to think that £20 for 8 hours babysitting isn't great?

[Hennypenny95]

My daughter is almost 18 and has agreed to babysit tonight for someone on our street from 5pm until 1am and she's received twenty quid for the 8 hours. Is this a reasonable rate? We're in the Midlands? She should have agreed a rate beforehand, I know, but she didn't as she's squirmy talking about money to people. What's a reasonable rate for her to ask for in future? She's on over £6 per hour in her part-time pub job, washing up and collecting dishes.

I used to get £10 per hour at her age, and that was 15 years ago!

How long ago did she babysit for this couple? If it was within the past week, I'd chance a phone call back to the couple and say "I know I've been underpaid here. My rates are X per hour before midnight and Y for any hour or part of the hour after midnight. You didn't pay me the right amount. Please can you settle this as soon as possible?"
If the couple say anything about not being told about the rates then come back with "These are the standard rates for babysitting around here. I don't work for £2.50 per hour looking after your most precious belongings - your kids - so I'd like to be paid the going rate please."

If they kick off, you could always have this gem in your back pocket:
"I'd hate to have to warn my friends/neighbours/college friends off babysitting for you because they would be so significantly underpaid for doing it."

You do have a lot of clout here to get the matter sorted without having to resort to that but that is shocking how badly they paid her.

Tight bastards! Clearly taking advantage of a young girl. They must know that is not enough.

Twenty years ago when our DD was small we were paying £4 per hour

@DorothyZbornakIsAQueen

I'd be embarrassed giving someone £20 for 8 hours babysitting. They're taking the piss.

I would have given £40 minimum and even that's cheap.

I used to earn £12 for 3 hours in 1996.

That’s Awful and I wonder what’s wrong with them they’d use her like this. They should be ashamed.

Not a chance. I got paid more than that c.1988.

£20 for 8 hours is insultingly low.

My daughter gets £10 an hour from one regular customer and £8.50 from another.

And I have just remembered the rate went up after midnight

No. Not reasonable
I got more than £30 for 8 hours babysitting THIRTY YEARS AGO, plus a tray of food and drink. It should be at least £40 for the session - at the very least.
She is an adult, not a 13 year old kid that they are taking advantage of, and there is a great deal of responsibility when issues arise, which they do.

I am a babysitter. I charge £10 an hour. That’s absolutely disgraceful to pay her that. At least she won’t do it again.

Minimum wage for u18s is £4.62 per hour

So it should not be less that £36.96, and taxi home at that time of night should be added on

Yes it is taking the piss.

I remember baby sitting for a neighbour and friend of my mother's for around 9 hours. This was about 20 years ago. They paid me £4.50. I remember my mum being outraged at the CF.

My DHs goddaughter babysits for us sometimes and she gets takeaway, drinks/snacks, cab (sometimes she stays over if she fancies) and £20 per hour.

I'd give her £50. (£5 per hour & and extra £10 for staying after midnight)

Putting her in charge of their most precious little people for a cheap £20. Ridiculous!

Thats an absolute pisstake!

I pay my 16 year old more than that to be "in charge" with his 11 year old sister when I am work for no more than 4 hours (any more than that and she goes to her grandparents)

As the saying goes....the reason that the rich have money is because they never fucking (sic) spend any.

I suggest you message them and say "your babysitting credit has run out, please top up immediately or your baby sitter will be leaving"

I used to baby sit 15 years ago as a qualified nursery nurse - £12 ph but was nearly always given more. Family always ordered me a take away too before they left

I paid that to my niece for one child, but she could invite a friend over, we paid for takeaway of whatever they wanted for them both, and paid for the taxi home. About 10 years ago

Unfortunately yet another example of older adults taking advantage of the teens and young adults they come across who think all adults play life fairly

We aren't in the UK, but older two dc were charging a minimum £5/hour when we lived in a compound, up until a year ago. It was understood that anything over midnight, or a later return than originally agreed, would be generously rounded up. They'd have been 14 & 16 at this point.

They were kept busy every weekend, so would prioritise the houses where they knew there'd be a pizza delivery laid on or generous snacks.

Actually they used to compete to babysit for the Deputy Head, who could be relied on to arrive home late & spectacularly wellied & over pay by emptying his wallet in their general direction!

Popular gigs were also walking distance ones - getting an uber was a minor pain regardless of whether it was paid.

They'd just be politely unavailable for future bookings where they'd been even slightly cheapskated on payment, or the kids were a nightmare, or getting home was a nuisance.

It was very much a seller's market.

So yes, your dc has been taken for a mug on this occasion. Lesson learned - not available to sit for these tight buggers again.

Clearly she doesn't babysit for them again. But she also needs to learn to negotiate a rate before she shows up - this will stand her in good stead in the future. She can do this by text so no need for embarrassing discussion. Either they pay her rate or she doesn't do it (or negotiates a slightly lower rate if she still wants to do it).

So, future client gets in touch, asks if she's available to babysit. She checks what hours/date she'd be needed for. If available, the answer is: yes I'm available. My rate is xx per hour, so in total that would be xx. If that's via text then it's in writing. Then it's a yes or a no from them, or a would you do it for x. Business like approach, job done, no embarrassment later.

It's so important to be able to do this in later life so very well worth practicing early on.

What a fucking pisstake! Your poor DD

That is disgusting. It may have been that way back in 1998 when I used to babysit and get £10 for the whole evening 😂🙈but things have changed. We pay £10 an hour even though kids often in bed already!

Bloody hell. I used to get more than that for fewer hours back in the 80s.

Cheeky feckers. My DD was getting that for 4 hours at 15,