How much would you pay a baby sitter. . .

[Marie in Oh]

for all day Friday, overnight, and all day Saturday for 5 girls ages 9 down to 2? Dh and I have a chance to go over night to the Midwest Homeschool Conference. I usually pay my sitters well-- 12.00/ hour. Do you pay an hourly rate or a daily rate or what??? Thanks!

[tiffany k]

I've got 5 kids also (2-8) and I pay $12/hour also. I would offer $100/day and give them a nice tip or gift when I returned.

[MamaT]

I did this once years ago, before I had a dc old enough to do it for free! I think I paid them $100.00. You probably need to be very clear about what you expect as far as picking up, doing any dishes used, etc.

[Peek a Boo]

I've got 5 kids also (2-8) and I pay $12/hour also. I would offer $100/day and give them a nice tip or gift when I returned.

 

 

This is about what I have done also.

 

I think a daily rate is absolutely reasonable. Daycares do something similar: their daily rate is MUCH higher than their weekly rate, and their hourly rates are usually higher than their daily rates ;)

[Barb_]

My oldest has done this for $75 a day for 2 kids. For five kids, $100 a day seems reasonable.

 

Barb

[SonshineLearner]

I would so try to get someone to do a switch with me. But, that's just me I guess. Wouldn't it be great to have a weekend where someone else would watch your kiddos?

 

Carrie:-)

[Suzanne in ABQ]

$100 a day, so $200 total. For five kids, I wouldn't have a young teenager do it, unless she had a "team-mate", like a sister, to share the care, especially of the young ones. I would want at least a college student, or an adult, and I would expect to pay them well for their time and expertise. I would expect them to keep the house picked up, and the dishes done, and the children clean, and well cared for.

[Marie in Oh]

$100 a day, so $200 total. For five kids, I wouldn't have a young teenager do it, unless she had a "team-mate", like a sister, to share the care, especially of the young ones. I would want at least a college student, or an adult, and I would expect to pay them well for their time and expertise. I would expect them to keep the house picked up, and the dishes done, and the children clean, and well cared for.

 

She is a sophmore in college so she is 20. She is an absolute gem. Her parents are the ones in our church everyone asks how they turned out 5 super good kids.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I was thinking 200-250 so you are all in my ball park.

[Pamela H in Texas]

I was thinking $200-ish...with a tip, that would still be under $250 :)

[Erica in PA]

for all day Friday, overnight, and all day Saturday for 5 girls ages 9 down to 2? Dh and I have a chance to go over night to the Midwest Homeschool Conference. I usually pay my sitters well-- 12.00/ hour. Do you pay an hourly rate or a daily rate or what??? Thanks!

 

I haven't done this myself, so I could be way off, but I was thinking somewhere around $50 per day, so $100 total. As a teenager I would have thought that was a good amount of money for two days' work. Actually, I would *still* consider that a good amount of money for two days' work! :D

[PariSarah]

. . . that I would normally pay.

 

I think I paid $800 when someone watched ds for a week while we were in Kenya. It seemed reasonable to us and the babysitter, whom I normally paid $10 an hour.

[EarleneW]

I have 4 and pay $100/day when we are out of town. In addition I either leave ready made meals or money for pizza.

[Tracey in TX]

$100/day is reasonable. I've paid $150-200 for a weekend for my children when they were younger.

[phathui5]

I haven't done this myself, so I could be way off, but I was thinking somewhere around $50 per day, so $100 total. As a teenager I would have thought that was a good amount of money for two days' work. Actually, I would *still* consider that a good amount of money for two days' work! :D

 

Her sitter isn't a teenager. I think that $200 would be fair.

[unsinkable]

No offense meant, just a question.

 

Why tip a babysitter? My feeling is that you pay them a reasonable amount that is agreed upon. If you are going to tip them, why not just say that is the amount you'll pay?

 

In this case: instead of $100/day for 2 days = $200. If you give a $20 tip (or what ever amount) why not just offer $110 a day in the beginning?

 

We're talking about caring for kids --- wouldn't you be nervous about someone who does a better job looking for a tip when caring for KIDS?

[Peek a Boo]

No offense meant, just a question.

 

Why tip a babysitter? My feeling is that you pay them a reasonable amount that is agreed upon. If you are going to tip them, why not just say that is the amount you'll pay?

 

In this case: instead of $100/day for 2 days = $200. If you give a $20 tip (or what ever amount) why not just offer $110 a day in the beginning?

 

We're talking about caring for kids --- wouldn't you be nervous about someone who does a better job looking for a tip when caring for KIDS?

 

I wouldn't state that I'm offering a tip upfront.

First off, I wouldn't hire anyone to watch my kids that long unless I already knew they were gonna do a great job. And it wouldn't be a teen. But since they are watching My Angels :D then I think an extra Thank You gift is appropriate --great sitters are hard to come by, and it is worth every extra to let them know how much they are appreciated.

 

Chances are my idea of a Tip would either be a non-monetary gift or [if monetary] money that I had budgeted for my trip that i was able to save --paying it forward, so to speak.