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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

222 replies

Hennypenny95 · 17/12/2021 19:45

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.

OP posts:
eveningbubble · 17/12/2021 23:23

Tenner an hour is the rate I'd expect to pay someone. Absolute meaness. At least this will teach her to always agree a price upfront, value herself and not to be shy in doing this and that some people are really mean and use people. So absolute waste of an evening for her but not in terms of what she has learned for the future.

beenthereboughtthetshirt · 17/12/2021 23:31

£75 for the 8 hours. South East.

lisaandalan · 17/12/2021 23:33

I'm in London get £10 to £12 an hour depending if one or more children.
These people have taken the pee
Tell her to say no to them in future.

lisaandalan · 17/12/2021 23:36

You should call them tomorrow and say I think you gave my daughter a few £20 notes short.

sjpkgp1 · 17/12/2021 23:36

As others have said, way too low, and not a very nice experience for either of you. Sounds like you and your daughter have probably agreed that she will be 'busy' next time they text. My DD did a fair bit of babysitting when she was 16, and did enjoy it 99% of the time (either studied or enjoyed playing with the kids - mainly older 6+) She got some business cards made for a £1 (their advertising was on the back for this price) which said £4.50 per hour before midnight, and £5.50 after. They often rounded up or paid more because they wanted her for the next time. The cards helped set the expectation without it being overtly discussed, and because she had gone to print with it, she was less anxious of discussing price by text and so on - plus they handed the cards to others. We knew this was on the cheap side even for a couple of years ago (we are in the North), but her view was that she wanted to 'build up' some good regular customers, and all were walking distance from our house apart from one which I ended up picking her up from (they offered taxi, but I was cool with it - I always knew that they would do this if I couldn't). She works in a pub now while doing A levels, and with that, and socialising, she isn't that bothered about baby sitting (plus covid is probably the biggest factor as people are going out less), but I think if she did do it, she would be asking what she earned at the pub or very close to. It is really hurtful (probably more for you than your DD) but I'd write it off as a bad experience, caused by someone else not playing fair, otherwise the injustice will eat you up. The only slight reservation I would have is that they prey on someone else. So when they are on the look out, and your daughter 'cannot help' I would not be going out of my way to find an alternative / plus warning others if your DD knows who they will go to next. Most YP do find price conversations difficult. Some adults do too.

Lalliella · 17/12/2021 23:38

£5 per hour then £10 per hour after midnight. So £45 for that, should round up to £50.

Emerald5hamrock · 17/12/2021 23:42

They're absolute fecker's ripping off a teenager.
I'd be tempted to phone them.

explodingeyes · 17/12/2021 23:44

I'd have expected to pay £50 to midnight and £10 after at least for a young babysitter or a min I know who does it.

Original poster
Hennypenny95 · 17/12/2021 23:46

@AuntieDolly

Who agreed the £20? Surely there was some discussion about rates before tonight?
She got £20 for four hours last time. I'm surprised they saw the evening as a flat rate, not an hourly one.
OP posts:
Original poster
Hennypenny95 · 17/12/2021 23:47

I mean from the same couple.

OP posts:
MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 17/12/2021 23:50

This is a good lesson in agreeing to an hourly rate beforehand. Bitter pill to swallow though.

TimeIhadaSeasonalNameChange · 17/12/2021 23:52

The fist time I babysat I got loose change. Less than a fiver for a few hours. I was not at all impressed! Luckily it was definitely a one-off (friend of a friend who was staying with mutual friend, not a local).

Hope your dd is given more. What a waste of her evening otherwise!

DowntonCrabby · 17/12/2021 23:54

We pay our neighbour’s 16 year old £10/h if our own 17 y/o doesn’t fancy being paid to babysit, if she’s busy or coming out with us.

YuleiamsaidI · 17/12/2021 23:57

God I was getting that over 20 years ago for 6 hours.4 kids mind!

MummyPebble · 18/12/2021 00:09

This is what I paid for 4pm - 6:30pm last time I used a babysitter. £20 is utterly ridiculous.

to think that £20 for 8 hours babysitting isn't great?
to think that £20 for 8 hours babysitting isn't great?
Solmum1964 · 18/12/2021 00:11

I used to pay our 16 year old babysitter £10 for around an hour to play with my toddler twins until their Dad got home from work about 25 years ago.This was more than the hourly rate I was going out to earn, but she was reliable and meant I wasn't rushing to get to work on time. I also agreed to pay her monthly, so she got a nice lump sum.

bucketsoflove · 18/12/2021 00:11

I know this was yesterday but it is an important lesson for her - next time she should explain what she charges before agreeing to babysit.
There's a huge variation on this thread but I would have thought for those hours at least £8 an hour, plus dinner and a taxi home if needed.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 18/12/2021 00:14

No! We use an agency and it's 7.50-8 an hour

MousesBack · 18/12/2021 00:23

£20 is fair payment for a couple of hours, or maybe 3 , if the kids were already asleep on arrival and it literally was a "sit and watch our TV" kind of job. But presumably she's also fed them, put them to bed and maybe cleaned up the kitchen, plus it was a really late night. Anything less than £60 seems very stingy indeed.

vivariumvivariumsvivaria · 18/12/2021 00:24

I'd shame the fuckers.

They have taken advantage of your daughter.

Absolute scumbags. Her time has value and her children's safety has value. Their recompense does not reflect those values.

I'd drop them an email explaining that. And that my job was to protect my daughter from being exploited so they could go out and have fun. Fuck them.

2020nymph · 18/12/2021 09:03

I was paid that in the early 99s!

Gwenhwyfar · 18/12/2021 11:59

[quote duvetdayforeveryone]@Hennypenny95 Can she eat all she wants in the kitchen?[/quote]
Is a teenager living at home that much in need of free food. I bet she gets is subsidised or free at home anyway.

RockinHorseShit · 18/12/2021 12:34

I'd suggest your DD sends a text today saying something along the lines of...

Good morning, I hope you enjoyed your night out & have recovered.

"Can someone please drop the balance of my babysitting wages off to me today, or let me know if you need me to pop by instead. I'm sure your realise that the £20 previously charged was for a 4 hour job, not for the full night. The balance owed it £..... Thank you for understanding."

It will be a good lesson for your DD in how to politely call out CFers & take no shit from users. It will be good for you to see how she can stand up for herself

m1shap3 · 18/12/2021 12:39

@PaniniHead

£2.50 an hour, no chance. Minimum wage for under 18s is nearly double that
But she's being paid cash in hand, no tax or NI. It's a casual arrangement which she could say no to
Butchyrestingface · 18/12/2021 12:41

No, no food or snacks been left. I just took her dinner round.

Jesus. I hope you've shown her this thread.