Baby sitting advice

[Clarabellb]

I have never used a babysitter before, my first is 9 months old and goes to nursery part-time and is very settled and happy, I am now starting to feel comfortable enough to go out for dinner and leave him with a baby sitter. We have no family close by so I have asked one of the nursery staff if they'd babysit. I feel comfortable with this as if he does happen to wake he'd know them. She has agreed and I am happy with the hourly rate she has proposed. It's a Saturday night for 4 hours.

My question is, am I expected to pay for the cab fare home. I don't even know if she'll need one but wanted to check what the etiquette is.

Thanks in advance.

No. She has agreed an hourly rate, so it is her responsibility to get home. I mean, if one of you were driving anyway, it might be nice of you to offer, but it's not your responsibility to make the arrangements for a working adult to get home from a paid job - this isn't a teenager you are bunging a fiver for the whole evening to I presume.

I have grown dc that work in jobs where they sometimes finish late (incl one babysitter) and it's their responsibility to work out how they manage travel to and from work, not their employers.

Agree with BackForGood

Thank you both

I would ask them how they are intending getting to/from you, so you know they do have a suitable method of getting home.

nannynick I plan to ask if she'll be driving when I give her my address as if she's not she'll likely let me know how she'll be travelling.

She is a responsible adult and I am sure she would arrange a suitable means of getting home.

I just wasn't sure if it was the norm to pay for a cab if this is required.

I wouldn't pay for a cab home but I would leave an oven pizza or something else to eat and access to drinks and some snacks.

Yes, I'll definitely be doing that

No - don't get in to leaving meals.
Honestly, a drink (access to the kettle, in effect) and maybe a biscuit or some sweets / chocolate is plenty.

Back when I was babysitting myself, and now my dc do, they'd much rather you kept everything affordable (and no hassle to yourself) and then use them regularly, than pricing yourself out of being able to use them by offering cabs and meals etc.
When my dc were small, the idea of having to leave food for a sitter as well, just adds to the hassle of it all. It is supposed to be you having a night off, not feeding extra people.

It's courtesy to leave food, which would include a meal if the babysitting covers a meal time.

In terms of transport home, unless she is driving, then I would pay for a cab if you plan to arrive back after public transport ends.

Gosh. I've never left dinner food. I show them tea/cofee and where the biscuits are but wouldn't leave them dinner...is that really normal. We don't generally have babysitters until ours are asleep and it's earliest 7.30, usually 8pm. So I would expect them to have eaten beforehand.

^obviously different if it's a friend, but for a paid babysitter.

I don't pay for a cab home but if I get a cab home I arrange for it to take her home after & then round up when I pay so it reduces her bill.
I offer food if I'm leaving dinner for the kids & sometimes she says yes & other times she'll order takeaway.
Leave the wifi password though!

I've sat for over a dozen families when i was young - only time food was left was if it was a day time sit and i was getting a meal for the dc
I've employed several teens over the years and also had kind friends offer to sit (a few sets) but have never left a meal.
My older dd now sits for people - 3 regular s and a one off, and she has never been offered (nor expected) food.
Oh yes, when i was a baby in the 60s, my Mum ran a babysitting club and there was a strict ' drink and biscuit only' rule then too - so thats 4 generation who havent expected to be fed.
So no, its not and never has been 'normal' round here.

I wouldn't expect to be fed. Most say to help myself to anything in the fridge but I've only done that when asked to go in early at last minute so didn't have time to get anything before I went.

I would always expect an uber home if it's after 10 to be honest - that's sort of the done thing around me. Although saying that if they didn't offer I wouldn't ask.
I think it would be good to offer if back late and public transport has finished as if she has to then pay for a cab home it is hardly worth her time being there.

Dd has never been given meals. Snacks and a wifi password. She gets a lift home at the moment, as she hasn't passed her driving test yet, but we would collect her if a lift wasn't offered.

I think it depends on the family. Any babysittings via an agency don't expect much some don't even offer me a drink. But my private bookings after 12 I do ask for an uber. All are local so it's usually just the minimum fare to get home.

I've been a babysitter for over 6 years, and to be honest, I've had my decent share of different families, and as a sitter we are more likely to agree to babysit if you offer a cab home.
No it's not expected, but it is definitely appreciated, and as I said, more likely to agree to do another babysit. i don't like to get public transport late at night, so if a family doesn't offer me a cab, I'll get myself an uber, which sometimes will mean half my babysitting money gone, not worth it.

Just from a babysitters perspective.

Thanks confused

I've only ever left a snack and a cup out for tea/coffee and cold drinks.

I've never paid for a babysitter to have a taxi home in the 10 years that we've been using a sitter, it's expensive enough without paying for a taxi at the end of it.

We do offer to pay for a cab (though our sitter lives a mile away and usually drives). We don't leave meals but encourage her to help herself and there's plenty of food/drinks available.
We also pay £10 an hour but then it involves a lot more than simply watching tv whilst dd sleeps and our sitter is fantastic - wouldn't use anyone else for half the price - dd actually looks forward to dp and I going out.

Thanks everyone. I asked her today when I was picking up DS and she drives so that's fine. I'll leave some snacks as suggested but not a meal. DS will be asleep when she arrives and shouldn't wake during the four hours she's here.