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Original poster

Do you provide food for your babysitter? How about money for coffee (for walks)

28 replies

Maria2007 · 19/02/2009 13:42

Hi, not sure if this is the right place to post.

We have a 6 & a half month old, & we recently employed a babysitter who works 3 times a week (4 hours each time). We do this so that I can work on my PhD part time. I have a couple of questions, & I wonder if more experienced mums can give me some input:

  1. Each time she comes, she takes DS out for a walk, which usually lasts about an hour or 1 1/2 hour (& that's where he takes his morning nap). The first time she came, I offered 3-4£ so that she could stop for a coffee & muffin, as I realize that just walking in the middle of winter is not the most pleasant thing. Since then, I've been offering this extra money (usually 3£) for her coffee- this has happened 3/4 times, since we just started the walks, she was just spending time at home with me & DS so far... but then I'm now realizing that that's A LOT of extra money, given that I pay her 10£ per hour. What is the right thing to do, do you think? I want to be generous & keep her happy, but then again I don't want to be doing something that's too expensive for us (things are tight as they are)

  2. Should I be offering food when she's here, at home? I've offered muffins or things like that when I have them (I do a lot of cooking on an everyday basis) but should this be something more regular?

  3. Also: I pay 10£ per hour. Do you think it's a fair amount? (we're in central London). Should I be paying the same amount when it's evening babysitting? (we're going out for the first time tonight with DP, we haven't before since DS was born...so I have no idea if the cost should be the same or a bit less or more?)

  4. Finally. When it's evening babysitting, I'm assuming I'll have to provide an evening meal, or at least a good snack. I've already offered this for tonight (first time evening babysitting, as I said). Is this right?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

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Blondeshavemorefun · 19/02/2009 15:49

thats a long walk every day she is there - maybe do money for coffee one day and another task a flask

does she have to walk, could they not have a play at home, and then sleep in cot and have a cuppa at home?

i get paid £10 during the day and also for babysitting at night

if its an early bs, ie before 7pm then i would appreicate pasta etc, but if after 8 then biscuits (pref choc malted milk ones ) and a cuppa is nice

one lady i do, knows i come striaght from work and always gets me a M&S meal

Original poster
Maria2007 · 19/02/2009 15:04

Thanks Willowthewispa. I suppose I could ask her to take a relatively shorter walk with the baby- e.g. 1 hour tops. What do you think, does that sound more reasonable? I've only given money for coffee 3-4 times, & I could explain that I can't really afford that, except for exceptional circumstances. I think offering a meal (for evening babysitting) is good, & I'm happy to do that... but offering a meal during the day (she's usually there for either 4 or 5 hours in the day, out of which one is the walk) I could just offer a snack?

As for the money, I figured that because it's part time, it would be best to pay a bit more, which is why I decided (& we agreed) on the 10£. But I haven't yet decided about the evening babysitting- which we're just starting tonight- because I don't know if people usually pay less or more for evening babysitting (because during that time DS will be asleep).

OP posts:
willowthewispa · 19/02/2009 13:49

Are you requiring her to be out on the walk for that time? I think it'll be tough if you have been giving her coffee money so far to suddenly stop.

If she's there over a mealtime, then you should feed her. Otherwise, offering snacks is generous. I drink as much tea and coffee as I like when at work (nanny)

Is it £10 gross? Do you pay her enough to have to pay tax on it? I did a very similar job in central London last year and got £10 net, it's more than most fulltime nannies would get per hour, but part time work is often paid at a higher hourly rate. If baby is asleep and very unlikely to wake up when she's babysitting, you could negotiate a lower rate, £8 an hour?

If she's starting babysitting early (6/6.30) then maybe point her in the direction of pasta for dinner, otherwise snacks/toast would be fine.