Tell me about babysitting rates...

What Marylou62 said....I pay for a proper babysitter so I know that someone is in charge should the worst happen. It's unlikely, sure. But if it happens I want a responsible experienced person who won't panic and can deal with the emergency. And I am happy to pay for that peace of mind.

But it's not just sitting watching TV sometimes is it?
I'm a x trained children's nurse and now nanny/housekeeper..
I've been babysitting since I was probably 10..so hundreds of sits..
I've dealt with anything from a fire..(small electrical) to suspected meningitis requiring emergency admission to hospital.. I had to take both children in the ambulance..(pre mobiles..but even nowadays if you're somewhere noisy it's not instant contact)
You are paying for expertise in case anything should happen...
I've babysat lots for people to eat in a famous restaurant (in an adjacent hotel) and the mobile reception is awful so they want someone who doesn't panic and would know what to do just in case..
In a hotel I always check nearest fire escapes and in their home I always know exactly where all the door keys are..back and front..
So yes.. sometimes getting a babysitter can be expensive..but we are giving up our time to safely care for your DC..

Was when I looked, this is one example but most are the same or more

That's a lot more than this company which friends of mine use

https://www.wimbledonbabysitting.co.uk/fees

We're in London, only use qualified people from my son's nursery and they charge £10/hr. They all seem to charge the same.

We don't do it that often, a few times a year maybe?

I am surprised by the people saying £15+ /hr, I wouldn't pay that

If you want someone cheap, ask a teen. Sure there are many childcare collefe students who would do it.
Can't expect anyone else to give up their evening and not pay them a decent rate.

To be fair, when I was a teenager I was happy to babysit for next to nothing. The parents would leave me out a glass of wine and some nibbles and I’d have the TV to myself for the evening. I never used to turn down a chance to babysit.

It’s probably a bit different now I suppose.

We only do a couple of times a year. Everything else being so expensive makes babysitters too expensive for many! At the end of the day, you’re paying for someone’s time, as with any job/ work. Babysitters have bills too.

I babysat for a neighbour recently and though 30 pounds for 4 to 5 hours was fait. The kids didn't need much though. I only get about 14 an hour for a very responsible day job so as I am not a childcare professional ant more to sit and watch their tv seems cheeky

My 17yo DD gets £10 per hour and they usually leave food or order in food. She’s very responsible, happy to play endless games with the slightly demanding kids. Makes them food etc. Everyone seems happy and the kids obviously like her.

She would probably accept less but at least £9p/h is fairly standard for teens here (not London).

No I cannot afford or justify £50 plus the cost of eating out when I can cook for so much cheaper.
Or what, £70 to watch a film?
Unfortunately we don't have family to help or share with.
That's why I haven't been out for a meal with my husband for as long as I can remember.
I do think babysitting is too expensive.

@coffeecupsandwaxmelts nope. But I can feel confident enough that they are not likely to need to do anything to leave them with numbers for us/ local relatives/ neighbours/ if needs be their own parents they can call, rather than pay someone with the skills to deal with it. I don't know pediatric first aid, I don't feel the need to pay extra to employ somebody who does on the offchance that tonight is the one night it's needed.

Are we talked local teen or qualified professional? I pay my dd £10 a night for babysitting. If my friends dd does it I give her £20.

I used to pay £10 an hour years ago! It seems expensive but I wanted someone sensible and a little older.

When my DS babysat it was £10 an hour with full access to the fridge and he could eat!

You might be able to find a sensible mid range teen who would babysit cheaper?

£20 and munchies for the night here. Have an abundance of teen neices and nephews.

I am one of dozens of people who do not live in the U.K.

But you can't guarantee that they can just sit and watch TV all night.

Yesterday wasn't a bank holiday though, just a normal Friday

Do you really double time for the full BH weekend?

Clearly I'm thinking different to most here but I class childcare different to babysitting. If I'm paying £10-15 an hour, I would expect that person to be sorting out food, doing activities with the child, be a qualified person.
Quite frankly, with a babysitter, I want to pay £20 for a night, they arrive just before bedtime, which I'll happily do, they can happily raid my cupboards and watch TV all night and probably not have to actually interact with a child at all. That's a babysitter to me.

Hah! I’m a professional nanny and I charge £15ph…and charged double last night as it’s a bank holiday

Its about £50, three times a year. I don’t drink, smoke or have any other expensive habits 😂 small house and old cars.

We’re a long time married (20 years) and it’s our only child-free time together.

So most people can afford £75 on top of their night out?

Nursery keyworker babysits for us at £10/hr and we pay her cab fare home too. South East.

I'm in Sydney and paid £188 for 8 hours for a babysitter for my 5 months old. Through an agency though so it was someone experienced and with first aid etc.

£23.5 an hour.
Looking after kids is bloody hard! Especially when they're not your own. Hours are usually unsociable too.

But it’s like many things - if you want a full on professional to do it you are paying for the experience and skills on call. Even if they’re not needed.