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?!

Have you got a school Facebook page? I’ve found two uni students from ours, who are daughters of school mums, whom I know a little bit. So although I found them through their mums, I find it quite comforting to know the family.

I pay $15 and $16 and hour for after school pick up and driving to activities. That’s in Sydney.

Prior to that I used an 18 year old neighbour and she was just as you described. Once her mum even texted me that the girl was going to be late.

Oh mrsoliver I think the closest thing to a childminder here is family daycare.
Our school also has a few people running after school care under family daycare licenses.

A lot of classes are online people. Get with the times

Yes childminders are called family daycare. It's essentially the same thing. A friend has her school aged kids picked up by her younger child's family daycarer in Sydney. Another friend has had similar issues to you finding decent after school nanny. Most people I know just use their school's after school care service.

I'm obviously being a little opaque.I'm not saying they back out of the job completely, I'm saying that they will keep coming to the job with the odd last minute text to say they can't make it.

"London" if $28/hr could get me an experienced nanny with impeccable references, I'd pay it! I say salary negotiable, which it absolutely is, but I think expecting up to $30 an hour when you're barely 18, and have just minded your own sibling (as one example), is taking the piss.

I remembered earlier, a conversation with a woman who was going on maternity, who owned/ran her own restaurant. She had a good replacement manager but she said finding young waiter staff was a nightmare. And then I remember being an administrator at a NFP, where students would come and do a few hours work experience to finish their high school requirement. ..a lot of them here want you to do some community stuff to add to your uni application etc. It was always their mums who rang and asked/wanted to arrange everything, and it was very clear that the few I met couldn't organise a school bag. ..even at 18/19.

So maybe it's the area. It's extremely affluent, and a high proportion of kids get brand new cars at 18, having seen their L plates through on a Lexus, audi 4WD etc etc. .so maybe the killer instinct/need to make your own money just isn't prevalent. I'm a bit slow thinking this through. .. I've made all my own money since I was 17. Mmm.not sure. It's a theory!

Sorry @Mrs Oliver the link I found is here

Of course it’s the area and not the country.

Doesn’t the school offer after-school care? We haven’t had a problem yet casually booking my son in (western Sydney) two or three days a week on average. The only thing is that they close sharply at 6 - I pay my 16 year old daughter $3 an hour to pick him up and take care of him until I get home plus extra money for snacks etc.

I think expecting up to $30 an hour when you're barely 18, and have just minded your own sibling (as one example), is taking the piss.

If you're in a very affluent area then you are going to have to pay affluent area prices.

When my DCs were teens they babysat a lot. The going rate was about $10 per hour regardless of how many children/babies/pets there were to feed, entertain and get to bed. Friends of ours lived in a far more expensive area and paid about $20 per hour for a babysitter.

There were fewer teens willing to babysit where they lived, and those who did had more expensive tastes in clothes, or cars to run. Teens were two a penny where we lived, and most who were babysitting shopped in the bargain racks and rarely owned their own car.