Hi Moms,
I have found the perfect sitter for my kids. She's a good family friend, 20 yrs old and wonderful with kids.
My husband and I have never used anyone other than family to watch our kids when we go out and we never have to pay them since we watch their kids when they go out.
So my question is, I have 3 kids: 9. 4 & 2. 2 yr old is not yet potty trained and we'd only use the sitter for about 2-3 hours on a weekend night, taking the kids to her place.
How much do we pay her?? I don't really want to do hourly, I was thinking somewhere around $40 for the 3 kids?? Is that too much??
I remember sitting for a good friend of mine once, she only has one child, brought the child to my house, kept her about 4 hours and she payed me $40 but again, that was only one child. So am I paying too much or too little?
We haven't used her yet so just trying to get some ideas before we do. Thanks in advance for all of your help!
Sounds good to me! You should ask her though, so there are no misunderstandings. She will most likely hit you lower.. Have fun and enjoy!
I would charge 60 dollars for that and encourage parents to stay out a bit longer if they like. I don't offer hourly rates. :) I personally think $40 is a bit low to give up their evening. Even though it's only a few hours, it still takes up the bulk of their evening.
As a guide, use the following link. It's Sittercity's rate calculator. It might help you with a starting point. Just cut and paste it into your browser window.
Wow, I just looked at the Sittercity rate calculator and apparently I'm underpaying my sitters. I have 3 kids, 6, 4, and 2, and I pay $10 an hour. There are other things which affect how much I'll pay though, like does she have her own transportation? If I have to pick up and drop off, sometimes I'll pay less or at least not pay more than $10/hr. Also I take into account how much of the time my kids will be awake - if they go to bed an hour after she gets here and she's just studying or watching TV for the next 3 hours, I won't pay as much. And finally if it's a last-minute thing I'll pay more, because she probably had to rearrange her schedule to be there for me.
If we're having a college student to babysit, I'll try to have some good snacks around and I tell her she's welcome to use our washer and dryer for free.
The rates differ according to locations. We are in a large suburb of Dallas so a rural area would probable be different.
We always guaranteed $40, even if we had to cancel, because the sitter saved her night for us. After that, we paid $10/hr. Our weekly date nights, YES, weekly were $60-$80 a week.
FAR worth it to keep lines of communication open with husband and maintain the couple connection.
I pay $15/hour to an adult sitter (mid 40s) for my 3 kids ages 9, 7 and 3. She comes to my house though, because I want my kids asleep in their own beds at the usual bedtime when I'm out. I feel cheated of my night off if I still have to do the whole bedtime thing when I get home.
I pay $10 per hour for my sitter (19 year old college student). She watches my daughter 2 nights per week for 2.5 hours each night. She comes to my house and she eats dinner here most of the nights she comes. I have one child and most of my friends think I pay to much. I am okay with it becuase I (and my daughter) really like her and I want her to be happy.
My friend pays her college age sitter $10 per hour to watch her 2 kids with a similar arrangement.
Most people below mentioned that you should pay more becuase she would be giving up her night...I remember when I was in college my night didn't start until after 10pm. ;-) So I wouldn't consider that in your price.
Just ask her what she normally charges and go from there. I think that is the mistake I made. The girl who watches my daughter was only 17 when she started watching her and I just said I'll pay you $10 an hour because I didn't know what to pay. And she was like "wow". Later I found out she worked at a restaurant barely making minimum wage. Even now, her parttime job of waitressing doesn't get her close to $10 an hour even with tips. So I think she has a pretty good gig.
Wow, I was thinking $8 an hour for my three kids; 7,. 5, and 3...all potty trained. I was babysitting only 5 years ago and I was not paid anywhere near $10 an hour. She is a college student, or at least that age, and would be more than happy with $10 an hour...even though I think that is a bit high. I suggest asking her what she thinks is fair and going from there.
10 years ago I babysat for my cousin's 1 year old daughter and they paid me $10/hour. Here in IL rates are about $12-15/hr for 2 kids.
Definitely ask her what she thinks is fair. If she's really a great sitter, you'd hate to lose her if you are underpaying. I think the min should be about $50 for giving up your nite.
My philosophy is, take care of your sitter so they will want to come back!!! Most people charge hourly...I have two sitters that I really like. My neighbor next door who is 24 still living at home and going to college...not a lot of experience with sitting but loves kids and worked for Kid's Club for AISD for several years...I pay $10/hr and I only use for an hour or two when I need to run some errands during the week. Then I have a sitter who I adore, she's raised 5 kids and they are now all grown and she has grandbabies...she doesn't require much direction, she gets it and I'm very comfortable leaving her in charge of feeding kids dinner and putting them to bed. With three kids I pay her $15hr.
I run a very successful babysitting service (30 families) I typically go to them and it's nights and weekends. I scoured the interenet for avg rates etc...
I charge $12/hr for 1 or 2 children and $2 per hour after that so it would be $14/hr for yours with a minimum of 4 hours. So that would be $56 for the night.
My parents do not hesitate becuase they know of my experience which you would need to look at hers. I am CPR/First aid, SIDS and shaken baby syndrome certified. 16 yrs experience and ran a daycare with 300 kids...
You have to also make it worth her time... she is 20 and i hate to say it if you go to low she might opt to do something else.
I think there are a lot of factors at play here: you take the kids to her house, so she's at her own home and not having to come to you. On the other side of it, she would be changing diapers and putting kids to bed (I assume) so those tasks require a little higher rate. For what it's worth, I usually pay sitters a different rate depending on what they have to do. I have had a sitter come over after the kids are asleep so I can pick up my husband from the airport - I have 5 kids and one is an infant but I only paid her $5 an hour because really? All she was doing was sitting there while my kids slept. That may be too cheap but really, she didn't even have to get off the couch.
I'd say $10 per hour is okay. That's more than I pay, but I use teenagers not college girls. But then again I would probably pay more if it were a college kid simply because she's an adult and she is more mature and (probably) has better intuition and skills with kids.
Try to think of it this way: if you like her an you want her to come back, pay her well enough that the next time you call her, she'll be sure to say yes.
i'd say a 100 a night. there are 3 children, one not potty trained.
I would just ask her what she usually charges. I pay $10 and hour for just one child - and my sitter has a 4 hour minimum. I think she charges $15 for 2 or more.
$12/hour, so it would run you between $40-50/night. If you asking your sitter to change diapers, play with the kids, cleanup, stuff like that, compensate her well.
I use a 14 year old that charges $5 for 2 kids each hour. Ask the sitter what she thinks is fair, and work out a set price you can both feel comfortable with.
