Rate for baby sitters

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Usually, my parents watch our kids when we go out. But for the first time in a long time, we have to use a baby sitter. What is a good rate for 3 kids under 6 years old.

Thanks.
 
Ask the sitter what their rate is. It varies based on your location, the person who is watching them, what is required etc.

Let’s say it is my town, kids are 2, 4 and 6. You want them watched from 6 PM til midnight. There will be supper to feed and diapers to change. You are hiring a teenager to watch them. I’d offer $7 per hour, then if things were wonderful, I’d tip (round it up to $50).
 
In our area, babysitters run at least $10/hr. It might even be more now.
 
I agree that $10 per hour is a fair rate – especially these days when it’s difficult to find a responsible teenager who isn’t booked up with other activities. If you pay well, they’ll be more likely to be available for you the next time you need her/him. (Just my own experience – I have 4 teenagers who babysit!) 🙂
 
Kage and I live in Arkansas, $7 is good for the South, especially if you tip as well.
 
$10/hour!? I know adults who get less than that for their jobs! Maybe they should go into babysitting…

I think I got $1 maybe $2 an hour when I was a kid.
 
$7 an hour for THREE children under 6? Seems cheap to me… $10 seems more like it.
 
jjsc3 said:
Usually, my parents watch our kids when we go out. But for the first time in a long time, we have to use a baby sitter. What is a good rate for 3 kids under 6 years old.

Thanks.
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Ask the sitter and come up with a reasonable amount that you both agree on. I would say seven dollars an hour is very good for 3 kids who are dependendent on the sitter. I babysat every day over the summer last year for 2 kids from 8 am to noon and I got their previous daycare rate: 50 dollars a week.

-Jeanne
 
Ten per hour definitely! I’m 17 and babysit two or three years back, and it’s already an awkward enough situation to talk about the money, especially if the parent throws out a number like seven and you feel like you’re being ripped off. Seven might be appropriate if there were less kids and they were older, but three kids warrants at least ten. Good luck 😃
 
jeanne71350 said:
Ask the sitter and come up with a reasonable amount that you both agree on. I would say seven dollars an hour is very good for 3 kids who are dependendent on the sitter. I babysat every day over the summer last year for 2 kids from 8 am to noon and I got their previous daycare rate: 50 dollars a week.

-Jeanne
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That is 20 hours a week…or $2.50 an hour! :eek:

My boys have taken turns caring for 2 elementary age kids for the past 3 summers for about 25-30 hours each week. They were paid $10 an hour.

So I would say AT LEAST $10 if they are all under 6.
 
Catholic90 said:
That is 20 hours a week…or $2.50 an hour! :eek:

My boys have taken turns caring for 2 elementary age kids for the past 3 summers for about 25-30 hours each week. They were paid $10 an hour.

So I would say AT LEAST $10 if they are all under 6.
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The kids were all over 6.
 
We’ve had threads like this before and it’s obvious that the “going” babysitting rate varies wildly across the country. Where I live, $10 would be the bare minimum for 3 children. I am certain the going rate in other areas are much less…

I’d ask the sitter before his/her shift begins what he/she charges. You could also ask someone with small children in your town what they typically pay.
 
There is a big difference between watching kids during the day, when they will need constant supervision and interaction and evening - you feed em, get them in bed then the sitter can veg on the couch and text friends until the parents get home.
 
I pay $10/hour regardless of the number of kids I need watched. (we do foster care so it varies) Sometimes it’s 3 kids and the most is 7, but my sitters think I am reasonable, as the last ones they watched were 2 hellions under 5 and they got only $2/hour. I have 2 older kids 9 & 10 who help a lot too, so that takes some burden off. My sitters are from our homeschool group or church nursery, so are used to large numbers of kids and it works out well. We’re even taking him with us on an overnight so he can stay in the motel room with them while we go to a banquet.

Our favorite is a teenage boy and his sister is the backup at the moment. He also does yard work and stuff like that for me so is a lifesaver if DH is working overtime.
 
I’ll make anywhere from $5-$10 an hour. $6 seems to be pretty common.
 
Man I must have been one lucky baby sitter! The families I sat for offered me $10/hour (& usually a tip!) for watching 2 kids. My regular families were 2 boys or 1 girl, 1 boy (autistic). And this was 10 years ago (oh jeez…I just did the math on that one and now I’m going to go cry. :crying: )
 
jerseygirl12491 said:
Ten per hour definitely! I’m 17 and babysit two or three years back, and it’s already an awkward enough situation to talk about the money, especially if the parent throws out a number like seven and you feel like you’re being ripped off. Seven might be appropriate if there were less kids and they were older, but three kids warrants at least ten. Good luck 😃
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Yeah, but for someone who really has no clue you just have to put a number out there first.

When me and my wife had our first babysitter I kept asking and asking and couldn’t get a straight answer. I kept getting “what were you thinking of?” I truly had no clue. I eventually said as much and said I’d let my wife handle that.

Consider it good practice for when you go job hunting to suggest what you are worth, and give a quick one or two sentence answer to defend it (i.e. I have experience watching the children of several families, and have many repeat calls with them).
 
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