraid to ask. I have been paying $6 to $7 depending on their age (13 year olds def were getting $6) and the fact that I don't expect much of them (no cooking or cleaning unless they make the mess themselves).

She told me one mom pays her $10 for only two kids but she normally (the 13 yo) charges $9 for three kids. So apparently I am getting a good deal?

I also have a problem paying "per head" in this situation. It is taking the same amount of time, and it isn't as if they are all babies. Only one in diapers (2yo) and the others are easy. AND IN BED! Sheesh.

Isn't this all more than minimum wage? As if a 13 yo could go and get a job anyway? She told me the average is $9 per her babysitting class instructor, but I can't help but wonder...isn't that for say, an 18 year old?

Jen
 
You have got to be kidding! That's the problem with these unlicensed, uncertified people. They think they can earn big bucks without ever spending any time in college. Bull! Minimum-wage workers don't make that much! Get real!

Marla
 
Wow! That is way too much in my opinion. We pay our 15 and 16 year old neighbor girls $6 or $7/hour. I have two kids- 2 and 4. My sitters seem quite happy with the amount and have never told me any different. I'm in the midwest, that could make a difference. I'm sure prices on the coasts are higher. Heather
 
Okay, as someone who has babysat for many many years, I have to say that sounds about right, at least for the area in which I babysat. However, the babysitting I was doing was a lot more like "nannying". I'd get about $10/hour for the weekday stuff- getting them dressed, to school, lunch, playdates, laundry, basically a mom substitute. When I'd babysit on the weekends, they'd pay about the same. The kids were a bit older and stayed up most of the time, though. And I was 17.

At 13, I didn't make nearly that much. I think $7/hour is much more appropriate for a 13 year old, especially when the kiddies will be in bed most of the time. Unfortunately, if there is one generous person in the area who doesn't mind paying $10/hour, the girls start to expect it. Another option is to offer a lump sum kind of deal. If you plan to be out for abot 4 hours, you can pay about $30, which is somewhere between $7 and $8/hr. For whatever reason, this sometimes makes the deal sound more attractive.

Good luck!
 
Babysitting rates would be a local thing set by market and supply. If you don't like her rates find another sitter. I never pushed either my son or daughter to "sit", actually glad they never wanted to. I watched my sisters go through a lot of crap when we were growing up.

In our area where housing is expensive there is a shortage of people willing to work minimum wage and the local "minimum wage' has gone to $10 (Walmart, Kmart.)

13 yo cannot work in a commercial situation, they have to be 14 for that limited to 20 hrs wk.

As far as baysitting income being tax free, I know most kids aren't reporting tax income, but no income is tax free. If you look into the mess unless you are hiring her as a "consultant' you should be paying social security and fica as well as with holding her share. If she's babysitting in your home you need to have workman's comp insurance on your homeowners policy.

This crap doesn't really matter with us normal people but try landing a senior political job and watch what the mudslingers drag out.

Dave
 
My 17 yr old daughter gets paid $6/hour when she sits with the older girls across the street (11 and 12 yr olds). She only sits them occassionally, and only a couple hours in the late afternoon, early evening. She doesn't have to make any meals or do any real "childcare." When she watched another neighbors 2 and 4 yr old boys for 3 full days - 27+hours - she was given a check for $50! She never discussed rates with them. I guess if your sitter was providing meals, giving baths, doing "Mommy" things, I would expect to pay more, but that seems a bit high. Minium wage is what? $5 something? I guess the price is what the market will bear.
 
WOW! I'm in the wrong business! :p lol

~Wendy~

I smoked my last cigarette on March 17, 2004 at 10:00 pm!

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EDD: 05/19/05
 
It's WAY more than minimum wage and I think it's ridiculous. There is a girl at my daughter's preschool who gets paid $10 per hour when babysitting privately. Since one of the head teachers at one of their other locations applied for a position where I work, I know that the HEAD teachers make less than $8 an hour (which I think is scandalous. They should be making much more). This girl is only an assistant in one of the classrooms, so I'll bet she makes around $6 an hour.

I have not employed this girl, but my SIL made the mistake of hiring her once without finding out her rate until she was already there. The girl told my SIL that she usually gets $10/hr from the other parents, but would accept whatever my SIL could afford. Well...what are you going to do in that situation? The school is located in a rather affluent town and neither my SIL or I are affluent. But who wants to admit that? So SIL ended up paying her the $10 an hour.

I've since told her that whenever she and her husband want to go out, we would watch the boys. My DD loves playing with them. I usually rely on my father and step-mother when we want to go out. I haven't hired a sitter yet.

Also, reading through the other responses, I'm adding that my daughter's preschool charges $42 a day for 3 - 5 year olds (where they're actually getting some education). I think the highest is $49 a day for the infants. That includes breakfast, lunch and 2 snacks as well. So...for my daughter, that breaks down to...$4.50 an hour. And she has 3 people taking care of her!
 
OK, I've been on both sides of this issue. We always paid our sitters more than the average rate if we wanted them to come back regularly. Having said that, we took into consideration if there was a lot of work involved such as feeding, bathing and puting to bed versus playing with kids and putting to bed. I also paid older sitters more than younger sitters because of their maturity and experience.

A 13 year old who doesn't have to bathe or feed the children is NOT worth 9$/hour. My 19 year old daughter was a sitter all summer, with her own car ( with car seat) and transported the children to and from activities, took them on excursions to parks museums etc and made 10$/hour. She was more like a part time nanny for three families. She paid her own gas and enen brougt the kiddos to our house for a swim on a regular basis. She earned he money. She was a bargain forthose families. So much so that they want her back this summer. A 13 year old is not capable of doing a service even close to that. 7$/ per hour is fine.

Judy
AKA "Likes2bfit"
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Wow!! $9.00 per hour is a lot! The girls around here(Philly) make between $5.00-$6.00 per hour. I just became a licensed daycare provider & I charge $145.00 per week(infants are a little more). That fee includes breakfast, lunch and two snacks and I open from 7:30 AM & close at 6:00 PM.

Aila
 
The one thing that I have found that a good babysitter is a hard one to find. I have 3 children ages 12,12 and 9, my twins have Aspergers Autisum, and my youngest has a severe form of ADHD, they are all very sweet and well behaved despite their issues. Before I was working weekends I was working 2-3 days per week..12 hour days 7a-7p(The kids were in summer school so she came over at like 11 am, and my husband would get home about 4-5pm). I would pay my babysitter about $150.00 sometimes $225.00 a week for her services...this included making lunch, and picking up after the kids. She never gave us an amonut that she wanted to be paid, we made her an offer for her pay and gave her an opportunity to make a counter offer..she never did.

Kelly was 17 years old and very responsible..she was incredible!!! She would take the kids on bike rides, play games with them, read books to them, she took them to McDonalds several times(spent her own money on them), took them to the library a few times, took them to the zoo once...She was truly wonderful, and very sweet!!!
When I placed the ad in the paper for a sitter, she was the only one that sent me a resume with a list of references..very mature young lady.

I have no problem paying a little more for good quality babysitting, I have had some not so good experiences with 13 year olds..so I won't hire someone unless they are at least 15.


:)
 
I think rates vary dramatically depending on where you live. When I lived on the east coast, I paid between $10-$12 per hour for my 3 kids. Here in the Midwest I pay $6-$7. If I were you, I would ask other mothers in your area what they charge. If it's a babysitter that I really want to keep I usually pay a little bit more just to keep them coming back.
Tracy
 
We live in Southern NJ & my daughter was making upwards of $20 an hour for 2 children. Not her rate, she always just told the parents to pay whatever they felt was appropriate. It just happens that is what they ended up paying her.
 
I watch kids full time in my home....I watch them for $80 per week, I have them 45 hours a week....wich equals about $1.75 per hour per child, not counting food, snacks, drink.....I am not certified, I am only allowed to watch 2 kids. Maybe I need to charge more? LOL..............

Joanna
 
I think it depends on where you live. My sister pays $11 per hour (and she only has one kid) and lives in an urban area.

Good babysitters are hard to find, and they know it.

I don't think $9 is outrageous for three kids (but it seems kind of high for a 13 year old). I babysat 20 years ago for $7. If you trust her and she's good with your kids, it's probably worth it.

On a similar note, my boss' son goes to a private kindergarten and the tuition is $13,000 a year! INSANE!
 
Wow $9 is a lot! I'm floored. My babysitter is actually a certified daycare worker. She works at DS's daycare. Her rate is $5 per hour and when this baby comes it will still be $5 per child. However, she is really great with DS so I will gladly pay her more even if she only watches him for an hour. I want her to come back. In the case that she may only end up watching him for an hour, I will then give her at least $20, but for a 13 year old I would not pay more for that unless she is performing more duties than just watching TV while the kids sleep. She isn't even certified, is she? I can see if she is going to do light cleaning, cooking meals, or giving baths, or even doing activities with the kids such as games, puzzles, etc, but $9/hour for nothing. I'm with Wendy, I'm in the wrong profession.
 
Okay, I feel like a country bumpkin. I don't know of ANY 13 year olds who babysit around here! I guess it's because it's a rural area, but I've never had anyone under 15. And, being in the country, I won't even comment on the $9 per hour rate! Whew!

Sarah
 
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