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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay for 15 minutes babysitting

237 replies

Hoppinggreen · 27/03/2014 11:58

I'm going out with some people I don't know well next weekend. Usually when I go out with my mates we all make sure everyone gets home ok/ taxi shares etc but I'm not sure I can ask these people I don't know well. I am getting a lift there with someone but she has said she's staying out very late and I don't want to. DH not keen on my wandering around town alone looking for a taxi so want to pick me up ( will be out of the house 15 mins tops). There is no question of leaving the sleeping DC's obvs.
My neighbours 16 year old babysits for us sometimes and I pay her £5 an hour. We know the family well and help each other out - they feed cats for us when we are away and I sometimes let their dog out etc.
I was thinking of asking the daughter to come and sit in the house while DH picks me up - should I offer to pay her? If so how much?
Before I get told to " woman up" and get a taxi I'm just not comfortable with it and neither is DH and he wants to pick me up, which I would prefer too.

OP posts:
ViviPru · 27/03/2014 12:10

Purely based on an AIBU entitled "AIBU to not pay for 15 minutes babysitting" then claim you're "Not saying I shouldn't pay her", I declare you to be U

Pootles2010 · 27/03/2014 12:10

Yes debating over a fiver is pretty tight sorry OP! Pay her the fiver, go for a drink with your dh to make up the hour Grin

deakymom · 27/03/2014 12:12

its only a fiver whats the harm?

Original poster
Hoppinggreen · 27/03/2014 12:13

£5 is 2 V&T's round here!!!!
Joking- before I get old how mean I am!

OP posts:
Neverknowingly · 27/03/2014 12:13

Yabu. Pay her if you need your daddy DH to pick you up.

HomeIsWhereTheHeartIs · 27/03/2014 12:15

You should pay, or she might be put off babysitting again

boosterjuice · 27/03/2014 12:15

Why do you think other people were put on the planet to care for your children for free?

comicsansisevil · 27/03/2014 12:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bottlenecker · 27/03/2014 12:19

You say that she'd only be watching TV at yours rather than her house which is a very strange way to look at it. You either ask the parents as a favour or you ask the girl and pay her. I would hate to baby sit for 15 mins at such a late time. She might want to go to bed or relax without thinking she has a commitment later on.

justmyview · 27/03/2014 12:20

A 16 year old babysits for money. Friends help each other out. Yes you should pay her, or at least offer. I would think the sensible option is to pre-book a taxi to collect you from your night out

GothDetective · 27/03/2014 12:22

Its not a friend and its not your neighbour - its your neighbour's 16yo dd. Pay her £5.

bottlenecker · 27/03/2014 12:22

FWIW I would ask my neighbour to watch my children for 15 mins but we regularly help each other out with things. However I would not ask anyone to watch my children at 11pm as a favour. It's just too late.

As another poster said, get a cab number and call one from where you are.

chemenger · 27/03/2014 12:23

I would not mind doing this for you but I would be miffed if you asked my 16 year old daughter to do it. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I think it is because you have previously paid and 11pm is quite late to ask anyone to leave their home comforts, never mind a teenager who might prefer to be tucked up in bed with facebook. If it was 3 in the afternoon on the weekend I would happily send her round for 15 minutes. Pay her the fiver to compensate her inconvenience.

Morgause · 27/03/2014 12:23

Pay her £5

Doodledumdums · 27/03/2014 12:25

I think you're getting a bit of a hard time! That said, I definitely think you should give her 5!

GossamerHailfilter · 27/03/2014 12:26

Dont be such a tightwad.

If you know someone who will do it for free, ask them!

Famzilla · 27/03/2014 12:27

For the love of god don't tell her the reason your DH has to pick you up. The girl is at an impressionable age and the world doesn't need any more pampered wittle princesses who need a big strong man to escort them anywhere because everyone else is bad and will do bad things to you.

Maybe you can both stop off at the grip shop on your way back.

MyNameIsKenAdams · 27/03/2014 12:28

Tbh I dont really get why you meed dh to collect you. But, if you need someone to sit, you should pay them.

Flangeofmingetown · 27/03/2014 12:29

You are being tight.

Floralnomad · 27/03/2014 12:30

Why don't you just take the car ?

Original poster
Hoppinggreen · 27/03/2014 12:31

Well a taxi would be £5 and so would babysitting if DH ( or my Daddy as someone has so charmingly called him ) so I think I will get DH to do it.
Thanks for the input - well some of it anyway but I realise you don't get to choose on AIBU!!!!

OP posts:
whois · 27/03/2014 12:33

Do you live in the UK?

You do realise that if you pre book a taxi with a reputable firm, and then text the reg number to your DP as you get in there is the most tiny tiny tiny time TINY chance of anything happening?

You sound like a total drip.

JessieMcJessie · 27/03/2014 12:36

on evenings when she stays longer and you do pay her, five quid an hour is really stingy. I think I was earning that for babysitting in 1989.

WilsonFrickett · 27/03/2014 12:38

If it was a case of 'Oh next door teen, can you just pop over for 15 minutes at 5 o'clock because I have to go and pick up DH from town' then I would buy her a galaxy and give her my warm thanks.

11pm is night time though! You are asking her to get out of her cozy house, schlep round to yours, hang out, then go back home. So you should pay.

Although won't she be out? Don't teenagers do that anymore?

I'm not even addressing the taxi issue. You know what time you'll be leaving (as you're thinking about arranging a sitter), so just book a bloody taxi.

Original poster
Hoppinggreen · 27/03/2014 12:41

She doesn't actually do evening babysitting usually its during the the day
In school hols when I need to make a call. ( I work from home).
Night time stuff they go to Grandmas. She did do parents evening once, which was around 40 minutes
And I did some research before I decided on £5 , seems it's the going rate for even night time stuff round here.

So apparently not only AIBU ( fair point - if I ask her I will pay) but I am a tight drip who doesn't get out much and is setting feminism back decades.
Gotta love this page!!

OP posts: