How much do babysitters earn?

I had a meeting to attend this morning & with DH at work, I didn't have anyone to watch the kids. This is my first time having to use a babysitter & wasn't quite sure how much to pay her. She's 13 yrs. old and has taken all the babysitting & CPR classes thru the Red Cross program and I know her thru school & church. I was quite confident with her capabilities and I guess I expected her to tell me how much I owed her for the hour & a half she babysat. I gave her $6 but now I'm feeling guilty that I didn't give her enough. Just wondering if any of you have daughters that babysit & how much they charge per hour/ per kid, etc. Thanks!

Gemila

I think it depends on your area, how many kids you have, etc., but I'm the least qualified to answer this. Here's an interesting link
http://www.kidsmoney.org/babysit.htm

I forgot to mention that my kids are 6, 5 & 3. I'll see her at church so I can always give her a few bucks more.

Thanks Cheryl, I'll have to look thru that site & catch up.

Gemila

Where I live I have heard that teenagers charge $10 and hour PER child! Who can afford to then go out??? I pay the girl who has been sitting for us for about 5 years, approx $5 and hour for 2 kids. We usually round it up so most of the time, I give her $20-$25. She's the only babysitter we've used and we only have her another year, then it's off to college. As far as I know we are the only family she sits for so I think she is just happy to get money to go to the mall with her friends. Occassionally, she has sat for us when we go and tailgate at an Indy race. We gave her $50 both times because we had piece of mind!

I think for 3 kids under 6, I would have paid her at least $10, maybe $12. If you pay her well and she likes your kids, she is more likely to want to be available for you vs. someone else - no matter the money.

I baby-sat in college a few times for a friend of our pastor's wife. They'd have me come just as they were going out for a late-late dinner party event, usually around 7pm or so. I didn't have to cook, I didn't have to clean, and she was 7 or 8 years old, and well-behaved. I'd entertain for about two hours, get the little one in bed, then struggle to stay awake until midnight or 2 when the folks would get home. They always gave me at least $40, if not more. They always insisted I could "take a nap as long as I could listen for the girl to wake up", but I never trusted myself to wake up, never having been a mom.

Great people, loved baby-sitting for them.. great kid, good money.

I agree with the rest - pay well, and be treated well. Same as basic industry. If you pay her poorly, I wouldn't ask her to come back at a moment's notice.

We pay our 13 year old babysitter $5 an hour to watch our two girls. We have a bulletin board at church where some of the teens post "I'll babysit your kids" notices and most of them only charge $3 if they specify a rate at all, so $5 sounded ok to us and generous to Meg. :-) We pick Meg up and drop her off home again. When we have another older girl (19 yo) babysit, I pay her a little more ($7/hr) because she is providing her own transportation.

Hope that helps! :-)
~ Marylyn

A lot depends on your area, and the age of both the kids, and the babysitter. My girls never were allowed to sit, until they were old enough to drive themselves home. I didn't want them depending on someone else for a ride, and since this is not a small town, I didn't know the people they were sitting for.

At 18 and up, they sat for people quite a bit. And yeah, here it's pricey. 2 kids, is about $12 an hour, especially if one is an infant. They discounted it for a lady who works nights, and all they had to do was show up and sleep there with the kids.

So, to answer your question, it depends. Gee, aren't we helpful? If you see them at church, can you corner her mom and ask her? Tell her you are out of the loop, and want her daughter to know you value her services, but don't know what to pay her. Some parents wouldn't want you paying the kid too much, either. The mom can use this as a learning experience for her daughter, because any young entrepreneur needs to not be shy about setting her own fees and stating them upfront.

Orange is a small town but even here the babysitters (one of my friends 14 year old sits) get paid from 6-8 an hour for one child and as a general rule of thumb add 2 bucks per hour per child. Bare min would be 10.00 I think. Have to think of it in terms of how much YOUR time is worth. By being allowed an hour and a half free of children to run errands etc how much was that worth.

When I was a teenager 20 years ago I got $4 an hour ....$5 if it was more than one child. I think paying the same regardless of how many kids there are is unfair. We wouldn't pay daycare the same regardless of whether there were 8 kids or 40 kids in the class. Plus, think about the fact that even if it was only for 60-90 minutes, the babysitter can't really go out afterwards to spend time with friends, so $6 for an entire evening (which is what they've lost in social time) isn't much. We usually pay our babysitters a minimum of 2 hours even if we come back earlier than that.

-Julie

I can remember babysitting for 50 cents an hour in the 70's.

My going rate 20 years ago was "a dollar and a quarter an hour a kid." I liked the way it sorta rolled off of the tongue. LOL

Wow! I am going to retire and start babysiting/be a live-in nanny for you guys; I'll make more money! I too got 50 cents an hour as a teen - for watching 5 kids!!! (1969) In 73 I was a live in babysitter during the week for my brother/DSIL w/his 4 step dau making $25 a week.

My 19 y/o DD watches my 7 y/o, so I am not really sure, just grateful that I don't have that expense as a single mother. Not that I got off scot-free as she is the one with a big screen tv and a notebook computer from watching her sister... I don't, can't afford it!

My older dau was turning 17, watching 2 kids ages: 2 (Dennis the Menace!!) and 7 mos (an angel) almost 3 yrs ago, and made $4 an hr, for a 10 hour shift! In her case, I don't think it was worth the aggravation at double the price.

I think if your children are sorta well behaved, you did not gyp her, esp considering her age. However, if you feel a little guilty, talk to the mother and see. How about taking her out for ice cream after church to let her know you appreciated her service!

Maybe she'll set a rate and you can go from there in the future. I think perhaps $5 an hr for your 3 kids is reasonable, if they are well behaved. It would be worth it on occassion, yes?! ~ Suzi :)

Me and JoanJ, 50 cents an hour, late 60s early 70s. Not much help to you today. My dog sitter gets $50 for one over night. Feed 4 dogs twice and spend the night here.

Heck I'm gonna start dog sitting!

Me too Saint! Watch kids and dogs, double the dough and a place to stay! Whoda thunk it?! You'll be rich enough to plant 10x the pots and I can retire! ~ Suzi :)

What's a babysitter? LOL The last time we had a sitter, I was in labor with number three, dinner was made and we came home in the morning. She is going to be eight next month.

For the gym, I pay $6 a month for all 6 kids. That is a bargain of course! LOL

I started being a paid sitter when I was 8 years old, which you would never hear of these days. Unfortunately I was a very mature kid. My oldest two do help with other people's kids but at 9 and 11, I don't know that I would send them somewhere alone either and they have a TON of experience.

When I was a nanny, about 15 years ago, I earned $230/week plus had a car, cell phone and pager. If you divide that by 40 hours, it comes out to $5.75/hour. Of course, I was on call. I didn't have to show up unless they needed me. I'd take that job again. LOL

Man! - 25 yrs ago when I babysat, I got $1 per hour, per child. The two families I sat for had two kids each and would stay out until 1am or so. I never really thought about what I was getting paid but it usually ended up being $12-$15 for the night.

As for paying a teenager $10, I can't imagine it! My husband and I wouldn't be able to afford to then go out to dinner and a movie. We're talking over $100 for the night! Luckily, we trade off with our neighbors so we don't use our sitter as much as we used to.

I'd love to have someone to trade off with, but I can't find the nut that will take on 6 little girls. LOL

six? *gulp*

Hey Bad, Fly Saint up! Maybe by the time yours get done with her, she'll change her mind about having some of her own!! My older swears she is never having kids! She has been watching her sister for yrs! ~ Suzi ♥

SIX GIRLS!! Man, I hope you started saving the money and I hope you're stocked up on prozac and booze for their teenage years! OMG!! :)

My Mom 'cursed' me when I was a child with "I hope you have a daughter just like you", so I turned around passed that 'curse' right on to my lovely daughter! Hey, if it worked for my Mom.......! LOL

LOL Serg and I can't have kids so I'll borrow em but when ya get em back they might be so spoiled you don't want em. Serg would be terrible with a daughter and I'd be terrible with a boy. Latin's (or at least in his family) tend to fawn over the little girls and spoil them rotten. In his eyes all the little girls in our family are the most beautiful, talented, graceful and brainy females alive. *G* and the two boys in the family I think can do no wrong.

Thank you all for your help & opinions. I since saw the sitter at church and gave her more money. Now I feel better with myself. She's a really nice girl & I know she'd even watch my kids for free if I asked but it was something I didn't give much thought of before until I actually needed a sitter and even then I guess I was expecting her to tell me what I owed her since I knew she had been taking classes so I assumed they were coached on what to charge.

This was an hour and a half of sitting during the morning. It was a quick meeting at school I had to attend so I knew it wouldn't take too long. I dropped her off at home with plenty of time for getting ready to go out to her friends bday party.

I remember getting paid $5 for taking care of three kids while the parents went out for dinner & a movie. They'd leave about six and return before midnight....that was back in the 80's and for me that was money I looked forward to.

This has been a very interesting thread! It sure seems like there's quite a range in what babysitters charge. Even just a couple years ago I worked as a nanny, and since I was never assertive enough to tell people what I charged (sometimes I didn't know what was appropriate, either), I was always very underpaid. If I face that situation again, I'm certainly going to ask you all first! It is a little maddening to think back and realize how much I was taken advantage of...

Badseed, when DH's older daughters came to visit, we had six girls. I'll take em on any time. Yours do behave like angels, right?

Gardengirl, having a daughter just like you isn't a curse! That is a child you understand! My DH's Italian father 'cursed' him that same way many years ago. A son, just like him! A son, he'd have known what to do with. Nope, God has a sense of humor, DH got nothing but girls!

I started sitting in the mid 80's when I was about 13, afterschool for a 7 and an 11 year old. My mom called the shots and I got a whopping $1 an hour for both kids. I continued to sit more and more kids and honestly didn't know how to ask for more! I eventually ended up sitting for a weird religious family that had 8 kids all under 12 for the same $1 an hour. That's $1 period not per kid! I got a real job after that fiasco, it was less stress!
More recently as a 27-34 year old in a more affluent area of the country, I was the regular sitter for a 1 year old and her 10 year old brother. I never quoted a price, but usually ended up with about $10 per hour. Of course, the more inebriated they were the better I was paid:) I think in this day and age, if it's someone who is trustworthy, mature and gives you peace of mind--it can't hurt to reward that within your means. I sat pretty exclusively for the 1 year old and 10 yr old, liked them and the parents. I felt they trusted and appreciated me and my time.

You all are so funny! If you get to my area, stop by and I'll go out for a well deserved quiet dinner! LOL

I am now starting to think I should open my doors on the weekends and take in all the kids of the parents that want to go out. I am thinking movie on projection on the garage doors, and $5 an hour covers popcorn and drinks. :)

I do think it would be well worth nearly any sum, to hae a reliable, trustworthy sitter that could put my mind at ease. Where is Mrs. Doubtfire? :)

Chele,
That is a great plan! I know how you can afford the new place.. yep - invite everyone over for a parent's evening out - every Friday and Saturday till you have the down payment - or to help with the dbl mortgage!

Hmmm I'd like to buy some land and get a place built, pay off stu loans, this mtg, bills, etc, too! ~ Suzi ♥

I did a lot of babysitting as a teen but I don't think ever as young as 13 unless it was at home for siblings. I never requested a certain price of the parents because I was just as clueless about what was acceptable in the beginning myself.

I ended up doing jobs and as I aged I'd get paid more as I had the repeat customers who knew I'd do a good job. I always took picture books to read the kids and a SHORT cartoon video. I'd usually tidy up the place a little to what it looked like or better than when the parents left. I was always told to eat what I wanted but I felt like that was snooping unless there was a snack I was getting out for the child I might have something for me. I was told I could sleep if it got late as well. Even did some overnight stays. Almost all the times I sat for people they would pick me up and then take me home as well.

The most I'd babysat for was 4 and it included changing diapers occasionally and I was getting $6/hr back in the mid-late 90's. One time I sat for my regulars not knowing the mom was going out with a girlfriend and the girlfriend (who's husband was a lawyer) was leaving her 2 kids with me as well! Kinda caught me off guard but I did it. The regular paid me as normal for the 2 hours they were out. The other mom gave me 2 BUCKS for the 2 hours for her 2 kids! In this instance I knew I would just NEVER sit for this second lady again if asked.

I never counted money on the site and only after I'd get home. I never was paid badly except for that one time in several years.

Wow. Glad I don't have to worry about sitting
or hiring a sitter anymore. LOL

LOL Wuvie. I will have to worry about it soon enough.

My daughter (18) babysits for two couples. One is a every Saturday night thing for the past 4 years. After graduation this June she has informed them that she still plans on babysitting the kids but may need to miss a few times due to scheduling conflicts and it might be a good idea that they start looking for someone else to fill in and eventually take overbut she has made it completely clear with them if she doesn't approve of the new person or the kids tell her they dont like the new person she isn't going anywhere. When she started 4 years ago and they came to pick her up she was paid 5.00 an hour till 10:00 and then 10.00 for every hour after that. When she first got her own car they gave her an addition 10:00 to what ever to pay for her gas. Now she makes 10.00 an hour and 20.00 for every half hour after 11:00 + 20.00 for gas. She makes dinner for all three kids, and makes sure they all have their baths and helps them with homework that mom and dad dont understand. (wish I had someone like that when she needed help). She has had a few times that she has stayed over night and even a couple that she has stayed for a couple days. Paid her 500.00 for a three day stay. The kids love her and she adores them. She has attended every birthday party, recital and play they have participated in and a couple times stayed home from school to babysit for free when the youngest was having breathing problems (asthma) and mom could not miss another meeting.

I believe as a mother, peace of mind is worth paying what ever you feel your childs safety and happiness is worth.

Carat,

Sounds like your daughter found great families to sit for and that YOU raised a responsible girl! I tried to be a GREAT sitter myself but agree the price can determine how good a sitter you might be getting. I've never heard of the great rates your daughter is making though! Outstanding!

When our kids were younger (they're 20, 17 and 10 now - all will have birthdays this summer), we paid $25 to $35 for 3-4 hours of babysitting, and we picked up and drove home the sitter; never stayed out past midnight (rarely stayed out past 10 or 11.) We ordered pizza for dinner, and didn't expect the sitter do anything except....well, babysit. And get the kids into bed at a reasonable time, and stay off the phone (this was before most kids had cell phones, and I wanted to be able to get through if I called home to check on things.)

Now that the kids are older, the boys have their own social plans and we simply wait for DD to be invited to a Friday-night sleepover (which happens more and more often.) Then we can have "date night" - go to a late dinner or movie - without worrying about getting a sitter or inconveniencing them by staying out too late. (Of course, WE'RE older, too - so we still rarely stay out past 10 or 11!)

The radio station I listen to once had a "call in" about this...how much you pay your sitter for a night out. A lot of folks said they paid $10-$11/hr for two or three kids. I was in shock. I made $1 less than the number of hours I babysit (some 30 years ago...example...4 hrs=$3) and one of the children had special needs because of physical issues.

Kids want and expect too much nowadays. I'd say $2 an hour is plenty for one child...$3 an hr for two kids.

Sandy

lol I pay more than that (42 hour) to someone to come and let our furkid out and play with her when take long afternoon shopping trips

Sandy,

I haven't heard of too many people paying those wages for babysitting. But I think it really depends on the age of the "kid" you want sitting as well. Less for a young sitter (12+ I suppose) as long as their parents are near....like a neighbor I sat for when I was that young but mom and dad were next door.

Like I said I sat unexpectedly for someone when I was 20 (watching one family where the Mom was going out with a girlfriend) and the "friend" only paid 2 bucks an hour for her 2 kids?! I would never have sat for those wages in advance and she was on my blacklist for future sittings. Once a kid turns 16, sometimes 15 in some places, they can already make minimum wage so anything less than that and you'd be hardpressed to find a GOOD sitter.

I have sat for some families where parents were financially well off, doctors and such, and they paid about 10 an hour and were thrilled I would actively play with the kids, get them some dinner, etc.

Hmmm - IF I need money when I retire, maybe I should pick up a job babysitting for those wealthy people! I'd go into their home and sit, getting more money from them than from my job! I would love to actively play with them and get their dinner! ~ Suzi :)

would be a great idea I'd love to leave my furbaby with you than a kid! *G* her dinner's real easy to cook!

who would be more wore out, ha ha ha