Turning away another babysitter.

[lborgia]

Here in Oz, after-school care is a whole income stream for some uni students (and older school students). On babysitting websites there are catergories for daytime, afterschool, evening, etc etc.

I have been trying with little success, to find someone to pick my kids up from school two days a week. It is not for a lack of offers, it's just their general attitude, and I am wondering if I am expecting too much?

Some of the issues have been -
1 - turning up really late for interviews
2 - saying they are absolutely free on this day, and this day, and then the day before texting to say actually their mum has reminded them they have an appt/their other job/the cat needs them
3 - Expecting a huge hourly rate; some people on their are late 20's years of experience etc., and these are girls of 18/19 expecting the top rate when they have maybe no/little/6 months experience. So the rate here is something between $20-30..and they're asking for $28.

Finally saw a potential sitter this week, who seems great. Capable, together, reliable car, etc etc... But having agreed we would do a trial pick up together on Monday, and then she would start later in the week, I got this...

"My mum tells me I have a doctors appt at 1.30pm that day. I should be OK for 3pm, but if not, I'll just get one of my friends to pick them up". .

so, AIBU to be a little freaked out at the casual subcontracting?!

[LondonGirl83]

Yanbu

[ItsLikeRainOnYourWeddingDay]

No no no no no.

The fact that her mum runs her medical appointments is worrying enough, nevermind that she will let some random pick up the kids

[fc301]

Deal breaker. YANBU.
Maybe find someone older, more mature, more experienced?

[lborgia]

Thank you, I thought I maybe was being a bit precious. We live in a very safe neighbourhood, and I'm getting desperate, but I agree I hesitated even at that appt making...when I got to the helpful suggestion, I was agog.

[Tatiannatomasina]

I would try the local facebook sites and ask for a mature person, ie not a student.

[JustPutSomeGlitterOnIt]

Oh FFS.

No, YADNBU

[lborgia]

Thanks fc, I would, but generally they want fuller weeks - which doesn't surprise me, also we're in the last term of the year here, so I'm expecting to cobble something together (I have no idea how) until Christmas, and then start again in the new year when everyone will be advertising again.

It's stupid, DH works 10 minutes away, and ils are around the corner, but after 2 years of relying on them (when they told me absolutely that they wanted to help/get involved/it was their idea), I cannot deal with the last minute changes. It is breaking our relationships, and I decided it must be better to pay someone!

Maybe I'll try a proper agency, even though it will be double the price, and then maybe try and change my hours DMSF . Before anyone says it, I definitely have a DH problem more than a babysitter problem, but I'm trying to resolve everything. Today is just babysitter day!

[lborgia]

Lol, yes, I keep shouting FFS at my ipad!

[IhaveChillyToes]

What about other retired people maybe who have their grandchildren living in uk or elsewhere?

They might be good solution

More reliable than young people?

[MrsOverTheRoad]

OP I also live in Oz...I was wondering recently, do they not have childminders here? I was looking at retraining as a CM and couldn't find any courses or anything...is it more an unregulated babysitting habit here then?

[fc301]

Can u buddy up with another mother, maybe a reciprocal arrangement even if it’s just till the end of term? You might be pleasantly surprised when you ask...

[fc301]

Local FB group shout out?

[LaughingElliot]

It’s really hard to find quality after school care. Not just an Australian thing.

[Sprinklestar]

YANBU. I had a local babysitter we'd used for a while (in the US) cancel two weekend evenings as the family were taking a last minute trip to New York. All well and good, but telling me the Thursday when we were expecting her the Friday and Saturday and had to cancel two evenings out was just slack. Haven't used her since!!

[Unicornsandrainbows3]

Another Oz here too and nanny/babysitter pre kids. I'm appalled at what you've written and you are definitely NBU! No way would any of those listed be looking after my children. Can you go through an agency, or find out word of mouth who is trustworthy and reliable? They should definitely also have a working with children's check, police check and first aid qualifications. I hope you find someone soon.

[EmiliaAirheart]

That's a low rate - is it at all surprising that you're not getting the most professional candidates?

[Longdistance]

I find the young people of Oz quite immature for their age. Well, my sils sons (dhs dn’s) always needed organising at that age, and actually, vine to think of it the 22yo is still needing organising now. I find it quite odd.

Don’t know much about the rate tbh as I’m out of touch with Aussie dollars since I’ve moved back to the UK.

[mathanxiety]

Your faulty logic about pay is causing you problems.

You only need these people two days a week. You are putting interviewees in the position where they might end up turning down a five day offer, and/or having them look for another customer who wants the specific other three days per week.

You are going to have to pay above the local range if you want someone for your two days because there are other parents out there who want five days or four days and the students will end up with more income that way. Your idea that you can pay at the low end of the scale based on their experience is the wrong end of the stick.

You are clearly looking at a provider's market here, not a consumer's.

[lborgia]

I understand what you are saying maths, but they want the job, agree to the job, and then just have one off other commitments. It's like classifieds, you stipulate which days/for how long etc etc. I even had two apply who did not have cars even though it was a main criteria.

They WANT acouple of days a week. Many of them have uni 2-3 days a week/mornings a week, so have a full day job on the completely free days, and do after school care on half days.

I'm happy to pay 25/26 an hour but it's not even that. This IS the local rate, Emilia the best babysitters ive had here have only charged $15-20 but neither of them are free the days I work unfortunately.

Where are you Emilia and how much are you charged? The women I know doing admin jobs are earning about $20-25. A professional nanny I know would charge $32-35/hour if she wasn't payrolled. I'm confused.

Mrs def alot more after school care clubs at the schools, but they've just made it possible to do this at home. I'll dig out the links for you.

[Cactusjelly00]

Wages can be screwed up in oz, partly due to award rates (a minimum wage based on what job you do, essentially. Your overtime rates/public holiday rates and casual rates are also determined by this). A qualified chef can be making $30 an hour but then a qualified nanny might only be making $27.50 an hour. a waitress might be making $25 an hour...
A salesperson can be making $25 an hour while a nurse is taking $32 an hour... at least, where I live anyway. Obviously you have the higher weekend/casual/overtime/public holiday rates etc which aren't included in this.
Op, I don't use paid childcare but as long as you're paying the market rate I see no issue with it - how many hours is it? It might be difficult to secure someone if they want more hours so will go for someone offering 3-4 days a week. So your only option here is to offer more hourly or offer an extra day I suppose.
Sounds awful though!

[NamasteNiki]

They WANT acouple of days a week. Many of them have uni 2-3 days a week/mornings a week, so have a full day job on the completely free days, and do after school care on half days.

When do they ever study for their presumably full time degrees?

Misses point of thread.

[lborgia]

[Grin] I know, some of them only do a day a week, or 8 hours a week of lectures. ..i have absolutely no idea how it works. But it does.

[mathanxiety]

They don't have other commitments. They got a better offer. I would take whatever they tell you at interview about their class schedule and other jobs with a heaping tablespoon of salt.

[JWrecks]

JUST GET ONE OF MY FRIENDS?? TO PICK UP YOUR CHILDREN???

Outrageous!! That she would even suggest a complete stranger pick up your CHILDREN... I have no words...!

And your other problems, apart from possibly the hourly rates, are totally reasonable. I suppose it's possible that this mini-industry has picked up in such a way that there is some kind of pay bubble? Turning up late for interviews and backing out at the last minute are definitely signs of being totally unreliable, and that is not a trait you want in the person minding your precious children.

Do you know of anywhere else you can look for a babysitter? This seems totally unreliable, and apparently a bit mad as well. A bloody stranger, some random teenager's random "friend" picking up your children... I'm gobsmacked.

[LondonParisMilan]

We pay $28 per hour in Sydney for a 2-hr school run. Our nanny has had live-in experience and had impeccable references that I was able to speak to on the phone (not just email).

Most normally charge $25 per hour for casual babysitting in Sydney. We decided to advertise at $28 because we knew the job wasn't very appealing otherwise.