To want to pay £100 for overnight babysitting in London??

[hoxtonbabe]

I am a single parent and very rarely go out at the best of times without the boys (ages 5 and 15) , I have the opportunity to get away for the weekend and after making some enquiries with a agency, it would seem the going rate for a 24 hours childminder/babysitter is £120. This doesnt seem to bad to me, however where it starts to get over budget is I then have to pay them 20% fee and then VAT, so I decided top advertise myself.

I have had some good responses, however a few have quibbled of the price. I wouldn't mind if they were saying an extra £20/30 but they are looking at nearer £200?!?

I am not sure if I am being unreasonable with my rate expectations, as I do not want a 16-18 year old watching them (my 15 year old is very good and doesn't give me trouble so I'll be dammed if I will get anyone close to his age in to corrupt him) but neither do I need a 20 year experienced nanny, as the 15 year does not need looking after as such, schucks...he irons his own clothes, tidies his room every sunday and puts his washing in the machine every sunday ready to iron in the evening for school. He buys milk and cereal when he can see it is running low, and I dont have to ask him and usually from his own money (he will make some woman very happy in time to come!)

Other than breakfast I will make sure all food is ready so all she will have to do is reheat and keep little one entertained, so not much physical work involved.

Is £100 too little??

Many thanks in advance for your responses

[iwantavuvezela]

Is it not possible to arrange a sleepover for 5 year old with a classmate and leave 15 year old on own?

[hoxtonbabe]

Iwantavuvezela: Not sure I can legally leave 15 year old? Although He wouldnt mind! LOL

I would feel uncomforable leaving him alone for that long, as good as he is he does have some special needs and not very good at think out of the box. As for little one, he/we do not really have any friends to leave him with, he only just started school in September and they are the most horrid parents I have had the misfortune to meet..its so bad I am thinking of changing schools as I can see that due to their little cliques my son will never get invited to any parties or form any real bonds, as hes already complaining that they dont really play with him :-(

[StickEmWithThePointyEnd]

I would leave the 15 year old in charge of the five year old personally, but then I would regularly babysit a neighbours 3 and 6 year olds over night (and an entire weekend once) a that age.

Make sure a trusted neighbour knows and is on hand just in case.

[grovel]

Our dogsitter charges £35 for 24 hours. This may well not be relevant but the thread got me thinking about relative values we attach to things.

[Pandemoniaa]

Not sure I can legally leave 15 year old?

It's not illegal to leave him. But you know whether he'll cope or not. I could have left mine at that age quite easily but someone would have kept an eye on them if I'd been away for a weekend. Not least because I didn't intend my house to be turned into Party Central.

[SoleSource]

At fifteen I babysat regulary for a couple working nightshifts,.sometimes overtime.

I would leave the fifteen year old too unles he is immature to the point of dangerous..

[WilsonFrickett]

Dont forget The 20% agency fee covers them vetting and reference checking the people on their books - so you'll have to do that yourself. Which seems like a lot of hassle tbh.

[gordyslovesheep]

your 15 year old sounds sensible enough to be left alone - maybe even in charge of the 5 year old

do you not have friends who would have the younger one over night?

[forevergreek]

Sorry but it sounds about right. For 24hrs I would charge £200 for your age, £240 min if a younger child who didn't sleep through.

[FelicityWasCold]

Blimey, my parents left me for a week at that age. I've a kid in my form at school who's regularly left for a week at a time at 16 (parents work on another continent at times), she used to be left with older sister, but now sister is at uni she's alone.

No issue. As a school we have no concerns about the family. -she turns up on time, in clean uniform, with h/w done and not hungry.

15 is fine, ESP just overnight. If you don't trust him with the 5yo- I think that's prob teen dependent (although would prob put a downer on any potential party) I'd find a sleepover for the little one.

[McNewPants2013]

I would ask if any of the TA in your 5 year old school would like the job.

That way the 5 year old would have someone he knows

[thegreylady]

Gosh I wish I lived near enough I'd do it like a shot!

[fraktion]

Going rate is £8-10ph and £30-50 sleepover fee.

It's all about what it's worth for someone to give up their time. Student?

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

Do they want to come to mine for the weekend?

[hoxtonbabe]

its funny how times have changed, I looked after my nephew at at age 15 and he was about 2/3.

The thing is its not just overnight, it would be leaving around 2pm and back around 2pm the next day so a good 24hours.

15 yo is fine, he is sooo not into parties, etc..I think this is where his scoial communication difficulties kick in as he doesn't like to socialise, I cant get him out the house 90% of the times! Him being like this has its benefits, but there are also downsides :-( As I mentioned he has some special needs so would I would get in in the neck something rotten if I left him to watch little man and something went wrong

Its really the little one that is the main concern. We really are quite isolated in that I do not have family, partner, nothing so totally reliant on outside help. The only neighbour/friend that could possibly help has just got evictied, smokes like a chimney and complains when I ask her to do so outside away from kids (inc the naughty stuff) and is suffering with depression...she is good friend in other aspects but not in any position to be watching my kids.

LOL @ grovel...does make you think..my cat is actually more trouble than my kids!

[hoxtonbabe]

Fraktion..thats very useful to know about the actual sleepover fee, I was basing my rates on the quotes I received from agencies, but did not know the breakdown

Norma...you can have them for the week if you like! LOL I have not been away from them for more than 12 hours in 2.5 years and that was due to big one going camping and little one being at a kids club that was longer hours than the norm

[foreverondiet]

I think would be good to find a student....

[NormaStanleyFletcher]

The week might be a bit long. What with work and all that

[newyearnewattitude]

Do you have a university nearby with nursing students or trainee teachers/early childhood study courses that you could approach? They will crb checked and good with kids....

[verytellytubby]

Can't you arrange sleepover with friends for both of them?

[jendot]

I'm in south London, often do overnights for way less than you have been quoted. Am ofsted reg with crb, refs, plenty exp.
Pm if you are near me ...

[hoxtonbabe]

Thanks folks, some real good ideas, I will look on the site for the sitter I had but then had to go back to the USA a few years back (i totally forgot about the site) I can filter for CRB checked, etc...I will then follow up with what they claim.

I don't think my £100 is unreasonable given what the agencies have said and Ive not been flamed on here, lol

I think if I had said £40, i would have got a different response...teehee

[ThePlEWhoLovedMe]

Where in London are you ?

[Karoleann]

Your 15year old sound quite sensible, I'd leave your 5 year old with him and offer your 15 year old £50 on the proviso that everything is perfect when you get back.
As long as you leave plenty of food and strict no visitors policy (wouldn't even mention parties). Can you get a friend neighbour to look in on them?

The other thing you could do is send a email to the other mums in your son's class asking for recommendations for babysitters. You may find that one of them then offers to have your son. One of our mums did that recently and quite a few f us offered to have him.

Incidentally we would pay our London sitter nearer £200 for a 24 hour period.

[Vinnyjones]

I am having the same dilemma, I have a twelve year old girl. I live in old street, so might I suggest we could go halves with the sitter? Obviously the details could be worked out. Just a suggestion.