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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find £6 per hour expensive for a 17 year old babysitter?

121 replies

evansmummy · 18/05/2009 09:48

It's been a long time since i employed a babysitter and I was shocked when she told me this is what she charges! My childminder charges this, there are meals thrown in and she actually looks after my ds, whereas a babysitter would just have to sit!

Am I out of touch?

OP posts:
roulade · 18/05/2009 09:49

Yes you are out of touch, i used to get this when i was 17 ( with dinner thrown in) and i'm now 35!!!!!!

rasputin · 18/05/2009 09:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TrillianAstra · 18/05/2009 09:50

But the childminder can do multiple children at once, she doesn't have to leave her house to come to you, it is in the daytime rather than the evening, and she can look after her own children while she is doing it.

£6 per hour is quite high I suppose. I used to charge £15 an evening for a normal evening, £20 if it was after 11.30, but that was a while ago.

LaurieFairyCake · 18/05/2009 09:50

Yes, as was I. We pay our sitter £20 for 3-4 hours of sitting on our couch while dd is asleep.

20 years ago I was given £3 for the same priviledge, it was acceptable to give someone a pound an hour for sitting. It's not now, even when their not doing anything apart from watching American Idol.

LaurieFairyCake · 18/05/2009 09:51

they're

RumourOfAHurricane · 18/05/2009 09:51

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Message withdrawn

GodzillasBumcheek · 18/05/2009 09:53

£6 an hour is what (most?) lots of adults get paid to do a proper job.

I would find that a bit steep - but a charge per evening of a pre-agreed amount would be fair, as the 17 year old is giving up their time to look after your child, and is also old enough to do it well (ie. if there is an emergency).

TrillianAstra · 18/05/2009 09:54

£20 for a whole evening starting from once the children are in bed to whenever you can manage to stay out and awake until (assuming you are one of these who says 'oh I can't stay up til 3am any more) is reasonable.

KingCanuteIAm · 18/05/2009 09:58

I used to pay this for a qualified nursery nurse to babysit, she had her CRB, first aid cert and so on, oh and she was 22 not 17. Where you are does make a difference but I still think it sounds steep!

rookiemater · 18/05/2009 10:00

One of the local teens asked this rate for babysitting I was a bit . We used her once but would be reluctant to again, for just abit more we could join sitters and get a fully qualified experienced adult.

Our normal teenage sitter gets about £4-£5 per hour, but sadly his social life is too good these days.

Original poster
evansmummy · 18/05/2009 10:01

Mixed bag of answers here!

I would be happy to pay £20, we'll be out from 7 til midnight ish. I think that seems fair. We do have to pick her up and take her home afterwards too, (it's only lives a mile away though).

However, if she's already told me how much she's gonna charge am I in a position to barter? I'm so rubbish at this sort of thing.

OP posts:
CoffeeCrazedMama · 18/05/2009 10:13

I have told my 17yo dd to start quoting an hourly rate of £6 as we were fed up of people rolling in at two in the morning, (dd having been there since 7pm), and coyly bunging her twenty quid. Or worse, saying, 'oh dear, I'm a bit short, here's a tenner I'll drop the rest in to you tomorrow' (and never doing it).

BitOfFun · 18/05/2009 10:15

Just call her back and say you can't afford £6 an hour, you've been ringing round some of your friends, and twenty quid for the night is what they pay. If she still wants to do it, you'll pick her up at xxx time.

More like £20 is outrageous. I would pay more for a nurse or something to be feeding and changing pooey bums, but not a teenager to watch telly.

MaryHuff · 18/05/2009 10:21

We are on the south coast and pay 5 pounds per hour for the nursery teachers to babysit (this is what nursery advised was the going rate). Am happy with this, and I feel they know how to deal with any emergencies and illnesses through their training.

cat64 · 18/05/2009 10:26

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thirtysomething · 18/05/2009 10:37

it's a bit much - I'd expect a 17-year old to charge 4-5 quid an hour or pay them say £15 or £20 per night if you are out from say 7.30-11/12. If you are also taking her home it stops you being able to drink if you're driving so those babysitters are "worth" slightly less overall than an older one who has a car, as it does affect your evening. DH and I always argue over whose turn it is not to drink to drive the sitter home!! Must admit it's a pain if we are going to a party that's walking distance but have to drive the sitter home, as I don't drin much but couldn't drive after a glass of wine.

traceybath · 18/05/2009 10:40

I pay £5.75 an hour through sitters but always end up rounding up so paid £30 on sat night as she was there from 7pm - 11.30pm.

Friend uses nursery staff and ended up paying £60 for just over 5 hours as their policy is to round up - i'd have fainted at that!

TrillianAstra · 18/05/2009 10:42

The drinking issue only counts if you weren't going to be driving to wherever you were going 'out' to in the first place.

duchesse · 18/05/2009 10:42

< decides to hide thread so my teenagers won't see it and realise I'm conning them by bunging a tenner their way if they babysit of an evening in a few months' time >

Frankly I would find that quite a lot of money unless your child is actually up and requiring a lot of attention of an evening. Maybe that the Devon low-wage economy influencing me.

Original poster
evansmummy · 18/05/2009 10:55

It seems this is just Home Counties prices. My ds will be in bed and probably asleep if not quietly playing in his room when we go out. We're going into London so def not driving and will be a pain to have to take her home.

I'm gonna take advice mentioned above, say it's outside of my budget and would she accept £20 for the evening. If she says no, well I'll be stuffed!

OP posts:
seeker · 18/05/2009 10:59

Why doe the age of the baby-sitter make a difference? She is still looking after your child!

Original poster
evansmummy · 18/05/2009 11:05

Well, I don't know why it makes a difference what age she is. It just does. The same as I would pay a 13 year old less than I would pay her. I guess it's cos the level of responsability I expect from a teenager and from an adult is different, so therefore what I'm willing to pay her is different. For example, and adult would be able to drive my child to the hospital if, god forbid, it was necessary. She wouldn't.

OP posts:
TrillianAstra · 18/05/2009 11:15

A 17 year old who has a number of yournger siblings and has helped look after tham for years would be more useful and competent than, for example, me.

Original poster
evansmummy · 18/05/2009 11:27

She has a sister a year younger than herself. But she does do a lot of babysitting. I still think £6 is a lot though.

OP posts:
ThingOne · 18/05/2009 11:28

I don't think £6 is excessive. It's the high end, but maybe she's been expected to stay hours after the agreed time or pay for her own taxi home before, and is preparing herself?

I would offer her £25 for the night if you're back by midnight and see what she says. I would go for negotiation rather than absolutes!

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