[leeinmemphis]

Hi everyone!

My husband and I recently adopted two preschoolers (4 years old) and have NO IDEA what to expect to pay when we find a babysitter.....

can anyone give me an idea of what to expect?

thanks so much!

alli

[spaypets]

Are you talking, high school kid in the evening babysitter, or someone to watch while you're working babysitter?

[leeinmemphis]

I'm talking high school kid to watch while lee and I go out to eat etc.

[BrandyHagz]

My husband and I co-op with the neighbor next door…although I have to wonder who is really benefiting from the arrangement…my one kid to her six

This way, we can go out and not have to worry about the added expense of child care…in addition to knowing with 100% certainty that my son is with someone I trust completely.

Is that an option for you?

We alternate months…this was our month, we went out for our anniversary on the sixth, and next month, I’ll have her kids while her and her husband go see a show in the city.

[kbuoni]

I pay my high school babysitters $5/hour to keep one 2 year old. For 2 you could probably get by w/ $7.

Hope this helps.
Kim

[spaypets]

I asked around == $5/hr but more if there are more kids, if the sitter has to feed or bathe them and more if you're really late. And always round up.

[DianeS]

And remember, expect to pay more:

if the teenager you want to hire is older (and therefore more responsible and more in demand).
if your children have any "behaviors" that keep them from being easy to babysit.
if the teenager has to use her own car for any transportation.
if it's a popular date night.

Now that you have kids, get a copy of the local high school events schedule. Do NOT try to find a babysitter on the high school Homecoming night, for instance. Or Prom. Or the Glee Club concert. Etc. And if it's a home football game night, be prepared to have to offer your favorite sitter more money in order to get her to come to your house instead of the game, or be prepared to settle for your favorite sitter's 12-year-old next-door neighbor.

If there are any babsitter's accreditation courses in your area, they can probably set you up with a list of sitters who have completed their course and give you an idea of the rate they'll expect to be paid. Check the YMCA, local hospital, and a few of the larger churches. They should know if such a thing exists. Expect it to have covered CPR, First Aid, emergency contacts, child safety, and stuff like that.

Good luck!

[Howdy]

There is a drop off child care licensed center that I have used, and it is $6 an hour, with discounts for multiples and discounts for purchasing a quantity of hours ahead of time.

[dadfor2]

whos a sucker....me

i pay $10 an hour for our babysitter....no bath, no nothing, just keep an eye on him..a 6 yr old boy.

somtimes he is usually asleep before she comes.

dadfor2

[MMC66]

Hey Dadfor2,
Give me a call I'LL BABYSIT for $10/hr

Seriously, I believe you get what you pay for with sitters. If you have a sitter you really like and really trust and want to keep around - it's worth $10/hr easy. Look ar what you pay someone to mow your lawn for an hour or clean you chimney. This is a pretty important job!!

I have four older kids that are pretty independent and I usually pay $7/hr for a couple hours after school to monitor the refrigerator and make sure everyone wears a helmet on their bikes etc. DH and I haven't had a date in forever - I'd probably pay more for bedtime, meals etc.

A good babysitter is worth their weight in GOLD!!

Just my 2 cents

Martha

[spaypets]

Um, I know where Dad lives, and yeah, older teen babysitters there get about $10 an hour.

[numbr1dbcksfan]

Wow-- you guys are generous! I say 20-25 A NIGHT...they stay the night...no specific times....Order them pizza and call the cell phone if they need anything. If they are watching more than one kid then we would bargain (Like if my friends and I are pooling a sitter we may either negotiate a flat rate for all and split it..or individually pay the sitter $20) If i had two kids...I would offer 30. But I go out to go out...not just to eat and come home...so I would say if the sitter is not spending the night...then 20-25 for BOTH kids.

$10 per hour. Wow! That is all crazy stuff!

[dadfor2]

well, our babysitter is great...she is a college student near by, and she is studying for 'child care'

i actually interviewed babysitters......how many do that?

when we moved, i lost my friend (who would babysit) she was a school teacher and loved my kids.

plus i didnt know anyone out here in this new town so i had to get a stranger...

but the new one is great with him, i trust her...

she actually gave me money back once when she came late once becauase she got lost...she called too and was only 10 minutes late......she said i paid her too much....(she is sweet and honest)

i asked for a year commintment and also got her social security number to do a cori check on her....

so the way i figure it...this is a job...and im trusting my child with her, so i will pay that amount.

but like spaypets said....its really not unusal to pay that amount here...

on a side note....the other day i had to go back to work late..she came over but he was still energized...usually i get him tired out before the babysitter comes, and sometimes he is already asleep when she gets there....but not this night!!

i told her that he likes to run around the house when he gets this way, that it helps him slow down....so she ran around the house with him for 2 hours.....lol.

she loved it!!!!!!! (so she says)

she actually gets upset when he is sleeping when she gets their because she wants to play with him...after all, he is 'charming'....lol

so i guess, $10.00 really isnt too much, what i have the babysitter do....i think.

the way i see it...you get what you pay for...

dadfor2

[numbr1dbcksfan]

That is true... I usually dont have the sitter come until almost bed time anyway... so they never really have to do much but watch tv.. LOL!

[DianeS]

For kicks, I called my mom, who still lives in the same small town I grew up in. She talked to her neighbor, who has three kids - 7, 9, and 10. The neighbor pays $5 per hour to have a 15 year old spend the evening babysitting all three.

Really depends on your region, doesn't it?