Babysitting Rates

[Teresa in MO]

my 18 yo dd has the opportunity to start babysitting a 4 mo baby for 2 8 hour days a week, so 16 hours a week.  This would be at our house, which is 5 minutes away from the mom's place of work.  She is going to meet the mom and dad next week.  What would you expect the weekly pay to be?  

[Tita Gidge]

What are the rates at local daycares? This might be a good place to start since rates vary so wildly. It'll give you an idea of what people are willing to pay in your area.

 

I've never hired a sitter but my neighbor pays my kids $12 per hour for the first kid and $3 for each kid after. She hires them when she hosts dinner parties, so not on a regular basis. There are a few families they babysit for a handful of times each year - again, not on a weekly basis - who offer $8-10/hour. The only newborns my kids have watched are their siblings, so no help there, but it's a lot of work so maybe an extra $1-2 per hour is appropriate.

 

Most of my kids are under 18 but all have the Red Cross babysitter certification and the older one have additional Red Cross training that they've earned for work or scouts. Nobody usually asks about those, but once they find out my kids have been told that it's a reason they've been hired back for more jobs. If she's had that training, she can probably expect more also. And if she hasn't, she may want to attend training for her own peace of mind whether she's paid extra or not. It's a big responsibility to watch an infant for that long of a day!

 

 

 

[Arcadia]

Drop off infantcare (1:1) is about $2000/mth while toddlercare (1 caregiver : 2 toddlers) is $1500/month for weekdays only. Since baby is 4months old, you have to check what is your local area's infantcare rates are.

[prairiewindmomma]

It's about $60/day for infant care, on average.

 

For hourly stuff, I pay $10/hr.

[EmilyGF]

Super localized. 

 

I pay $15/hour.

 

I got $12/hour when I graduated high school in my super high COL childhood area.

 

Emily

[zoobie]

Check rates on care.com and local mom groups. It's going to vary so much!

[Tsuga]

my 18 yo dd has the opportunity to start babysitting a 4 mo baby for 2 8 hour days a week, so 16 hours a week.  This would be at our house, which is 5 minutes away from the mom's place of work.  She is going to meet the mom and dad next week.  What would you expect the weekly pay to be?  

 

Look on Care.com, rates for sitters her age.

 

In our area, it's about 15 for teens, 20 for adults with cars. Minimum wage is going up to $15 and I want better than minimum wage for my kids. Oh well.

 

But some people will take as low as 10. Not many but some--particularly younger teens or those without experience.

[eternalsummer]

For an infant, I'd expect to pay $20/hour, so $320/week.  

[Ali in OR]

My respite care providers for my disabled dd are paid $14-$15 per hour by the state. They are adults who can drive and handle medical issues like seizures--I would consider them the top of the pay curve (or should be) for this area. Your daughter is an adult who can drive, so her rate should be higher than a teen baby sitter. Lots of responsibility caring for an infant, but it's not as physically taxing as some care jobs I think (naps!). But the fair rate is really going to depend on what similar care costs in your area.

[gypsymama]

OMG. Yeah HIGHLY localized and you should call daycares plus check care.com and other resources to find going rates in your area. I live in a low COL area so these rates are extremely shocking. Daycares here get $75-125/wk per child depending on age (the $125 being small infants). For a job like you're looking at with a small baby I'd say about $25/day especially if she has had any childcare training. If not the going rate is usually $15/day or $3/hr which ever is higher.

 

Wow! The prices that most of you quoted above are what adults make here at SKILLED jobs. NO ONE here makes $15/hr without working a higher end/skilled/training required job. Min wage is $7.25 and most "average" jobs are $9-12/hr. Of course on the other hand you can rent a *nice* 3 bed/2 bath house for $500/mo easily.

 

 

[eternalsummer]

I don't think one-person care is comparable, rate-wise (or value-wise) to daycare rates.

But yes, COL makes a huge difference in wages.  

[Joker]

I think it also depends upon whether it is short or long term. I was always paid more for short term because we knew it was ending. If it's long term, I would expect around $75-100/week. If it's short term (just for summer...), I would expect around $150/week. 

[foxbridgeacademy]

OMG. Yeah HIGHLY localized and you should call daycares plus check care.com and other resources to find going rates in your area. I live in a low COL area so these rates are extremely shocking. Daycares here get $75-125/wk per child depending on age (the $125 being small infants). For a job like you're looking at with a small baby I'd say about $25/day especially if she has had any childcare training. If not the going rate is usually $15/day or $3/hr which ever is higher.

 

Wow! The prices that most of you quoted above are what adults make here at SKILLED jobs. NO ONE here makes $15/hr without working a higher end/skilled/training required job. Min wage is $7.25 and most "average" jobs are $9-12/hr. Of course on the other hand you can rent a *nice* 3 bed/2 bath house for $500/mo easily.

:iagree:  I thought about doing a bit of childcare/drop in to make some extra $$ but the market is saturated and the pay is low.

 

You can get weekly rates of $150 at the big daycare centers and as little as $100 for in home care(that's 45 hours per week), daily runs around $15.... for the entire day.  On the other hand a nice/ok 3 bed 2ba house will run minimum of $1000.  :glare:

[Teresa in MO]

thanks, everyone.  The number the mom through out was $35/day for an 8 hour day. That seems low to me, less than $5 hour.  Care.com gives average babysitting rate for our area at $10.75. Average day care rate seems to be around $150/week.

[eternalsummer]

I wouldn't take less than minimum wage, and I wouldn't pay less than a living wage.

 

If she were taking care of 2 infants, or 3 kids total, or something, it might be different.  But the mom is not getting daycare-level care for her infant, or even in-home daycare level care; she's getting a nanny.   Nannies are more expensive.

[frogger]

That does sound like she is taking advantage. Like the posters said above it is extremely localized but really I got more than that taking care of a toddler for awhile and I was bringing my own child with me. 

[bettyandbob]

You need to check locally.

 

I'd consider less than typical hourly because this is a standing thing with two full days.

 

I'd consider less than the two day rate at a licensed daycare. Not all daycares offer two day/week rates. You have to look around.

 

One thing she might negotiate is a set fee for those days

--what rate would be if the parent wanted to tack on more time onto one of the days if she calls and asks you to keep baby another hour or so.so you have the rate for all hours between agreed time no matter what (even if baby is picked up early, because you made yourself available) and a rate outside of the standard hours.

 

Your dd needs to consider whether to charge for cancellation. If she's blocking Tues and Thurs to do this she can't ever work elsewhere those days so she should have some compensation for cancelling.

[bettyandbob]

thanks, everyone. The number the mom through out was $35/day for an 8 hour day. That seems low to me, less than $5 hour. Care.com gives average babysitting rate for our area at $10.75. Average day care rate seems to be around $150/week.

That's sounds insanely low. I do live in a high COL. However that rate is low that I'd be afraid that after taking the job the woman would further take advantage --regularly late for pick up without compensation or picking up early and cutting compensation significantly or other stuff.

 

Does you dd have no other job options? How long will this commitment last?

[LucyStoner]

$35/day is far too low for an 18 year old.

 

I paid a young teen mother's helper more than that per hour for playing with 1 child while I was home studying.

 

Here, I would guesstimate an 18 year old would get ~$15 without experience and more with experience. Nearly 20 years ago as an older teen nanny I was paid more than double that.

Edited June 2, 2016 by LucyStoner

[eternalsummer]

If I were the woman offering that rate I'd be afraid my childcare provider would bolt as soon as a better paying opportunity came along (and at $5/hr, it shouldn't take long for something better to come along).  Then I'd have to deal with turnover, which can be stressful for the child.

[Chris in VA]

No way she should take that pay, I don't care how old she is. Do not look at daycares to determine babysitting rates, even home daycares.

I would not take less than 10 an hour from this woman.

Your dd can say something like, "Oh, sorry but my rate is normally $15 an hour. Since we are so far apart in expectations, I am willing to go down to 10 an hour, but really can't go lower than that."

If she can't reach an understanding, have your dd walk away, having learned the lesson to set her rates before agreeing to sit.

[ikslo]

I'd pay my child to not take that job.

 

Also, negotiate per hour, not per day, or the mom has no incentive to be home on time. Even if not on purpose, your dd would end up working extra for no guarantee of more money.

[madteaparty]

I pay $17 for my two which is too much in my rural area but was market in the city. I don't want to scrimp on who's watching my kid, especially with an infant!

[EmilyGF]

A nanny in my area runs $20-25 hour for an older nanny. 

 

Many people do a nanny share where they have two families each chipping in and leaving the nanny with two children in one of the family's homes due to the cost.

 

Emily

[MedicMom]

I pay $35/day for my four year old in day care. She goes two days a week and it is a family day care. I hired a part time nanny and I pay $50-75 a day, depending on whether or not she has all three kids.

[zoobie]

thanks, everyone. The number the mom through out was $35/day for an 8 hour day. That seems low to me, less than $5 hour. Care.com gives average babysitting rate for our area at $10.75. Average day care rate seems to be around $150/week.

For a tiny baby? Mom is way off, and she's getting 1:1 care, not daycare in a center.

[TammyS]

OMG. Yeah HIGHLY localized and you should call daycares plus check care.com and other resources to find going rates in your area. I live in a low COL area so these rates are extremely shocking. Daycares here get $75-125/wk per child depending on age (the $125 being small infants). For a job like you're looking at with a small baby I'd say about $25/day especially if she has had any childcare training. If not the going rate is usually $15/day or $3/hr which ever is higher.

 

Wow! The prices that most of you quoted above are what adults make here at SKILLED jobs. NO ONE here makes $15/hr without working a higher end/skilled/training required job. Min wage is $7.25 and most "average" jobs are $9-12/hr. Of course on the other hand you can rent a *nice* 3 bed/2 bath house for $500/mo easily.

 

Wow.  Where do you live?  I live in a low COL and rents for a house like that would be $1300+

[TammyS]

thanks, everyone.  The number the mom through out was $35/day for an 8 hour day. That seems low to me, less than $5 hour.  Care.com gives average babysitting rate for our area at $10.75. Average day care rate seems to be around $150/week.

 

Your daughter could make more money in that time doing other things.  The only reason I would even consider it is if it's convenient for her in some big way (like she can study during naps or something).  Also, if you take it, mom has to pay up front for the week, no refunds.  I have seen a TON of young people get not only low rates, but not paid at all.

[Arcadia]

thanks, everyone. The number the mom through out was $35/day for an 8 hour day. That seems low to me, less than $5 hour. Care.com gives average babysitting rate for our area at $10.75. Average day care rate seems to be around $150/week.

I am assuming the mom divided the average weekly rate by 5 and thought she made an okay offer. Day care for infants is one to one care and they have extra staff so someone can go to the restroom or lunch break.

 

My friend's nanny was paid a day rate for weekday office hours and an overtime rate for when her hubby or her couldn't make it home by 6pm. Her hubby is usually home by 5:30pm but sometimes meetings ran late and he gets caught in the evening commute jam.

[TammyS]

If she is going to have sole care of the baby, she's a nanny. Are there nanny agencies locally you can call to get an idea of what nannies are paid in your neck of the woods ? I'm assuming your dd is untrained, so she could expect to be paid less than a trained nanny, but even so, $35/day is just taking advantage. 

 

But doesn't a nanny do more than keep a child clean and fed? Like take them to the park, maybe routine doc appts, light housekeeping etc?

[Snickerdoodle]

Teens in my area make 15 dollars an hour.

[mysticmomma]

That's a really low ball offer no matter what the area.

[MotherOfBoys]

In our area it depends on the moms wage. One friend pays $2 an hour per child. Most jobs here are minimum wage or $10 an hour for this mom. Like substitute teachers, Secretary, or department store. I wouldnt expect more than the mom makes. Your daughter could see it as a good future reference. Maybe the mom figured you take care of your childs needs so this is just extra spending cash and a good reference.

 

Obviously this varies widely by location.

[gypsymama]

Wow.  Where do you live?  I live in a low COL and rents for a house like that would be $1300+

 

I live in the Ozark mtns. We do have higher cost housing if wanted but you can look at rental listings and easily find a house in the $500 range for rent. When we house hunted there were dozens of houses for less than $100K and quite a few choices (30+) for less than $50K. I guess I'm just shocked at the prices people are quoting since it's $15/hr and up. Like I said above *very few* people here make $15/hr and certainly not more money than that. Prices were the same when I lived in MS as well. The only people that got paid those kind of rates were oilfield. Of course housing sucked in MS though. With all the dangerous areas the safe areas to live were really expensive with few options. Rent started at $600 and housing prices started at $80K for anything even partly considerable. You went oilfield or bust basically. We make less here but COL is low and it's a more rural/small town area. Not city. 

[Miss Peregrine]

I will never understand why people want to scrimp on care for their child, the most precious thing to them.

[vonfirmath]

OMG. Yeah HIGHLY localized and you should call daycares plus check care.com and other resources to find going rates in your area. I live in a low COL area so these rates are extremely shocking. Daycares here get $75-125/wk per child depending on age (the $125 being small infants). For a job like you're looking at with a small baby I'd say about $25/day especially if she has had any childcare training. If not the going rate is usually $15/day or $3/hr which ever is higher.

 

Wow! The prices that most of you quoted above are what adults make here at SKILLED jobs. NO ONE here makes $15/hr without working a higher end/skilled/training required job. Min wage is $7.25 and most "average" jobs are $9-12/hr. Of course on the other hand you can rent a *nice* 3 bed/2 bath house for $500/mo easily.

 

At-home daycare here (you take the child to the provider's home) is $125-$150/wk. Even for infants.  Center care is $200-$225/wk for infants and goes down afterward.

 

I pay a teenager $5/kid/hr to take care of my kids in the evening. But for regular all-day care for my 4 year old I pay $125/wk at a center.  (They have a 3-day a week rate. But it is something like $95/wk and may even have gone up to $100. They don't have 2 days a week care. You have to pay for 3 minimum.)

 

I think we paid $30-$50/day when we were paying for day here and there care for DS when he was an infant and my husband was in school. But it was pick up care. Different people on different days.  And only the hours he was commuting and in school. Not all day.

Edited June 2, 2016 by vonfirmath

[gypsymama]

thanks, everyone.  The number the mom through out was $35/day for an 8 hour day. That seems low to me, less than $5 hour.  Care.com gives average babysitting rate for our area at $10.75. Average day care rate seems to be around $150/week.

 

In our area it depends on the moms wage. One friend pays $2 an hour per child. Most jobs here are minimum wage or $10 an hour for this mom. Like substitute teachers, Secretary, or department store. I wouldnt expect more than the mom makes. Your daughter could see it as a good future reference. Maybe the mom figured you take care of your childs needs so this is just extra spending cash and a good reference.

 

Obviously this varies widely by location.

 

This! It definitely changes depending on the purpose of the child care and the income of the family. 

 

Another thing to note (and was mentioned in another thread) that an in home care provider can keep more than one child (varies depending on the state and the age of the children). If your daughter has the legal ability to keep more kids at the same time to increase her income it makes even more sense. If the mother expects one on one care, no other children allowed to be kept, then the cost should raise.

 

My cousin has done in home care for years (in a low income area) and usually gets $3/hr/kid. Since she can legally keep 6 kids that's what she does. So each mom (making $8-11/hr at their day job) is only paying her $3/hr per child and that may seem low but with 6 kids she's making $18/hr total - double or nearly double what each mom she babysits for makes. 

[LucyStoner]

But doesn't a nanny do more than keep a child clean and fed? Like take them to the park, maybe routine doc appts, light housekeeping etc?

When I was a nanny we definitely left the house a lot but it was also for a 2-3 year old and a 5-6 year old. The park was a daily thing unless the weather was horrible.

 

I never took my nanny charges to routine doctor appointments. I did take the older girl to ballet and stuff sometimes.

 

I also limited cleaning to making sure any messes we made were cleaned up. So I would do the lunch dishes, wipe up spills, and make sure they picked up their playroom (helping of course). I'd vacuum up if they'd made a mess that required it.

[goldberry]

I think $35 is low no matter what area, unless your daughter is trying to help out or do a good deed.  My DD is making $10/hr for 2yo care plus cleaning, and $8/hr for 3yo care only, no cleaning, with mom working out in her workshop.  That mom also throws in an extra $5 for gas occasionally.

 

1:1 care is definitely a step up from daycare.  If she wants daycare pricing she should find a daycare.

[LucyStoner]

Definitely can not base babysitting/nanny rates on daycare rates.

 

I just remembered that when I used to do summer care as a young teen for a couple of neighbor families (three kids total, at one of their houses) each family paid me $150/a week and considered it a deal. So I was getting $300 a week more than 20 years ago.

 

I would only take $35 a day from someone I would be willing to help for free but they insisted on chipping in for gas, food and activities to make it so me helping them wasn't costing me money.

 

Also if the mom thinks that is fair pay for one on one care, she likely will be difficult to work with. Low ballers seem to be the ones who want to be late, don't leave food for your meals and ask you to also be their housekeeper for no extra pay. I learned to avoid those people when I was a teen babysitter.

 

I think an internship or a regular PT job might be a better use of her time.

Edited June 2, 2016 by LucyStoner

[Ottakee]

I will never understand why people want to scrimp on care for their child, the most precious thing to them.

Depending on the area they live in, the rates quoted here might be far above what the mom earns, before taxes. Most jobs in our area start at $9-10/hour.

[TX Native]

We live in mid sized city with average COL area, not too high and not too low. 10 years ago, all responsible college aged sitters charged around $10/hr (no less than $8/hr) for baby care, and the retired lady that was like a grandma to kids in her care charged $12/hr for me one day/week (friend rate) and $14/hr for another baby she kept. College students charged around $12/hr for more than one child 10 years ago. I am not sure what the going rate is now, but I guess around $12/hr for a responsible college aged sitter for a baby would be the going rate. I never paid less than $5/hr/child for Mother's Day Out or drop in care. Even though it is cheaper to do daycare, the daycare workers get paid more than $5/hr for their time, probably closer to $12/hr. There were usually 2 workers to 6 infants, I think, but had a helper that rotated in and out of the room for breaks. My co-worker who lived way out in the country paid closer to $5/hr to a retired lady down the street from her for baby care. She dropped the baby off at the lady's house on her work days. Again, that was 10 years ago.

 

$35/day is a total lowball! ETA: I received no less than $5/hr when I started babysitting 25 years ago. Usually it was a couple kids, rarely a baby. For 3-5 kids I received around $7/hr most of the time, but was getting paid close to $10/hr for 2-5 kids when I quit babysitting about 20 years ago.

Edited June 2, 2016 by TX native

[gypsymama]

Depending on the area they live in, the rates quoted here might be far above what the mom earns, before taxes. Most jobs in our area start at $9-10/hour.

 

Same here. No way could anyone here pay $15/hr for childcare since that is about 150% of most people's incomes. Even if you had a two parent household with mom and dad both working for $10/hr the couple would end up with $5/hr left after paying the sitter??? That isn't at all reasonable. (Those rates might be considered reasonable for date night sitting and such where the parents are paying for a couple of hours for a dinner out but definitely not reasonable for hourly while the parents work pay)

 

Definitely can not base babysitting/nanny rates on daycare rates.

 

I just remembered that when I used to do summer care as a young teen for a couple of neighbor families (three kids total, at one of their houses) each family paid me $150/a week and considered it a deal. So I was getting $300 a week more than 20 years ago.

 

I would only take $35 a day from someone I would be willing to help for free but they insisted on chipping in for gas, food and activities to make it so me helping them wasn't costing me money.

 

Also if the mom thinks that is fair pay for one on one care, she likely will be difficult to work with. Low ballers seem to be the ones who want to be late, don't leave food for your meals and ask you to also be their housekeeper for no extra pay. I learned to avoid those people when I was a teen babysitter.

 

I think an internship or a regular PT job might be a better use of her time.

 

It really depends on the area. In my area that amount would likely be 40-50% of the mom's income. That's not low ball at all.

[LucyStoner]

Same here. No way could anyone here pay $15/hr for childcare since that is about 150% of most people's incomes. Even if you had a two parent household with mom and dad both working for $10/hr the couple would end up with $5/hr left after paying the sitter??? That isn't at all reasonable. (Those rates might be considered reasonable for date night sitting and such where the parents are paying for a couple of hours for a dinner out but definitely not reasonable for hourly while the parents work pay)

 

 

It really depends on the area. In my area that amount would likely be 40-50% of the mom's income. That's not low ball at all.

My area is one of the most expensive childcare markets in the country. That said checking the national averages, $35 a day for one on one care in the employer's home is a favor in parts of pretty much every state.

 

People for whom $35 is 40-50 percent of their income are not usually able to hire a nanny for two days a week...they use group in home daycare or kin care for younger kids. There are federal, state and local childcare subsidies here for women making that little. Women who need childcare at that income level here would be receiving a daycare voucher, with or with out a co-pay depending on their income level. The value of the voucher could easily exceed their take home income if they have two or more kids.

 

Sitters who come to your house and are taking care of no other children? They don't need to set their rates based on the average income for everyone in the entire market who needs childcare...they set their rates on what the subset of the market who can hire that kind of care is willing to pay. When you make $9hr your options for a lot of things are limited...housing, food choices, the kind of car you drive AND the kind of childcare you can afford.

Edited June 2, 2016 by LucyStoner

[MrsWeasley]

I babysit, as an adult. If I don't have my kids with me, I charge 15/hr. If someone is doing a sitter share, I add an extra $5 per family. If I have my own kids with me, I knock it down to $10/hr. Teenagers often make less, but I still couldn't imagine paying a sitter less than $8/hr. 

[Teresa in MO]

In our area it depends on the moms wage. One friend pays $2 an hour per child. Most jobs here are minimum wage or $10 an hour for this mom. Like substitute teachers, Secretary, or department store. I wouldnt expect more than the mom makes. Your daughter could see it as a good future reference. Maybe the mom figured you take care of your childs needs so this is just extra spending cash and a good reference.

 

Obviously this varies widely by location.

the mom is an RN and works at a pediatric rehabilitation hospital that my dd worked at before she married and moved away.  They make good money.  Since we live only 5 minutes away from the hospital, the baby would be coming here to our house and my dd would watch her here.

[gypsymama]

My area is one of the most expensive childcare markets in the country. That said checking the national averages, $35 a day for one on one care in the employer's home is a favor in parts of pretty much every state.

 

People for whom $35 is 40-50 percent of their income are not usually able to hire a nanny for two days a week...they use group in home daycare or kin care for younger kids. There are federal, state and local childcare subsidies here for women making that little. Women who need childcare at that income level here would be receiving a daycare voucher, with or with out a co-pay depending on their income level. The value of the voucher could easily exceed their take home income if they have two or more kids.

 

Sitters who come to your house and are taking care of no other children? They don't need to set their rates based on the average income for everyone in the entire market who needs childcare...they set their rates on what the subset of the market who can hire that kind of care is willing to pay. When you make $9hr your options for a lot of things are limited...housing, food choices, the kind of car you drive AND the kind of childcare you can afford.

 

The sitter is keeping the child in her own home so she could take care of other children if she wanted to for extra money. Those subsidies that you mentioned aren't just available to everyone either. Those programs are often underfunded and it can take months or even a year or more to get child care help even if you are within the income guidelines. Why she needed two days a week of care hadn't been stated. She may have had family help for the other days she worked, the hours needed on those days may be outside of what a child care subsidy would cover (if she has one), that may be all the hours she is getting right now. Idk. I never said that anyone should work below market prices or undervalue their own time. If those are the rates in the local area then it definitely makes sense to charge that much. I only said that childcare prices vary wildly depending on the area you are in so the OP should look to area prices to determine a decent amount. 

 

ETA: I wasn't talking about the $35/day being out of range either. The $15/hr+ that was being repeated in the thread is out of range for many areas.

Edited June 3, 2016 by gypsymama

[LucyStoner]

The sitter is keeping the child in her own home so she could take care of other children if she wanted to for extra money. Those subsidies that you mentioned aren't just available to everyone either. Those programs are often underfunded and it can take months or even a year or more to get child care help even if you are within the income guidelines. Why she needed two days a week of care hadn't been stated. She may have had family help for the other days she worked, the hours needed on those days may be outside of what a child care subsidy would cover (if she has one), that may be all the hours she is getting right now. Idk. I never said that anyone should work below market prices or undervalue their own time. If those are the rates in the local area then it definitely makes sense to charge that much. I only said that childcare prices vary wildly depending on the area you are in so the OP should look to area prices to determine a decent amount.

 

ETA: I wasn't talking about the $35/day being out of range either. The $15/hr+ that was being repeated in the thread is out of range for many areas.

The OP's daughter is going to the family's house and, I assume, is not taking care of her own children at the same time. Again, different level of childcare services. You can't compare home daycare rates or a SAHM in a LCOL area taking in a couple of extra kids with what is appropriate to pay someone coming to the employer's home and providing one on one care. You are hearing the $15/hr because it is super common as a bare minimum in large metropolitan areas, where a lot of people live. The people paying that for more than a random date night aren't making $9/hr, they are making large professional level salaries. Edited June 3, 2016 by LucyStoner

[gypsymama]

The OP's daughter is going to the family's house and, I assume, is not taking care of her own children at the same time. Again, different level of childcare services. You can't compare home daycare rates or a SAHM in a LCOL area taking in a couple of extra kids with what is appropriate to pay someone coming to the employer's home and providing one on one care.

 

The OP said in the original post that the babysitting would be done at her house not the family's house. I agree that home daycare rates are different than one on one care but this is a home childcare situation. 

[purplejackmama]

I'd pay my child to not take that job.

 

Also, negotiate per hour, not per day, or the mom has no incentive to be home on time. Even if not on purpose, your dd would end up working extra for no guarantee of more money.

Great advice! I wouldn't have thought of this.