What would you charge for a few hours babysitting?

[Dooley]

We watch 3 very lively kids from 4 - 6 hours weekly. The mom is paying $10 an hour, but that seems too much! How much is appropriate???:bigear:

[*********]

I think babysitting prices vary quite a bit depending on your location. But I will say that here in MI, my dsd babysits pairs of her cousins (so just two at a time), and gets paid about $8/hr; which I've been informed is the going rate around here. So your $10/hr for watching three seems about right to me.

[Imperfect]

$10/hour for 3 active kids seems very reasonable to me.

[Pretty in Pink]

I think that is very reasonable. I pay $13.00/hr for my four children at the local drop-in.

[TammyinTN]

That's very reasonable.:001_smile:

[Gratia271]

That's very reasonable.:001_smile:

:iagree:

[susankenny]

I would personally charge more than $10 for 3 kids if I were babysitting. I made $10 ten years ago for 2 kids when I was babysitting in grad school. I definitely think you should get paid at least that amount... not less!

 

Susan

[Gooblink]

Oh, yeah. $10 is a bargain. I paid over $20 for babysitters through a nanny service and routinely $7-$10 for teens to come and sit with my two boys (who are very quiet, for boys).

 

And it's been several years since I've used a sitter, so those rates are even old. :)

[Haiku]

Ten dollars an hour for 3 kids is appropriate.

 

Tara

[fairfarmhand]

I'd consider $10/hr a great bargain!

[Desert Rat]

For my area, $10/hour is very reasonable.

[Jumping In Puddles]

I pay an adult babysitter $15/hr for 2 kids.

[TravelingChris]

That is a bargain. My dd gets 10/hr for one rambunctious kid around here.

[Jennifer in MI]

We used to pay $12 - $15/hour for four kids. I guess that explains why we didn't do it often! Now, my 14 yo watches them for short periods.

[Tutor]

My dd13 gets $8-$10/ hour for babysitting up to three children. I do full-time daycare and once figured out my hourly rate. It was depressing. :(

[Dooley]

Guess that shows you how out of it I am!! I have used our older two kids for a long time, so I haven't paid any babysitters....

 

I did daycare about 12 years ago, and I was just thinking of what I would charge in this kind of situation. I simply could not come to a price that felt right to me. Wow, moms have to pay a lot, huh? Thanks all of you, I no longer feel like I am taking advantage of this mom! ;)

[May]

My oldest dd charges $15 an hour for 2-3 kids. She has a few Red Cross certifications so she feels she can charge more.

[pryde55]

I pay my neighbors' teens $8 for my two. $10 for three sounds about right to me. Also, what level of interaction do you have with them? If you are heavily involved with them, perhaps more than $10 (say $12) might be appropriate. But $10, not excessive.

[Daisy]

Agreeing with others, I expect to pay $10 per hour for babysitting.

 

Though if asked how much I'd charge, I'd respond with priceless. I can't stand babysitting. LOL.

[redheadeddaughter]

10 bucks for 3 is cheapo! You should feel NO GUILT. My goodness. I can't even tell you what I pay per hour to watch my 2 kids around here... almost twice as much. Not that I do it often. I'm kind of weird about leaving my kids... even with someone really nice. But 10 bucks an hour for trustworthy care? Deal of the decade.

[Catwoman]

$10 is an INCREDIBLE BARGAIN!!!

 

In our area, it costs far more than that per hour for one child.

 

Cat

[LarlaB]

I pay a mommy-friend $25 for about 2.5 hours of watching our 2 kiddos for date night. :) Sounds right to me. ;)

[EarleneW]

I think that is fair.

[Cathy in IL]

I pay $12 an hour for my 4, and that is low for Chicago. I know it varies regionally, but $10 sounds fair.