To not pay the babysitter?

[Coolcoolcool]

We know two 17 year old girls (sisters) through a hobby club that my family are part of. We’ve known them for 6 years and my DH and I, as volunteer leaders, have invested quite a lot of time into their lives over the years and consider them friends of our family. Anyway, they love our kids and have been begging for years to be able to babysit them. We always said when they turned 17 they could. We’ve asked them to babysit next week so that dh and I can attend a meeting for said hobby and they are delighted.
I wasn’t planning on paying them, just leaving them a meal or some nice snacks and drinks or something, as I would usually for a friend who babysits, but another friend thinks we should be paying them. Really we only need one of them to babysit, but they kinda come as a package deal - should I be paying for them both?! What’s the going rate? It would be for two hours and the kids will be in bed.
Wwyd?

Pay them and pay them well. Don't see young people as cheap labour.

I haven't paid a babysitter in years but used to give £20 for an evening (3 hours ish). Childcare was £5 an hour. Ask their expectations. You shouldn't have to pay double though.

Pay them both.
When I was 16 I was a regular babysitter for a lovely family, 3 nice kids.
They paid me, left loads of snacks & ordered and paid for a taxi home for me.

£5/hour plus snacks & getting them home safe.

If it's safer & cheaper for them to walk home as a pair, £20 rather than £10 is a fair deal. If you're not drinking & can run them home after, then you only need one babysitter. In which case, explain it's £10 for the time but friend welcome to come along.

But no, you absolutely should not expect them to spend 2 hours supervising the safety of your children for a box of malteesers, or the pleasure of it. The whole point is what happens if your children DON'T stay asleep.

We have a teenage neighbour who charges us £7.00 an hour. We can get a professionally trained sitter for £10.

Yes you must pay them. You pay so much an hour and they split it.

Of course, you should pay the one you actually asked. She can split the money with the other one, if she wants to.

SHE HAS ALREADY SAID A DAY AND A HALF AGO SHE'S GOING TO PAY THEM!!!!

Why do people on page 5 still think she needs telling??!

OP please don’t listen to these people, and I’ve only read the first page!! We had a 17 year old babysitter and she charged £7 per hour. £10 is what adults charge who have loads of experience, are often childminders/teachers etc by day, have first aid and are DBS checked!!! You also don’t need them to do anything for your kids, they want to escape their house so it sounds like a mutually beneficial arrangement. You also don’t need two people so why should it cost you twice as much?!?!!

@girlmom21

OP if you don't want to pay them just for babysitting while you're at the meeting could you and DH go for a meal or cinema after? Pay them £20 for the evening, and then next time you ask them to babysit they won't expect £10 an hour, they'll expect £20 an evening?

This.... I've been the babysitter ..

I wouldn't expect a full 15£ per hour as family friends... But 20£ for the evening is easy money if kids are in bed. As they can flick through Netflix /do collège homework

I'd do some money plus food - but if you want them to come back then, yes you do need to pay them!

Pay. People. For. Their. Labour.

That is all.

What on earth makes you think you would not have to pay them?!

I think £10 each is fine with lots of snacks.
You are also putting place your future baby sitters, so treat them well and you will be able to go our more in the future.

You must discuss payment before they babysit, don't expect them to do it for free. They are young girls and are entitled to it, and a sensible negotiation is the honest thing to do.
They may refuse it but insist on something. Whatever it is split equally, and it depends on how long they will be babysitting, of course. A fixed amount of £10 each + snacks sounds a good deal for about 2 hrs.