Unfortunately, I had to call for a baby sitter for the night because my husband works the night shift. My meal: salad, pizza, soda, and pazookie, plus tip...only came to $13. Great! But my sitter was 3 times that. So I am somewhat kicking myself for paying her $38 for 4 hours. Now my kids are easy. My house was clean, the kids were fed, and healthy. I really needed someone to call for help should the house come crumbling down. Granted I think this girl is a perfect sitter for my kids, who by the way preferred to "play school" than watch TV, funny I know.
So here are my questions:
How many kids do you have and how much do you pay for a sitter?
Do you start the time
-when they walk in to your home?
-the time you get them from theirs?
-the time you actually leave the house?
-to the time you get back?
-or the time they finally make it to their home?
Does the rate change if they have to put them to bed and the kids are asleep most the time vs. middle of the day no naps or sleeping?
Do you pay less for a younger/less experienced sitter?
I really am thinking about this now. These sitters could really make a lot of money, or is this why our nation is in debt because the HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars young girls are making as baby sitters is NOT being taxed. So why do we pay someone so much to do a job that they do less than is expected from them. (My sitter tonight did MORE, and I'm grateful!) When I leave the house and have someone "take my place" as mother I expect the children and home to be well taken care of.
Here's an additional thought:
per hour. There are some employees who are exempt from the minimum wage law, such as outside salespersons, individuals who are the parent, spouse, or child of the employer, and apprentices regularly indentured under the State Division of Apprenticeship Standards.
Regarding of this 2010 California minimum wage, there is an exception for learners, regardless of age, who may be paid not less than 85% of the minimum wage rounded to the nearest nickel during their first 160 hours of employment in occupations in which they have no previous similar or related experience. (http://aboutlawcases.com/2010-california-minimum-wage/
SOOOO, I could be paying $8 an hour and feel fine about it. Or I could pay $7 and say that's the taxed amount. Or pay the only 85% because these sitters are in "training" to become parents one day, paying $6.80/hr and then rip of those $0.80 for those taxing purposes. Bringing us down to a VERY reasonable $6/hr.
OOOORRRRRR do you feel the need to pay a little more because you know they'll be willing to give you a few hours free as their kind act of service when you have a church duty/calling to fulfill, a family emergency or a night to the temple!?
Lots of questions here! And I REALLY hope I get some insightful responses!
15 comments:
This is a hard one....When I was babysitting I had a regular family that I watched kids for and I put them to bed every time that I watched them. I think that i was only paid between $20-$30 for about 6 hours. I guess the cost has increased since then.
We do $1 a kid. SO it comes out to $5 an hour. BUT we also have our children ready for bed, and the home cleaned already. A lot of the time our children are already in bed so they are essentially watching our home and making sure no one is kid napped from their beds.
$5 an hour is also a fair amount for a teenager because that is about what they would be making somewhere else maybe a dollar or two more at different jobs.
Good Luck!
Wow - next time you need a sitter, I'll come sit if you pay that much! Holy cow. I pay around $6/hr, depending on the day, time, whether kids had to be put to bed, etc. Also, if they drive themselves, I'll throw in a little extra.
Here's my thoughts - they're not 16 yet and can't have a job that makes minimum wage.
I don't think the whole "national deficit" arguement can really be brought up here... It's not these few little girls who are causing it, so leave that one to the side for another great debate... As a side note, I'm sure they're paying tithing on it...
Hope that helps!!!!!!! Good luck - this is a sticky subject...
The going rate here in UT is $3 an hr per kid. We only pay $5 an hour total, unless the sitter did more than just babysit (which never happens). I usually come home to a messy house. PLus I think it depends on how old the sitter is. We usually have a 14 yr old babysit, and she is just grateful to be there! They don't expect a lot at that age and are more than happy to get $5 an hour. But if you have a teenager or young adult babysit, I am sure they expect more
It's been a while since I had to pay a babysitter, but I paid $6-8 an hour for my four boys (by the time I had 4 kids, my oldest was 10) depending on the age/experience of the sitter. I negotiated the rate on the phone when I asked them if they were available.
I paid the sitter from the time she arrived and left (if she drove herself), or from the time I picked her up and dropped her off (if she couldn't drive). But I paid babysitters that drove more per hour than those who couldn't.
Hope that helps!
I've been paying $7/hr. I think I would pay someone who drove, knew CPR, and cleaned up the toys and dishes used, $10/hr. My children are my most treasured possession on earth, I wish I could pay more. I what my babysitter to feel valued and take care of my kids most importantly! I have 3 little boys... a little crazy at times. I pay from the time I pick up to the time I drop off. If they drive, I would pay from the time they arrived, to the time they left... mind they are getting more per hour. I appreciate reading all the comments here too.
I like Briana's response. I pay around $7-$8 an hour for my three kids. Before I moved here, I paid $10.00 an hour because that's what people paid. But most people don't pay that up here. I only pay that now if they are over 18 and/or drive themselves to and from my house. Some of it depends on how many hours the kids were actually awake while the sitter was here. If they go to bed one hour after she gets here, I usually stay closer to $7.00. If it's the middle of the day and everyone is awake, I pay $8.00 or a little more even. I'm also more generous, if I know the kids had fun with the sitter and she actually played with them instead of just sat and watched TV with them.
And I also pay from the time I pick up till the time I drop off. Don't know why because if they had a regular job, they wouldn't get paid for commute time. But it's just the way I've always done it.
In Utah our Ward yw person sent an email that all the girls decided was fair.
$2/Hr/child
I laughed at your national debt part.
Love your humor
I agree about the younger ones being more grateful
When we find a good one though Jake overpays so he knows they'll Want to come back And continue to do amazing work
I think I would feel like You
38 for a gno
I'd be thinking thoughts of a date instead or a pedicure ha ha
Okay ~ here is what we have done. We used to get Rebeca Warr (before she got married this summer...BUMMER) and LOVED her. We had gotten her to babysit for the last 6 years. We had just the 2 girls at first, and we paid her about $5 an hour. Paid her $6 when T was born, and about $8 when H came along. I don't know who else she babysat for, but I know she always said we paid here GOOD!!! I thought it was funny, cause I thought we always paid her cheap. And after reading comments here, I think we did!! LOL!!!
I have always tried to have my kids all ready for bed and most of the time fed, in it was an evening babysitter. Also, if you are getting a 15 year old or younger, there is no reason to be paying her anymore then $3-5 an hour for your 3 little girls. Seriously!!! If you get someone who is older, and you really like them and your kids like them, by all means pay them well!!! Younger girls are just happy to be out of the house and making ANY kind of money!!!!
I pay $8-10/hr. It starts the second I pick them up or the second they show up depending on the case. I don't bat an eye at the price because I'm putting a value on my job in a sense. She is doing MY job when I'm not there.
Shay! Just found your blog.
I pay $10 an hour with 4 kids no matter what. that way its always the same no matter how many kids are actually home or how old the babysitter is. if anything i round higher if i need to. I have ZERO family close (closest is vegas) so I have no alternatives to paid babysitters and am not a big fan of trading babysitting with other families. but it is soo dang worth it. i assume as a cost of being away from family. my sanity is priceless and so is my marriage so every dollar i spend on babysitting is like a drop in the marriage basket too. but i realize i'm on the crazy end but i agree with lots of the other comments as well. i always pay when we go to the temple. babysitters are watching the most precious things in my life so i don't want to be cheap on that and I want them to always say yes! but to each their own, doesn't matter.
We usually pay $5 dollars an hour... that's the going rate around here...
SOOooo, I just have to pipe up here. You are SO lucky!! I pay $15/hr., strictly for watching the kiddos, even if they're sleeping. It's just the going rate here, and some people charge more (esp. for 2 kids). We don't have many teenagers in the area, so it's mostly college students, interns, or people with jobs looking to pick up a few extra bucks. I am SO glad I have some family close by, because it is indeed expensive to do much of anything! Maybe it costs less in the 'burbs...
It was awhile ago, but I remember when I was younger and babysitting... that I just got a random total, there was no 'by the hour rate'. If it was about 5/6 hours, then I usually got around $30. One time the kids were already in bed so I only got around $20 for the 5/6 hours...
Teddy was working on his fish tank and cutting off the acrylic sides. The white stuff is like the little pieces of plastic grocery bags that you find from him cutting the acrylic!
Shay, the truth? Y'all are paying 100% TOO MUCH. The answer: Trade babysitting with your friends.
I know, I am way cheap but I think this is the way to go. My friend got a group of couples together and they each take one Friday a month to babysit the other three couple's kids.
Yes, this means you (and you husband, if you are lucky) would be watching about ten kids, but from 6-9pm one Friday a week couldn't be that bad.
You just feed the kids, play, turn on a movie and their parents are home.
That equals, that's right, 3 date nights/girl's nights/temple nights/ or whatever you want nights the rest of the month.
I am going to try it out.
Sounds too good to be true...maybe it is. I'll let you know.
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