Cost of baby sitting

[Niloufes]

Our baby sister recently told us that she is putting her costs up to minimum wage per hour, £7.20 an hour. Am i being unreasonable to think this is too much? She comes round when our 3 year old daughter is asleep and waits until we get home. Only once has she woken up and needed a drink and so the sitter is just sitting watching tv the rest of the time. Is this a normal amount to pay? we paid £6 before. aibu?

[MrsCampbellBlack]

I use sitters.co.uk and they charge £7.20 an hour. We're usually out for about 3-4 hours and I generally round up to £30 or £40.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

Depends normally on how much wine I have drunk as to how much I round up.

[Borntobeamum]

People pay more than that to get their dog walked!

[teatowel]

Sitters also have to travel to and from your house. I have clients who are up to 10 miles away, so apart from money from fuel ,when they get home at 1am I have a 20 minute journey home. I charge between £7 and 8 pounds. People are very happy to pay that and often pay me more.

[kslatts]

I wouldn't give up my evening for £7.20 an hour, whether you pay the increased about or find a different babysitter is obviously up to you, however if you trust her with you child then surely it's worth an additional £1.20 an hour.

[NickiFury]

You're really not paying someone to "sit on your sofa". You're paying them to be in loco parentis and to keep your children safe.

[Tuiles]

I pay local teenager £5ph. For a qualified babysitter of adult age the going rate is £7.50ph and for nursery nurse type more like £9 or £10 per hour.

[Pinkheart5915]

Yabu
£7.20 isn't that only minimum wage? So not a lot really.
The babysitter I've used on 2 occasions is £18 p/h I pay this as I trust her with ds.

[WaitroseCoffeeCostaCup]

I charge £5 per hour. I have been sitting for most of my families for 4 years plus. I charge way less than most locally but I'm a mum of 3 myself and I know that babysitting is expensive.
Yes I am sitting watching tv or reading mostly, but if we didn't need the money I wouldn't be out babysitting instead of spending time with my own family I guess...all bar one pay me well over the £5 anyway. The one that doesn't literally rounds it down to the nearest 15 minutes. She often cancels at the last minute despite knowing I am booked every weekend and could fill the space with warning. She has already tried to book me for New Year. I have refused. Not because of the money but because I feel uncomfortable that any mother would try and get a bargain for their childcare. These are the most precious things in your life!
So no, this is not about money, but the fact that some people like to put their 'staff' in their place. Pay the woman £6.20 or find someone else but don't belittle the service she is providing.

[expatinscotland]

'I'm paying someone to sit on my sofa, effectively. '

You're paying someone to make sure your child is safe in yours and their home whilst you are not there. But hey, as you say, don't go out if you begrudge paying for such a service.

[Artandco]

Urban - you do know a full time nanny that could cost you £50k a year would not do your cleaning for you? They are a nanny for children, not a cleaner. Same as a babysitter who's being paid less, fewer hours, and no work benefits

[LyndaNotLinda]

I pay my babysitter £7/hour. She's 17. And yes, I pay more than that to have my dog walked

[moggle]

The OP has accepted she's BU (at least according to general consensus) so some of you could probably lay off her now. I agree with toomuch it does add up - to go out with DH of an evening it'd be £30 min babysitting, plus the cost of whatever we're doing which is going to be from £20 (cinema, no popcorn) or upwards of £50 for a meal and a drink. I don't think the answer is cheaper babysitting though (unless the kids are a bit older). We're lucky, we have family around though and parent friends who will sit for free if we reciprocate.

[OddBoots]

I think this is the reason there are babysitting circles, maybe if you have friends with a child or children you could take it in turns to sit on each other's sofas for an evening.

[ImperialBlether]

I think Sitters charges less than £7 for evening babysitting, OP. Have you looked at that?

[Vixyboo]

No you are not paying her to watch tv. You are paying her to be ready any time your child needs her or something happens that needs an adult present eg someone at the door or an emergency.

On of my jobs is babysitting for an agency. I get £7.50 weeknights and 7.95 ph weekends. I only do it as a top up to my regular job.

If you were booking a babysitter through an agency you would have a membership fee, a booking fee per babysit plus the money you pay the babysitter.

Please do not undervalue someone caring for your child and who respects your home.

[NickiFury]

To be fair Moggle most people are addressing posts from others now, like the ones that suggest that paying £7.20 an hour means a promotion to Maid Of All Work and as such they should now be utilised in ironing and cleaning tasks till the arrival home of The Boss.

[KitKat1985]

Someone from DD's nursery babysat for us the last time we went out. She charges £7.50 an hour and I'd say she's about 19 years old (ish). I think £7.20 an hour is fine.

[Vixyboo]

This is not comparable to a childminder who can take on a number of children at once. For example a childminder minding toddlers could take on 3 at once and charge £5 ph for each one making £15 ph.

Please value us more!

I have a ds and I have to really know someone before I leave him with them!

[Twinkie1]

Cracks me up. You put your most prize possession in someone else's hands and then tell them they're not worth NMW!

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

I'm in a baby sitting circle but also sometimes pay a sitter when no body from the circle is available. I pay £9ph, she is a registered child minder. Think that's pretty reasonable.

[Peasandsweetcorn]

What are you looking for in babysitter. Until recently, we used a friend's nanny who was hugely experienced & paid her £10 an hour knowing that, whatever happened, she would be able to deal with it. The children are now 6 & 4, able to articulate if there is a problem, able to understand that we are going out but will be back etc so we now use a teenager and pay her £5 and hour but always round up.

[Artandco]

It's not comparable to a childminder. They can care for up to 6 children under 8 at a time. So likely 3 full time, and 5 extra before and after school. So £5 x8 is £40 an hour during peak times

[FrenchJunebug]

I pay £9/h. You sound very stingy. She is looking after your kid, after all!