To ask how much a babysitter costs?

[DeusEx]

Hello

I’m asking this following a few wedding threads where there has been a ruckus among guests who can’t possibly afford a babysitter. It would be really useful for me to know from a planning perspective (I am pregnant) how much babysitters now cost. My info is out of date from when I last babysat for friends of my parents, well over a decade ago?

So: how much is a babysitter per hour / per night? Does the price change with age of child and with number of kids?

Also if you don’t have family nearby and are reliant on strangers, how do you choose a babysitter?

Thanks!

I'm amazed as the cost of babysitting doesn't seem to have gone up in 8-10 years which is roughly when we last used it.

It's beyond me that people resent paying for childcare so much.

and do you lack empathy that people can't afford to pay for other things as well ?

My dd is a qualified lifeguard - fully trained in paediatric first aid, which she has to be re-assessed on every two months (unlike most first Aid certificates which last 3 years). She has a DBS. She has been a Leader in the Scouts as an adult for almost 2 years, and 4 years before that as a Young Leader. She has also had a job working for a children's party provider. At University she has a job in a bar. She's been sitting for almost 6 years, including one job where she looked after 3 dc all day when parents were at work.
She wouldn't ever take more than £20 - £25 off someone for babysitting in the evening, when she is sitting on their settee for a few hours doing whatever she likes (studying / watching netflix / chatting with mates on facetime etc etc). As she herself said, a) I'm not exactly doing anything and b) no-one could afford to go out if you start charging ridiculous rates. It's hardly the same as working in the bar, or running a children's party.

I agree with NoIDontWatchLoveIsland (well, almost ).
We often used local teens. We couldn't have afforded to ever go out anywhere otherwise.
Our first sitter was my first Childminder's dd. She knew a heck of a lot more about looking after babies than dh and I did put together. Another sitter we used a fair bit was our next door neighbour. In the unlikely event there had ever been something she was stuck with, her Mum (or one of her 3 adult siblings) would have been round in a flash. But I'm not sure what all this 'crisis' situation are that people envisage, and, how likely they are to happen.

I think I’ll consider it once youngest is school age. She’s a proper pandemic toddler who has never not been put to bed (and still feeds to sleep) if she woke up to someone else she would be inconsolable. She’s only just getting used to other adults again. Also I’ll have more money when childcare expenses decrease. I’d only want someone with the relevant checks or an older teen I know really really well.

Both myself and my DP (pre-Covid) have babysat for friends and neighbours.

If both parties have children then depending on the time of day it is a playdate or sleep over. If not then just make sure you like the children.

For a one off event like a wedding, I charge £14 per hour and no difference between daytime and evening as the booking might be part daytime and evening.

For my regular clients, I charge £11 for evening care.

I specialise in caring for babies & toddlers so can be caring for quite young babies at times.