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Question on Babysitting rates...

19 years ago

I'm a 21 year old from Indiana, and I have been asked to babysit my bosses children...(a 3 month old and a 1 1/2 year old) It would only be 2 days a week from 10am-5pmish. I'm really not sure how much to charge them...I'm really happy to do it but I still want to make it worth my time! Please email me if you have any ideas...thanks so much!

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Comments (6)

popi_gw
19 years ago
Hello Haylee

Have you any experience ?
Huge responsibility looking after two babies, so in my mind you should be well paid.

I can't give you any more idea, as I am in Australia, and I think the hourly rate would be different.

Aim high.

Popi
User
19 years ago
I don't know what you do for this person that makes him/her your boss, but I would suggest you not accept this babysitting job. It changes your relationship with this person and it can lead to all sorts of problems for you (not your boss, that's the perk of being a boss!)

A job creates a professional relationship, babysitting is much more personal. It will cause problems for you at your "other" job with this person, and can make your life very, very complicated. If you insist on going ahead, then you should expect to be paid at least what they already pay you.

They can certainly find someone else to babysit. Good luck and be careful.
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While I would be okay with my 15 year old minding the toddlers next door for a few hours Sat. night, while the parents go to dinner and a movie, I would NOT allow my 15 year old to take on the full-time responsibility for a couple of kids all summer. That's just too much. She's not an adult, she doesn't have a lot of life experience. Is she trained and qualified in emergency first aid? Does she know how to: turn off the water, electric, gas in the house in case of an emergency? How well equiped would she be to handle someone trying to force their way into the house? or trying to molest her while she was trying to care for these 2 kids? (and that happened to me once when I was a teen). Burnout? Oh, bigtime--I babysat 3 days a week for a working mom at that age, and it got old really fast, and I really resented having been pushed by my mom into taking the job. Your daughter would be a lot better off taking a job where there are other kids her age working. Have her look into assisting with your town's summer rec program, or working at a fast food place (or Friendly's--they often hire underaged kids), or maybe at an actual daycare center. She will do better if there are others around to rely on and socialize with. And yes--to answer your question, that is way, way too low a salary for what they're asking of her. It's LESS than 1.50/hour per child! Your daughter should be making AT LEAST $5/hour PER CHILD if she's going to consider doing this. It's a HUGE amount of work and responsibility to care for elementary-aged children 8 hours a day. I know a lot of first, second and third year teachers who aren't capable of keeping them happy, safe and occupied all day.
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Are you going to do this in your apartment? If so, then you better check with management. If you are management or are working in conjunction with management to offer this to the apartment complex, and the kids will be in the clubhouse or some other central location, then I think I'd charge by the day minimum. Otherwise, you might need 4 workers for one hour according to daycare laws, and then need 1 for the other 2. It'd be easier to schedule the appropriate amount of workers if you charged by the day, and you made them sign up and pay for the days by a certain day each month. Any other way, and it could become a nightmare. Of course, I don't know what the childcare laws are in your state, so they might not be very strict, but usually states have some very detailed laws covering childcare.
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lindac
19 years ago
That's not babysitting....that's being a nanny.
I certainly can understand your boss wanting someone he/she knows to look after his/her children and think it is great of you to be willing to do this. I see no problems.
As for what to charge? I am in a small midwest town and pay my cleaning lady $15 an hour...
Surely you should have as much...unless there will be a long period of naps in the day.
I would say you should get between $150 and $200 a week.
Linda C
coolmama
19 years ago
momj47 makes some very good points.This COULD complicate matters at your other job. If it were me,I dont think I'd do it if I liked my other job.
dillydally
19 years ago
I just babysitted last night and received less than I would've liked and I'm just wondering if $8 an hr is fair. There are three kids ages 7 months, 2, and 3. I basically just had to feed the kids, entertain them, and put them to bed. But since there is 3 and a baby it is difficult to juggle all of them. I'm a college student in San Antonio, Tx and the cost of living isn't as high as where I am from so I don't know if I should even mention the pay to the family.
livvysmom
19 years ago
dillydally -- I think $8 is way fair. If I had to pay that much I can guarantee you that I would hardly ever go out. Just think that it is more money than you would have made staying home to watch Desperate Housewives.

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