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

[evansmummy]

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?

Ah, yet another AIBU...is "arsey" swearing? I don't think so...it's occupies the same grey area as "fart", and blimey, is not a personal attack- chill out a bit! I'm sure it wasn't intended that way Laquitar

Alright, whatever. Like I said I don't want a fight. But 'why not bloody pay proper rates' started off the rudeness, nothing else.

No I didn't want everyone to agree with me. Like I said, and have already said again and again, I am out of touch, so accept absolutely that my point of view is wrong. I didn't ask for anyone to criticise me about my choice of babysitter, only about how much the going rate is.

Man!

This is all very interesting reading.
Back when I was 17, I think I charged £1.50 per hour, possibly it was £2 per hour (sorry, I didn't keep notes!) Add on some 15-20 years inflation and I suspect that £5 per hour is probably not far off (anyone know the inflation figures for the past 20 years?).
At age 17, I was First Aid trained and was helping at Beavers & Cub Scouts... so back then I feel that £2 per hour was probably quite reasonable.
These days I charge a lot more... but also babysit less often. As a teenager I recall being out almost every night.

Looking after someone else's children and home is a very responsible job. Anything could happen, or not happen.

When you have found a reliable babysitter whom you trust, who your children know and trust, and whom you know won't tell you 1/2 hour before you go out that they are not coming... you pay them as well as you can. After all, you want them to keep coming back - you don't want to have to find another babysitter each time and get your children used to being cared for by someone else. That great babysitter will give you peace of mind... when you go out, you won't worry too much about your children, home, pets etc.

How much is that peace of mind worth? Very hard to put a price on it... everyone will have a different view as to what is reasonable (as is clear from reading this thread).

Some teenagers can be very capable, while others are not. Just like some adults - some have common-sense, others haven't a clue. Some people have childcare training, others do not... is one better than the other - not necessarily. Some people can be great at paperwork, exams and the such but fail miserably to interact with an upset toddler, or cope with a baby who is teething.

Finding a reliable childcarer whom you trust completely, who your child adores and who you know will be able to cope with whatever your child/children throw at them can be very tricky. Finding that ideal person in your price range can be even harder - but ultimately we all have a max price we will pay for someone... so if your ideal babysitter charges more than you can afford, you will need to keep looking.

Thank you for a very sensible reply. Btw I looked at your website, and although I sitter like yourself has got to be everyone's ideal, £10 an hour is just way way out of my price range!

I have a great sitter, uni student who charges £5 and gets herself here and home, but as I said she's not available atm. And that's another reason why the £6 shocked me I guess. I'm not used to it!

It's definitely a bit steep...come over to my snoozer AIBU and put your thoughts down, evansmummy! And hear about the reason I had to sack a babysitter

Depends what the going rate is for your area. Agency sitters in the NW is £7.50 ph and these are qualified professionals. Pre-school & nursery staff avail themselves at approx £7.00 ph round here. I use a registered childminder on the rare occasions that DH & I go out for meal on a Sat evening (after the kids are in bed) and she charges us £5.00 ph (no haggling involved). Ask around for recommendations.

Thanks, selby, I'm trying! Most of my friends have family around, so don't use baby sitters. I'm afraid I may not have a choice this time, but am still gonna try and haggle it down to 5!

I think to question this amount is being tight! Blimey, do you want her to babysit for nothing.

I have to be tight, we're next to broke!

I agree with BonsoirAnna, depends on what they are doing and then add into the area you are in plus going rate.

My friend's DD occasionally sits for us and gets between £10 and £15, but we are only out for 2-3 hours and she gets a lift home, kids are all sorted for bed.

She's coming on Saturday to do the evening shift of a very complicated child care day so that DH and I can go to a wedding. As she'll be having them from 6pm to 11 ish and will be supervising bedtime etc, she'll be getting £40.

I used to stay over at a house and babysit at a house 23 years ago and got a fiver, which I was very happy with at the time.

If you are next to broke, why go out at all?

Could your unavailable babysitter recommend any student friends?

I have to go out sometimes! I can't stay in forever, I'd go mad. And it's a very special occasion, my middle brother's band's first gig since the death of our youngest brother. So there.

A good babysitter you can trust and who is capable and reliable is worth their weight in gold in my book! They are the key to you having any sort of social life and deserve to be properly paid and respected.

This is barely minimum wage level and you're arguing about a couple of quid.

If money is tight, cut down on the number of hours you use your sitter for rather than embarrass yourself by arguing about the odd quid.

I wouldn't pay a teenager £6 an hour
Negotiate! They may be prepared to take less

Children often prefer teenage babysitters!

When I was quite young I used to babysit for families with little girls and they loved me as I was still happy to do their hair and play with their dolls . Surely you are also paying for your children to have a lovely time?

Thank you! Nice to have someone share my opinion! I've left her a message to call me, we'll see what she says!

Thanks everyone for your opinions. Looks like I need to move closer to my parents again!

I'm not paying for him to have a lovely time. He'll be in bed!

Why should a teenager get less than anyone else?
It's the same job.

because they won't have childcare quals and they will probably want snacks

Our teenage babysitter has never put the children to bed - we do that before we go out. And if they woke up he'd get his mum round from next door

He sits on the sofa and watches the telly, and we pay him £15 usually. More when we were really late back one night. He seems happy with that.

My dd takes whatever she is given which is usually £20 for the night.

Well, I offered £5 per hour and she's happy with that, and so am I. Thanks all for the answers, and the debate!

I'm off to study, which will eventually allow me to earn more money, which will in turn eventually allow me to pay babysitters without quibbling their pay!

Thanks again xx

Well, the way I see it is that you either pay her the rate she charges or you find another sitter. It is not her fault you are hard up and she shouldn't be expected to accept a lower rate just so that you have more money available to spend on your evening out! Her age is immaterial. You want/need a sitter and she is prepared to do it at whatever she charges. if you want her service badly enough, then pay it, if you prefer to save a few pounds by either getting someone else or staying home, then do that!