SMH-babysitter edition

[Deleted]

so we had a babysitter come Fri after school to watch DS1 and DD. DS2 was at daycare.

This was kind of last minute and she watched the kids from 330 until 5pm when my husband got home. I told him to pay her.

So Saturday am I ran into her at my gym and asked how the kids were etc. I also just confirmed DH paid her and she was all set. She said "yeah he paid me" but her tone suggested something so I asked her what he gave her. She said "He just gave me a $20" so I said "Okay what time did he get home?" she said 5pm.

I got the very distinct feeling she felt she should have been paid more. She had the kids for an hour and a half. that's like 13.33 an hour. I don't think that we underpaid her at all.

I think I may have to cross her off the list. We usually pay our other babysitters $10 an hour for two kids. If all three I usually pay a bit more because Leo is more needy.

What do you guys pay your sitters 

[Deleted]

$20 for an hour and a half?


You are good.

[cville]

Hosebeast.

[wannabe]

wait, didn't you already establish the pay rate before she came over?

[sake]

well parents pay me $40/day for 8+ hours of caring for their kid, so I think that she should be very thankful for $20 for an hour and a half.

[Jalapeñomel]

$15 an hour for one baby

[cville]

Mar 10, 2014 11:03:48 GMT -5 wannabe said:

wait, didn't you already establish the pay rate before she came over?

This is a good point.  But even still I think instead of being all passive aggressive Eyeore at the gym the babysitter should've chalked it up to a lesson learned and then if Sloan called again just been up front "For two kids I charge $15/hour."

I can't stand passive aggressive shit like this.

We paid $15/hour for one kid.  I think, maybe $20.  Not sure what we'll do with two.

[motzie]

Mar 10, 2014 11:06:24 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

$15 an hour for one baby

Ditto.

[Deleted]

I did an informal survey of my neighbors and other parents at my daycare when we first hired a babysitter, and the going rate was 11/hr for one kid. More for multiple kids. I do think 10 for multiple kids is low. And you and I live in the same area.

[Deleted]

Do you live in a lcol?

I used to get paid $10 an hour for 1 kid and $15 an hour for 2 kids in high school and I graduated in 2002. I would think prices have slightly gone up since then and this was a mcol.

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2014 11:08:19 GMT -5 cville said:

Mar 10, 2014 11:03:48 GMT -5 wannabe said:

wait, didn't you already establish the pay rate before she came over?

This is a good point.  But even still I think instead of being all passive aggressive Eyeore at the gym the babysitter should've chalked it up to a lesson learned and then if Sloan called again just been up front "For two kids I charge $15/hour."

I can't stand passive aggressive shit like this.

We paid $15/hour for one kid.  I think, maybe $20.  Not sure what we'll do with two.

I have always paid her $10 an hour.  I did tell her when she first started (she hasn't babysit all that much) what we pay. Maybe she forgot. not sure. but either way not calling her again

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2014 11:09:36 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

I did an informal survey of my neighbors and other parents at my daycare when we first hired a babysitter, and the going rate was 11/hr for one kid. More for multiple kids. I do think 10 for multiple kids is low. And you and I live in the same area.

Hmmm. good to know. everyone I know pays $10 an hour and they all have at least two kids.  Maybe I'll go up in rate but still... she got 13.33 an hour for two kids so either way.. why is she eluding to the fact she didn't get enough

[Deleted]

Mar 10, 2014 11:18:13 GMT -5 @sloanpeterson said:

Mar 10, 2014 11:09:36 GMT -5 @missusbee said:

I did an informal survey of my neighbors and other parents at my daycare when we first hired a babysitter, and the going rate was 11/hr for one kid. More for multiple kids. I do think 10 for multiple kids is low. And you and I live in the same area.

Hmmm. good to know. everyone I know pays $10 an hour and they all have at least two kids.  Maybe I'll go up in rate but still... she got 13.33 an hour for two kids so either way.. why is she eluding to the fact she didn't get enough

Well she obviously feels like it wasn't enough. If you can't agree on appropriate pay, then its not working out and you need to find a babysitter who is OK with what you pay her. 

[ijack]

I wouldn't say that it's $13/hr because I don't believe in dissecting hours like that, but if she gave you attitude then don't use her.

[eaky77]

Growing up when I would babysit, I would get anywhere from 5-15 an hour. This was in a high end area of Illinois. Imagine my surprise when I asked my neighbor girl how much she would charge to watch my 15 month old, and she said $3.50 an hour. Of course I'd pay her more... but it was a total shock.

OP, I think you gave her more than enough.

[anlo]

Mar 10, 2014 11:30:49 GMT -5 ijack said:

I wouldn't say that it's $13/hr because I don't believe in dissecting hours like that, but if she gave you attitude then don't use her.

I'm confused by this.

[ijack]

Mar 10, 2014 13:25:30 GMT -5 anlo said:

Mar 10, 2014 11:30:49 GMT -5 ijack said:

I wouldn't say that it's $13/hr because I don't believe in dissecting hours like that, but if she gave you attitude then don't use her.

I'm confused by this.

I wouldn't say she worked 1.5 hours, I would say she worked 2 hours. I round by the hour.

[iamali]

I don't know dude. If you used her before and she's good, I wouldn't burn that bridge. Also, you stated it was last minute. If you use her again, discuss pricing beforehand.

[Overthemoon]

we pay our sitter $12/hr for our two young kids. We actually offered to pay her a little more since I think young kids are more work than older kids, but she said she wants to keep it uncomplicated and keep the same rate for all of "her" families. We do always round up to the nearest hour though so she usually ends up with a little extra

[jld1878]

I don't think you need to round up for thirty minutes. Twenty dollars seems perfectly fine!

[sugarbear]

It would depend how well I knew her and how often I used her... because eventually it would all come out in the wash.

Like, if it was a planned night out, two kids, four hours, I'd probably pay her $60 + a little extra if I really liked her. That would be generous, and if I'd established this pattern, I wouldn't think twice about whipping out $20 and calling it good, in your situation.

But if I was looking for a new sitter and thought I might ever call her again, AND hadn't established a solid relationship yet, I think I would have paid her more.

(Having said that, if I left it up to DH, he'd have paid her anywhere from $15 to $50 depending on what kind of cash he had, what his mood was like, and if the freaking sun was out that day. There is no rhyme or reason.)