Babysitter - what should I pay her coz haven't a clue!

[BouncingTurtle]

My next door neighbour's daughter (14, nearly 15) has kindly agreed to do some baby sitting for me.

I work from home and have taken on a new contract which involves me being in teleconferences 2-3 evenings a week, and tbh it'll be hard to concentrate on the meeting with a lively 17mo ds under my feet
It is very important that I conduct the meetings in a professional manner.

Anyway the baby sitting would consist sitting with ds watching & helping him play, reading books with him etc.

I'll need this babysitter every Monday from 5.45pm-7pm, Tuesdays from 4.45pm - 7pm and every other Wednesday from 5.45pm-7pm.
Though some of the meetings may finish early plus DH normally gets home around 6.30 (except on Mondays during Uni term time when he is out supervising student Bible study), so would only need her until he got home.

I was thinking of playing her a flat weekly rate regardless of how much babysitting she actually does, but would like to based that on her baby sitting for the full times as outline above.

So any suggestions - please bear in mind we live in the impoverished North East where we regularly send our children down the mines to pay the gas bill

£20 would be more than reasonable I'd think. She's averaging just under 9 hours a fortnight and that's 5 an hour which for a 14 year old while you're there is definitely enough. Could even go for a monthly figure based on 18 hours a month and work out an appropriate hourly rate (maybe £4 which would be £72 and round it?).

I know it probably looks a high hourly rate but it's bits of hours which it would probably be tough to find anyone else for and you want to keep her happy!

Hope that helps a little.

No, that's great thank you
I would struggle to find anyone else because I don't want a stranger and I don't know any other teenagers!

I would prob pay around £10 an evening...its only just over 2 hours for an evening...At that age I was doing the whole evening for £5 and was grateful for it. She doesn't have any travel involved and it doesn't take any time to travel. I would pay her for the actual evenings she works rather than a set amount a week...as then when she works more she will feel she earns more!

I would also make sure there was some nice 'snacks' around for her while she was here...eg coke or oj in the fridge and some snack type food.

Hope it all goes well

Again thanks. I'd probably pay about £5 an evening, £10 is a bit much especially as she won't be alone, I'll be nearby, just on the 'phone! And most evenings it'll only be an hour.

I would pay her at least £15 a week

I would suggest maybe £60-£80 a month depending on if you pay her every 4wks or every month.

Well I've offered her £5 a night and she has accepted. I'll pay her weekly, think that will be better than her having to wait a whole month!

That seems fair and both parties are happy and thats what counts.