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weeklong babysitting rate?

20 years ago

My son, who will soon be 16, has been asked by a friend to go along on a weeklong camping trip with 2 families, with 2 5 year old boys between them, to help out with the kids. This will be a great trip for everyone I'm sure.

My friend doesn't know how much to pay my son. Any ideas?

Thanks, Pam

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Comments (7)

socks
20 years ago
They will be feeding him, and I hope he will have some fun too, so I wouldn't think he would be paid a full hourly rate. I think the amount would depend too on what the expectations are. Will be he busy supervising the boys all day every day? Probably not.

Just as a jumping off figure, does $25/day sound too high? Too low? I don't know, just threw that number out there.
shaknzmom
20 years ago
I agree that it will depend on what he needs to do. However, my 15yo daughter babysits....as long as she was to have some free time in the afternoon/evening that she and her friend could have some fun on their own, I'd tell them not to pay her. I'm assuming the parents are going to want to spend SOME time with their kids! If they're covering food and everything else, then that's sufficient. Your son will just be earning his keep.
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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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I would resist,but that is because I was molested by a male baby-sitter as a child. It really messed me up for alot of years too. Really though,it depends on maturity. Sounds like your son is responsible and quite mature for being 13. My step daughter that is 13 still fights over toys with my 9 year old and acts like she's 5...let alone does any classes or exprience at the zoo.So,he could probably handle it. Maybe you could have him only watch slightly older children,since toddlers and infants can be trying to someone with no child exprience. I agree shielajoyce,have him try it out with people you know with kids. But dont be surprized if you dont get alot of responses from strangers though. I also feel like adellabedella in the aspect I wouldnt hire a teen~be it boy or girl. They arent as child cautious as an adult would be,and wouldnt react well in a emergency as an adult would.(I had a 15 year old girl stay with my daughter for only an hour one night,come to find out she spent the whole time on the phone and ignored my daughter) Sounds like you have a great son though~with alot of ambition! Maybe if it doesnt work out you can help him think of other ways to make some extra money...like,mowing lawns or something.
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I would not leave a young teen with my young children. mothers helpers are ok-i would pay at least 8.00 for a mature person to babysit. you get what you pay for and too many young people are taking care of children for a low amount. i live in south florida-i know in the midwest child care providers get a very low amount which is soo sad because it is such an important job.--i have friends who pay their sitters $10.00 an hour for weekends and holidays, and around here, sitters get about $100.00 for new years eve.--i would call your state and ask around-call the local day care centers and ask the teachers what they get because many of them sit on the side since they get such a low salary.--or they know people that babysit...
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Just for a perspective (in florida at least) the daycare where my daughter went was 80.00 a week for a full day. I will say that was the most reasonable place I could find ... most were 130 - 150 a week at a minumum. And, coincidentally enough she LOVED the daycare that was only 80.00 a week and didnt offer all the so called extras that the one she went to recently offered that was 140 a week. The people were much nicer and they did a lot with what they had like camping in the daycare with a sheet and a story that went along with it etc. Anyways... it would depend on what all you are doing. Are you providing the food and essentials or will the mom be providing that? (it is probably best unless you really trust the responsibility of this mom to plan on feeding the kids because my mom used to babysit and get into jams where moms would not send the food and you cant very well not feed the kids but you are losing money because you are feeding a bunch of extra kids) And, are you just doing this because you want to for a little extra money and to help out a friend... or are you doing it to supplement your income and well run a business. If it is just as a favor and some extra money I might lower the price a bit...but otherwise that is more than reasonable especially since you are throwing in two extra kids sometimes. If you are looking at it like a business opportunity during the summer... I would make sure to take into consideration tardiness with mom especially if you do not fully trust responsibility of mom and also remember things like if you have a pool or plan on going to the beach...it may be in your best interest to get some sort of waver in case something happens (again this is assuming you are not close to the mom) Just my two cents.
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doone
20 years ago
I would suggest $10 a day. Kinds need to learn that doing a job and doing it well results in good things...money!
jojo09
20 years ago
We are currently living in military housing in the Seattle area. What would be an accurate fee for my 14 year old daughter to charge for babysitting per hour? If there is more than one chlid what would the fee be per child? If she becomes CPR certified could she charge more? If so how much more?
compton07
19 years ago
HOw much should i pay my 16 yr. old Daughter for babysitting this summer.
She will from 9.am till 5 p.m. mon. thru friday. My 6 yr. old son. Then every Mon. tues. and FRi. she will watch my husbands 2 kids. one 6 and one 10. So how much should i pay her to do that. SHe will give them lunch and snacks but also keeo them from not being bored. ALso she will clean the house up alittle bit to.. SO how much should i pay her. Its the summer time too.
jy_md
19 years ago
HOw much should i pay my 16 yr. old Daughter for babysitting this summer.

Well, when my son was a baby and watched by a stay-at-home mom, we paid her $5/hr for the day. In the case of your daughter, you probably don't have to pay her that much but I wouldn't skimp either.

Maybe $10-$25/day/kid. So if she watches a child Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm, that's anywhere between $50-$125 for that one child for the week. If she watches two children three days a week, then she should get anywhere between $60-$150 for the week.

Yes, it's expensive but taking care of children is hard work and you also want her to clean the house (definitely not easy to do with three non-napping children).
mom_of_4
19 years ago
I don't think there is necessarily a 'should pay her amount' ... when I was younger I babysat all three of my siblings all year round and did not get any money for it. It was part and parcel of being a family... if you can and want to pay her great but I dont think there is a magic number that you SHOULD pay her... base it upon what you can afford and what you feel she deserves... and personally I think 125/ week for one child is far too much money to take care of your own sibling and help out with the household chores

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