For those who work and use a babysitter

[Caribbean Queen]

I posted a few days ago about looking for a part-time job. I got one already! Yay!

 

My friend and I are going to exchange babysitting services, plus my husband and relatives, will be watching the children for me at times.

 

Sometimes everybody's schedules won't mesh and I will need to hire a babysitter. If you use a babysitter to watch your children while you work, how much do you pay? How much money do you make per hour?

 

Do you have any tips that have helped make using medicore childcare better? My childcare providers are nice people, but they are the types to want to feed children junk food and stick them in front of the TV for hours. I was thinking I would provide ready-made food and tell them at X o'clock they can watch a short DVD. Maybe I should rotate the children's toys to give them some (relatively) new things to play with. My children occupy their time playing nicely with each other IF the TV is off.

[Chris in VA]

Well, I AM a babysitter, so this is from "the other side," lol!

My client family does not allow TV at all (nor should they--baby is about 15 months). They tell me what to feed their child, giving me options that are always healthy. I've helped them out by bringing in more books and blocks, and a few other things.

For 2 and 4 year olds, I'd really want some guidance on what to do. I can find plenty, but I would respect someone who wanted us to

Take a walk and play outside (if possible)--show them the stroller, etc., and leave jackets accessible

Eat at a certain time (or within a time frame)--leave a menu and either prepared food or show where it is

Keep the TV off--

Maybe provide an art project (art, not craft) or cooking project of some sort

 

In other words, a little structure goes a long way.

 

Another thing--I write at least a page to my "mom," telling her what we did and when. We started using a blank book to write back and forth--she leaves me a note with the above info for the day, also telling me how H. slept, what her schedule seems to be (she is in that Nap Transition time! lol), what they have learned or any new words that have cropped up, etc. I write my note as I go along the day. Since I'm usually there for at least 8 hours, there's a lot to say!

 

I get paid 12 an hour. I'm worth every penny. Hope you find someone good!

PS. Check your TV--some TV's get warm when they've been turned on (some are warm all the time). Put the remote somewhere inaccessible if you must. Yes, you have to trust your babysitter, but until you know them well, feel free to take precautions, iykwim. Call during the day, too. Your kids are old enough to tell you what's been going on.

[Stacie]

I can't help with the pay rate for babysitters, but for three younger children I would expect to pay well and get the best care you can afford.

 

As for the food and tv, I'm guessing you're asking this about the paid sitters and not your family and friends. I'd make a very specific list, possibly with times. Include screen time in the list if allowed, but also include other things such as craft time, music time, snack time, etc. If you are paying them, they are working for you and should follow your schedule. Prepare healthy snacks and meals that are easy to serve, have craft items ready to use, have board games out, set out some good books for read alouds, outline any school that your oldest needs to do and they should be fine.

 

Sitters will not do things the way you are accustomed to doing them, but different doesn't always mean wrong. You're giving your children a nice change of pace and the ability to learn to adapt to different situations easily. Best wishes on your new job!!

[Caribbean Queen]

Oh my goodness $12 an hour! Good for you.

 

Can any lower-middle class or low income mothers who work and use babysitters chime in?

[Mabelen]

I guess the rate really depends on your area and how many hours a week you will need. The more irregular or unpredictable your schedule the higher the rate you will be expected to pay.

 

While I worked part time my sahm neighbor, who has a son the same age as my daughter, took care of my youngest. My hours were fixed and I paid her on a weekly basis. This was 2 and 3 years ago and at that time I used to pay $8.00/hour. If I needed a babysitter to go out once in a while with my husband I had to pay a minimum of $10.00/hour with a different babysitter.

[meet me in paris]

I guess the rate really depends on your area and how many hours a week you will need. The more irregular or unpredictable your schedule the higher the rate you will be expected to pay.

 

 

:iagree:

I think pay rates are a regional thing. In the DC area, it's about $5 per hour per child (that's why I work from home mostly - and when my dh is out of town, I take off from work. I can't afford that on a regular basis). It's generally cheaper if you have some sort of contract for x amount of hours per week, but if you're looking for fill-in sitting, you'll be paying a premium. PT jobs are often not worth it!

[TxMama]

The going rate where I live is $50/day.

[Renee in NC]

Oh my goodness $12 an hour! Good for you.

 

Can any lower-middle class or low income mothers who work and use babysitters chime in?

 

I was thinking the same thing. I bet that is more than you are making!;)

 

Could you get a job as a babysitter?:lol:

 

I paid mine in NC $165 per week for 2 children, but that was for 12 hour days.

 

If the hours you would need someone are in the afternoon/evening, could you use a teen? They may charge you less. A friend of mine is figuring she will have to pay as much as she makes when she does need a sitter, but figures it balances out with the times she doesn't need one.

 

ETA: This is why I didn't get a job when we moved here - it was going to be more than I made to put them in daycare.

[VA6336]

Ouch, ouch, ouch! Boy oh boy and I in the wrong career! I should have been a childcare worker!

 

Only on very rare occasions can we afford a babysitter for our three (5, 4, and 22 mos) and when we do, we use a fellow homeschooling family's teenager. We usually pay $2/hour/kid. So, $6 an hour for all three. Now if I come home and find the house in good shape, the kids happy and worn out then I'll round up by a few dollars (say it was 4 hours, which would be $24, I'd give her $30).

 

A good friend of mine worked nights/weekends as a nurse and had to have a sitter at the house on Mondays while her husband went to work and she slept (having worked a 12 hour shift the night before) and she paid the same, $2/hour/kid. Again, in both cases it was a fellow homeschooling family's teenager. And we live in west TN if that helps, where the cost of living is MUCH lower than say, DC or NY!

[Caribbean Queen]

I paid mine in NC $165 per week for 2 children, but that was for 12 hour days.

 

That is about what people pay here. How do people find those $12 an hour babysitting jobs? I want to apply. :bigear:

 

I guess I'll have to pay all the money I make to a babysitter on the days I can't swap child care with my friend or use family. I was just thinking maybe if both my friend and I are working on the same day we could hire a babysitter to watch all 4 of our kids and both chip in to pay the sitter. At least I might come out $5 or $10 ahead that way. Sigh.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Around here, the going rate is about $12 an hour. When I went back to work and my kids were 2 and 3, I was lucky to find an awesome babysitter for $10 an hour. I was making $17 an hour, so after taxes and expenses, I was basically giving the babysitter my entire paycheck! It wasn't long before I went back to being a SAHM. It wasn't worth it to work.

[Chris in VA]

Actually, 12 is low in this area! And don't forget, I pay about 30% in taxes, so that's $8.20 an hour. And yes, I do report--I'm astounded how many families will pay in cash just so they can pay less, and will hire someone who cheats on their taxes. Who would want a dishonest person around their child?!

 

Now, keep in mind that this is for once a week, part time sitting. Daycare (family daycare) is cheaper, and of course so is corporate daycare.

So is night time sitting--my job is on a changeable day, lasts only 8-14 hours a week, and is just one child.

 

For a sitting job, I've found Care.com and Sittercity.com to be excellent resources.

[Catherine]

Good child care is very expensive. All I can really recommend is that you really look around and ask around for a good person. In some ways, family day care might be superior, though the exposure to other sick children is sometimes an issue.

 

The day care center my kids went to is excellent, play-oriented, they do not have screens of any kind and their teachers are actually educated about normal child development-many have been teaching there for more than 15 years! So it's an unusual place. They give scholarship assistance for some families. If you think your family might qualify (at our old day care, assistance is simply income-based) it might be worth checking around for something similar. Or, is there a Montessori preschool that might take your children for a reduced fee? I'm sympathetic about family who are not good sitters! Hope you find something that works.

[Renee in NC]

Actually, 12 is low in this area! And don't forget, I pay about 30% in taxes, so that's $8.20 an hour. And yes, I do report--I'm astounded how many families will pay in cash just so they can pay less, and will hire someone who cheats on their taxes. Who would want a dishonest person around their child?!

 

Now, keep in mind that this is for once a week, part time sitting. Daycare (family daycare) is cheaper, and of course so is corporate daycare.

So is night time sitting--my job is on a changeable day, lasts only 8-14 hours a week, and is just one child.

 

For a sitting job, I've found Care.com and Sittercity.com to be excellent resources.

 

Chris, I can't imagine that I would know if someone cheated on their taxes unless I was preparing their taxes. I paid my babysitter in checks or cash. Since she was not in my home, she was not my household worker, and I did not pay her as an employee. I don't know whether she claimed it or not.

 

As far as the quality of care, it's simply a reality of low income work. If you are making $8 an hour (and you really need that $8 an hour) then you do what you have to do. It's unfortunate. I like the idea of pooling children and money to hire a better babysitter, but if you do it too often you end up under the family daycare law.

[Chris in VA]

I don't mean it's wrong to pay in cash--not at all! lol

What I'm referring to is the practice of some people, who say they will pay the sitter in cash, with the intention being cheating on taxes, b/c paying in cash means the payment is not traceable. It's different than paying in cash to someone who may not have a bank account (and has trouble cashing checks) or just paying in cash for convenience. THat's ok, of course!

 

The red flag on the sitter's side is if the hiring family says something like, "We'll pay you $10 an hour, CASH." That means "You will make more than if I pay you $12, and I will be paying less, if we both just keep this a private thing between us."

The red flag on the family's side is if the sitter insists on being paid in cash, w/o explanation.

You are right, you can't tell if they are cheating, but you can tell if you are. If you have a domestic worker and you do not pay the roughly 14%, you can get into trouble.

 

But that's not you--you don't have anyone in your house, as you said. People screw up the "nanny tax" all the time--I have to make sure not to--my husband is a pastor, and my employer works for the Secret Service. Gotta be above reproach or they could both lose THEIR jobs!

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

I have 3 children ages 5-10. I work 12-hour shifts, so that makes at least 14 hour shifts for any babysitter (since I have to drive to work and back and rarely get out on time). When I have to use a sitter, I pay at least 1/4 of my take home pay.

[LibrarianMom]

Wow! I work full-time outside the home and usually post on the afterschooling forum. I pay $20 per day for my youngest who is currently 4. He's been with the same sitter since he was 6 months old. She just takes him out and about with her on errands and such. Her oldest is now old enough to do sitting as well and is our favorite come to the house sitter for the evenings. I do make sure to pay even if he isn't there and have continued to pay well even though he is out of her house for pre-school part of the day now as she is still tied down for picking him up and certain times and is a gem about letting the kids stay there if they aren't "too sick."

[Caribbean Queen]

They give scholarship assistance for some families. If you think your family might qualify (at our old day care, assistance is simply income-based) it might be worth checking around for something similar. Or, is there a Montessori preschool that might take your children for a reduced fee? I'm sympathetic about family who are not good sitters! Hope you find something that works.

 

I can't even afford the bad day cares. The Montessouri school isn't going to give me a scholarship. We don't have government subsities for child care here. I looked into Head Start (government preschool for the poor) recently and they are not accepting any more children until September.

 

My husband couldn't find enough work, but now that I got a part-time job, his work has picked up and he is too busy to watch the children. He makes more money than I do per hour, and my job is only part-time, so it is for the best.

[sleepymommy]

$12/hr is the going rate around where I am in Va too, for the occasional sitter, but it's usually less for a regular sitter that comes in for set hours every week.