To want to charge for the extra kid?

[ShyPearlMoose]

I'm a babysitter and regularly babysit for a couple and their two kids. They're off out tonight and have asked me to babysit but also to watch one of their friends children (who is going out with them) as well.
They're all around 10 and the kids get on well.
Should I be charging more or charging a separate invoice to the other family as technically I'm providing a service for two families at the same time? I charge £12ph.

Going anywhere nice tonight? 😄

You should absolutely ask for more.

They may be splitting the cost between them and benefitting them that way.

Text them your combined rate now.

I would charge a small supplement, they're robbing you or another babysitter of custom purely for their own convenience, I think it's cheeky.

They should be paying you extra. £12 per hour seems very low to take in an extra child. It's a bit cheeky.

Message them and ask if the other couple wants you to bill them separately or if they will be paying together.

That way you're making it clear there's no question that you expect to be paid for all the children you will be responsible for.

They can't possibly have assumed you would just do it for free, right? 🤷

An extra 10 year old is hardly going to be a challenge. If you had said an extra 2 year old, I would 100% agree that it was worth a higher hourly rate, but at that age how much babysitting do they really need.

Do you charge more for a family with 3 children vs 2 children? If so, apply the same model.

They are taking the piss.

The other family should have got their own babysitter.

and as they haven't, make sure you let them know in advance that you won't be doing this for free.

the reply from @OliveWah is good !

The first post says the parents are all going out together.

Oops, missed that. I would be fine with this then as long as they know that they can’t get 2 for 1 babysitting every time.

Of course not!

OP has agreed a charge and decided that's it's financially viable.

You wouldn't agree to do anything and then allow yourself to be out of pocket because they've changed the job!

It depends whether they asked you to watch the extra child in advance tbh. If they did, then you had the option either to accept the job on that basis or decline it so they could hire another babysitter. If they're springing this on you, then that's unfair.

Personally I don't think it's cheeky to ask a babysitter to look after 3 older children from two families for one night so long as it is made clear in advance that this is what is being paid for, but obviously I'm in the minority here.

2 families. Time and half
So £18

Both families pay £9 so they save £3ph

Hmm if you babysit regularly for them and this is a one off I would let it go ( also you might get a lovely tip at the end)

If it does happen again after tonight then you need to have some sort of pricing in place for such occasions

This happened to me when I was an au pair and I was furious. Just because you’re looking after one set of children doesn’t mean another one won’t be troublesome or extra responsibility. It could end up being really hard work if they fell out or were badly behaved or demanding. I would be asking for an additional 50%. Don’t do it free as you’ll be having them all the time.