Babysitter etiquette

[ChocolateDigestiveEater]

We're using a paid babysitter (one of the girls who works at my DD's nursery) for the first time, and I'm strangely nervous I'll do the wrong thing. She offered a few weeks ago and we're paying the rate she suggested which includes some money on top of an hourly rate for travel. She'll be here from 7pm until 11pm. Should I provide food? Biscuits? And should I tip? Or pay the amount she suggested.
She'll be putting DD to bed and then will have three hours or so until we come home to watch tv etc.
She's a lovely girl and DD is very fond of her (and vice versa I think) so if this works well hopefully we'll do it again.
Any advice on what's usual much appreciated.

We've always paid the rate agreed with the sitter rounded up to nearest fiver. And always leave out coffee/tea stuff/cans of coke in fridge and biscuits/crisps/snacks depending on what we have in. Plus, if you know & trust her, wifi password/netflix or similar access is nice if it's evening and kids in bed.

I have had a babysitter babysit just a few times for my 2 kids. She charges $11/hr and I don't tip on top of that. She usually puts them to bed and then studies or whatever till we come home. I don't have her bathe them, prepare meals or do a lot of work so I don't tip. I tell her to feel free to anything she wants to eat in the fridge or pantry but she usually doesn't have anything. I have no idea if this is usual but it is what I have done in the past.

I would just pay what's she's asked, and point in direction of drinks/ snacks if you want. Most they time they rarely eat any but it's better to show them

Oh and leave a list with basic emergency numbers for them ie you and partner, another family or friend of yours they can call if needed,

We recently used a sitter (a nursery worker also) she charged x per hour. I left her a list with phone numbers for both of us, the WiFi password, where the snack food was and bedtime routines for both kids.

I felt like her hourly charge was a bit cheap so I gave her an extra hour in the hope she'd sit again for us!

I used to babysit in my younger years, early 90's.

The mums used to say here is the fridge help yourself, snacks in here if you want them, here are the remotes and how they work! The dentist I worked for had the best sweet selection!

Same dentist family I used to babysit when I was doing my A levels i later babysat during my home visits from uni - the mum used to pour me a glass of bloody fabulous wine before she left but I had known them for a good five years by then :) I didn't really like wine but that made me love it :) she left out snack for me - think she wanted me to never leave :) They always paid very well, and I loved looking after their DC.

I wish I could find a babysitter like me now!

That is it isn't jiminy you find a good one you will bribe, beg do anything to keep them coming back :)

Mine orders her own takeaway & uses the tassimo because she loves it & never eats the treats, although she did do movie night with dd1 once and had popcorn then.
I round up to nearest hour and if my taxi home is taking her afterwards make sure I give driver extra.
Yes to wifi password

Penguine Too right, I will sell her my soul if it means I can get out with DH once in a while!

Our current babysitters have been a bloody nightmare!!

Or "nannies" as they call themselves we are paying a bloody fortune and they cancel at will

I'm actually thinking of going to nurserys to hunt out potentials....

I usually leave out tea, coffee and biscuits. Show them how to work the TV and how to put the heating on if they get cold.

I don't tip but we round up to the next hour. Occasionally I use a babysitter for an hour (between me leaving and dh getting home) and we pay her for two hours to make it worth her while.

I would love to find a lovely young lady who just will be happy to have a bit of chatting/reading with them watching TV and then putting DC to bed, at 8.30/9 DC are 8 and so good for anyone other than us

Can't dis them really they have their "magic" moments but they are such good kids really.

But we can't find nannies/babysitters here at all!!

If you're down south I can recommend you some!

I babysit every weekend and a few weeknights. I am DBS checked, certificates in first and emergency paediatric aid. I have 3 kids of my own. I charge £5 an hour, although my regular families always pay me a lot more than this. I almost laughed when I needed a babysitter myself and 17 year olds were quoting me £10 an hour! Madness!!

I also use a girl from DS's nursery - she's fab. We pay her £10 per hour although her quoted rate is £8. Always leave snacks out and decent drinks, she has access to wifi and Netflix. She lives round the corner so no taxi, but would happily pay that too. She's great.

We've just started with a new babysitter and she's been twice, once an evening with the DCs already in bed and once an afternoon with lots of hands on and though her rate is higher than our previous person we pay the same for both because it averages out (and the rate is about right for two children who are awake and a trifle active.
We tell her where tea, coffee etc are but I don't think she did anything other than make a snack for the children. We'll give her the WiFi password, too.

Thanks everyone 😃

Our babysitter is a girl from nursery, we pay her £10 an hour as MN said that was the going rate (and she hadn't done it before so didn't know). She drives but we don't pay extra for travel/petrol.
She has to put DS to bed, but he is already bathed and in PJs.
We leave her important numbers, wifi password, drinks, snacks and a pizza to cook herself. I figure she's here from 7pm, she needs to eat dinner!

Our babysitter is a girl from nursery, we pay her £10 an hour as MN said that was the going rate (and she hadn't done it before so didn't know). She drives but we don't pay extra for travel/petrol.
She has to put DS to bed, but he is already bathed and in PJs.
We leave her important numbers, wifi password, drinks, snacks and a pizza to cook herself. I figure she's here from 7pm, she needs to eat dinner!