Babysitters

[Fayebelle]

So I'm going back to work soon and my cousin will be watching Alexander for me 3 days a week. She's 24 and a stay home mom of 2 girls. WHAT THE HECK DO I PAY HER??? We haven't even broached the subject even though we've had this plan since I found out I was preggo. Her being fam makes it awkward ya know? So what is the going rate for unlicensed babysitters??? HELP!! LOL

[Star]

for a baby, i would pay at least 5 bucks/hour. kass babysits my 2 nephews once in awhile and she gets paid 5 bucks/hour but the boys are older so there isn't much she has to do for them other then fix them something to eat, play with them and put them to bed.

I would ask her what she expects to be paid and take it from there. I always got family to babysit my girls and they did it for free as i didn't need them for working purposes(I was also a stay at home mom). we did it favor per favor sort to speak. maybe she would work something like that out with you?

[twinkle]

I've got no idea, but like Star said, it's most important to ask her.

IT's good to have family around, Faye, just make sure you two discuss all details before she starts the work.

[Duke]

My daughter tells me it's worth at least $8/hour however, she actually took a babysitter course so I'm not sure how that affects the price.

[BattleaxE]

I agree. I think you should just come out and ask her how much she is expecting to be paid. That way you both know right from the get go so it doesnt cause problems. Money has a strange way of doing that to people.

[darkangelism]

well she is family so i wouldnt try and be cheap, provided that you are paying all the expenses id say $7 or 8 an hour, my friend is a nanny and she makes $20 an hour, but thats in NYC.

[Star]

8 bucks an hour? wow! that's expensive! i couldn't imagine paying that unless it was a daycare. no wonder i was a stay at home mom. it's not worth going out to work if you have to pay that much money for a babysitter. wow!! i'm shocked!! 8O

[darkangelism]

id rather pay a family member that much and now they care about the kid then some over crowed daycare

[Fayebelle]

Originally Posted by Star

8 bucks an hour? wow! that's expensive!

No kidding! I only make $11.50 an hr right now! That's why I was going the family route- well that and I just trust family more....

She stays home now b/c it's cheaper than paying a sitter for 2 girls- now I know why. She hasn't even mentioned $ so I don't even know if she expects pay and I didn't want to insult her by saying "so how much do ya charge"....

Guess I'll just have to ask *sigh*

[Star]

i would ask. being family, i'm sure you won't need to pay that much money. i know that nobody in my family would accept that kind of high payment to babysit their niece. i wouldn't expect to be paid that much money either if i were the one doing the babysitting. I'm sure when you ask her, she'll give you a price/week that will fit into your budget.

[Weiser]

I don't know much about baby sitting, but I do know people that used to baby sit and they got 6-7 bucks an hour.

what is minimum wage where you live?

Edit...the one time I baby sat for my uncle in AZ i made 50 bucks in 2 hours...but they're loaded and there were 6 kids.