Harriet Vane Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 My dd has been offered a babysitting job. She is 12yo and not yet Red Cross certified. The mother would be present in the house with dd. There are two infants and a toddler. The mother is offering $7/hour. I feel that is a bit too much and hate to set the bar there. However, I rarely hire babysitters and may not know the going rate. FWIW we live in Chicago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Well, dh and I hardly ever go out unless a family member can watch our kids because the going rate for teenage babysitters around here is $12-$15 per hour. It's usually more expensive to pay the babysitter than to do whatever activity we plan to do. So, to me, $7.00 per hour for a mother's helper doesn't seem too much. I had an adult mother's helper when my kids were babies and I was trying to paint my house to get it ready to sell, and she charged $10.00/hr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st_claire Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Why is too much a problem? I think it's a very fair rate, and if the mom is offering it, she thinks it is fair also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanna Tomlinson Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I worried about some people paying too much when my dds started babysitting. However, I quickly realized it was a lot of work and also affected our schedule, so I was glad they were being paid well. The $7 and hour sounds fair. Here, in Ohio, my 17yo dd is Red Cross certified and has CPR training and she gets $10/hr. ~ Leanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 Why is too much a problem? There are a couple reasons. One is that I would not want dd to be paid disproportionately more than others in the area and develop a reputation for being expensive (as in--TOO expensive to hire). Another is that I hate to set the bar for babysitting fees so high that people cannot afford to hire. Another is that I don't like to overcharge when the mother will be in the house--as in, taking the real responsibility for safety--while dd is there to entertain. I don't underestimate the work involved. I know it requires skill and patience to manage small ones. Fortunately dd just loves children and does a fantastic job keeping them happy. She brings activities to do and plays with them and is great at soothing and calming. She's developed quite a reputation in our church nursery! I am very proud of her in this area, and am happy for her to have the chance to earn some money doing something she enjoys. I just want to make sure that the rate is fair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBM Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 We're north of Chicago. $7 would be about right for a mother's helper. You could also try http://www.sittercity.com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katemary63 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Not too much at all. Not at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 That sounds about right to me. Around here the prices are ridiculously low and I'm not sure how much I like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistyJ Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 We're in Scottsdale, Az. $7 is what we paid/hour for two children, and we were a bit on the low side, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I think it's just about right--possibly on the low side for a major metro area and with such little children. I wouldn't worry about it at all. Around here I'd be lucky to get a MH for that rate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Somewhere between $7 and $10 is appropriate in my neck of the woods. It's a lot of work and responsibility, regardless of whether Mom is there or not. I would be comfortable with $7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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