A babysitter's going rate?
What are other urbanMamas and Papas out there paying their sitters (primarily the date-night variety of a sitter as opposed to the fuller-time more primary caregiver variety of sitter, should there be a difference).... I think I used to be paid one or two dollars an hour back when I was a kid and did a little babysitting for neighbors. What has inflation done to the going rates? Chrissy emails:
I have a 9 month old son. My husband have starting the search for a babysitter for date nights. I am curious to know what the going rate is for a babysitter these days.
We pay anywhere from 5 to 10 an hour and have found this to be true with most of our friends. One thing to consider, when baby is sleeping not to much is being required of them. We have found a sitter we really enjoy (she makes sure all toys and dishes are done before we get home and coming home to a picked up home after a date night is so wonderful)....so we like to pay more knowing we can count on her when we need to. Good luck!
Posted by: Tana | June 19, 2007 at 01:49 PM
We pay the local teenager (when kids are old enough) $4-5/hour and our child care providers (those who babysit in their off time) $10/hour.
Posted by: Lisa | June 19, 2007 at 02:11 PM
I pay $11-12/per hour for a date night babysitter. When my child is a little older (potty trained, more verbal) I will feel more comfortable using a teenager. Now, I feel fine paying someone with experience and who is older.
Posted by: Lori | June 19, 2007 at 02:17 PM
Our babysitter is a 27 year old graduate student. We pay her $10/hour. We try to offer added (non-monetary incentives) like a ride home, food, etc.
She is able to feed our child dinner, give him a bath and put him to bed. She takes him on extended outings to the Zoo, OMSI, playgrounds and the Children's Museum so we can have some quiet time at home. This is all done on foot or with public transportation - she does not have a car.
We should probably be paying her more...
Posted by: Simple Living | June 19, 2007 at 02:20 PM
If you have friends with children - think about setting up a date-night exchange! They watch yours one night, you watch theirs another ... then you don't add the cost of babysitting to the cost of dinner and a movie. And if you want the babies to fall asleep at their own homes, have the "babysitting" couple's kids stay home with one parent while the other watches your son. Then you can do the same for them the next month (or week, or whatever). Have fun. Date nights are sooo important!
Posted by: TH | June 19, 2007 at 02:23 PM
My husband teaches high school in NE. His students tell us the going rate is normally $5/hr for the first child plus $1 for each additional. Our kids are 2 & 4, and we haven't had any trouble finding great, responsible teens at this rate.
Posted by: Julie | June 19, 2007 at 03:17 PM
This is a great website, very interesting to read what people think.
Posted by: Linda | June 19, 2007 at 04:13 PM
This is so hard for me to read. As a 28 year old grad student, studying for my Master in Social Work with a concentration in Children and Families, about 10 years ago, I made money on my "off" time by babysitting for about 10 families. They were mostly upper-middle class families with 1-2 kids. I was making at that time $5/hr. I think it was about the same as minimum wage at the time. I can't believe that some of the kids out there are making $10 and over an hour doing the same thing I did (granted, it is 10 years later, but still) and for so much above minium wage. They are not taking out money for taxes, I would guess, and they are most likely spending much of the kids' sleep time studying or watching tv (which is ok, but still). Lots of kids out there are working jobs at the mall or the grocery store after school and during the summer and making $7-10/hr at the most. The high school grads that train to be medical technicians at the clinic I work at work ridiculously long hours doing very difficult skilled work and make about $12/hr before taxes. I know our children are valuable commodities and we want to pay for excellent care, but when did we have to start taking out loans from the bank to pay for a night out? Sorry, it's just really hard for someone like me to be able to afford to pay $30 to a babysitter and then another $50 for dinner and a movie to go out with my friends, as a single mother.
Posted by: Debby | June 19, 2007 at 04:24 PM
Another thing to consider is the babysitting services offered at The Academy Theater. The owners are parents themselves who make it affordable for parents to enjoy a night out without breaking the bank. Angela, the babysitter is in her 30s and is fantastic! Our kids hate to leave! It's $5/child and the movies are only $3! Plus they have beer, wine, Flying Pie Pizza, salads & even PB&J sandwiches that you can eat at your seat. We LOVE The Academy Theater. They show kids movies (rated G or PG) everyday at 4pm. Check it out at www.academytheaterpdx.com
Posted by: Hannah | June 19, 2007 at 04:31 PM
I feel for you, Debby. It's true that after kids, the price of a night out goes WAY up. Daycare is so expensive, nannies even more so ... unfortunately, I think it's just part of the reality of attracting the very best people to watch over our children while we're away. If a young medical technician is drawing my blood, I want them to be worth every penny of the $12 an hour they're earning - and if a teenager is making sure my children are safe, I want them to be worth every penny of that $10 per hour. You should notice, though, that lots of people have commented that they pay $5 per hour - which might be more your speed? Also, take note of TH's comment - maybe you and your friends can rotate responsibility for watching the kids, and have a night-out exchange at no extra cost.
Posted by: Amanda | June 19, 2007 at 04:36 PM
I'm a PDX-wannabee mom and just found this site. Interesting to note your childcare rates! Ah-hem.. We have an incredibly responsible 30-something mom we pay $14/hour to watch our two children (ages almost 3 and 5 months). Portland's looking good, looking good...
Posted by: jill | June 19, 2007 at 05:19 PM
I've only used one sitter, a few times at that...and she is a woman that works at friend's daycare center. She's great, we like her, but frankly she doesn't have to do anything but read to our 3 year old and put him to bed, and I think we paid her at least 12 per hour, maybe even more. Ouch.
Posted by: kate | June 19, 2007 at 06:57 PM
I agree with Amanda. Like Debby, I also did a lot of babysitting 10 years ago, during college, but I went through a caregivers service and at the time I believe I made $7.75 for the first two kids, a dollar more for each kid if there were more than two. This was slightly more than the minimum wage at the time, and most parents rounded up to the nearest dollar, in addition to paying a finder's fee to the agency. None of the caregivers were high-school students, and the agency didn't like to call us "babysitters" because of the image of teenagers sitting on a couch watching tv and eating ice cream out of the fridge. We all had background checks, references, and an essay on file about our childcare philosophy. I had taken the Red Cross baby sitter's course, was CPR and First Aid certified, and had experience as a camp counselor and after-school tutor.
I'm sure it's possible to find people to watch your kids for less, but I really think parents need to think about what they want from a sitter and what that's worth. If you just need someone to sit there and watch TV while your kids sleep and call you in an emergency, and you are going to pick her up and drive her home, then perhaps a $5/hour teen is fine. But if you expect someone to feed your kids dinner, help them with their homework, change diapers and give baths, etc, it seems to me that you have to pay them a wage commensurate with what a responsible adult's time is worth or expect that someone else will. Childcare requires more energy, resourcefulness, creativity and dedication than flipping burgers or pumping gas.
One solution for parents who want to save a few bucks is to share a sitter with another family, especially for daytime childcare. Pay the sitter a little bit more for taking care of 3 or 4 kids instead of 1 or 2 and split the cost with the other parents.
Posted by: Camellia | June 19, 2007 at 07:42 PM
We pay our sitter $10/hr - she's a college student and works at our daughter's daycare. I think she's being well paid but I am 100% comfortable leaving my daughter in her care so that makes it totally worth it. She always asks lots of questions about procedures before we leave and then gives us a detailed re-cap when we return, which I love. I'm hoping that when my daughter is a little older I can find a (cheaper) nieghborhood teen-ager just to come and play with her while we do stuff like yard work...
Posted by: lapeche | June 19, 2007 at 09:25 PM
Deb..I second the childcare exchange if you can find someone who is willing. I've been in an exchange with my neighbor for over a year now and it's great. We watch each other's kids once a month for 3-4 hours each time. The only bummer is I feel like I get the shorter end of the stick. My two kids are usually asleep when she comes over (they go to bed at 7), and I have to put two of hers to bed and it's usually a struggle. But, it's totally worth it to me and I know she really appreciates it.
We then pay a teenager to "watch" our girls once a month for $6.00/hr. Again they are in bed and she usually watches a dvd or something.
Posted by: Rosanne | June 19, 2007 at 09:56 PM
I pay my sitter $11.00 an hour and I think she is worth every penny! She is 25 and has an excellent background and experience. She is the only one of my son's sitters (the others are relatives) that manages to get him down for his much needed naps. She takes the time to help him play constructively and is an all around great match for my son. I will say, my son isn't a piece of cake to watch and he is mostly awake when I have him watched so I felt I really needed to find the right person for the job and pay for it. I think it's all a matter of where your child is at and what you need the sitter for. For an night time sitter and a baby that sleeps though the night, definitely I would go with the teen.
Posted by: Rosa | June 20, 2007 at 09:32 AM
I pay my sitter $11.00 an hour and I think she is worth every penny! She is 25 and has an excellent background and experience. She is the only one of my son's sitters (the others are relatives) that manages to get him down for his much needed naps. She takes the time to help him play constructively and is an all around great match for my son. I will say, my son isn't a piece of cake to watch and he is mostly awake when I have him watched so I felt I really needed to find the right person for the job and pay for it. I think it's all a matter of where your child is at and what you need the sitter for. For an night time sitter and a baby that sleeps though the night, definitely I would go with the teen.
Posted by: Rosa | June 20, 2007 at 09:32 AM
We pay our nanny $10 per hour to babysit for us on her off time (we pay her more for her day job). I hate to sound like a broken record, but you get what you pay for. I agree that the teenager working at the mall is making less than $10 per hour, but I don't want that teenager taking care of my infant. Perhaps when my kids are older and can care more for themselves I would feel more comfortable having a teen babysit, but for now its worth saving up and really picking and choosing when we want a nice night out.
We also have done swaps or exchanges with other friends with kids for free babysitting, and the provides an occasional alternative. When I was babysitting (some 15 years ago) I believe I was making $6 per hour - so to pay $10 this many years later seems fair and reasonable - especially with the kind of care we know we are getting.
Posted by: Camellia | June 20, 2007 at 10:14 AM
Someone at work did an informal poll on this topic a few weeks ago, and here are the results:
Thank you to those of you who replied to my query about pay rates for babysitters. The range of rates you reported is pretty wide: $5-$14/hour. The going rate seems to be in the area of $7-$10/hour.
Posted by: Liz | June 21, 2007 at 09:19 AM
Liz, thanks for sharing that info!
We have had a couple of neighbors (one is 14 the other is 15) come watch the girls for $5 per hour. We have two other semi-regular sitters who each in their mid-20s and each just finished grad school, and we pay them $10 per hour for one child and $12-ish (I think) for the two girls.
I will second the swap idea. We have another family who we've been swapping with for the past 6 months or so, and it has worked out super dandy. We are relatively close geographically, and our girls are best gal pals. It's fun!
Posted by: olivia | June 21, 2007 at 11:21 AM
Wow, this is enlightening. I was just wondering whether people even used teenage babysitters anymore, as it seems like all my friends either (i) use grandparents, (ii) other friends or (iii) "off-duty" nannies (who command $12/up, but I guess that they *are* professionals...). Then again, all of my friends have children 2 and under, so that probably has a lot to do with it. I might be more comfortable with a teenager once my kid is able to communicate well with them (and later report back to me if there was anything off). But in the meantime, ouch! is this expensive. We celebrated our anniversary yesterday, and had our toddler's part-time daycare provider babysit, and at $12/hour, the babysitting part of the evening's expenses was 50% of our dinner cost. I remember making $1-2/hr in high school. An $8 haul in one night was something to exult over! Now you really have to factor in the babysitting cost to just determine whether you can afford to go out in a way my parents never really had to. (Surely $1/hour, even with lower prices those days, wasn't a make or break proposition, even in the 70s!)
Posted by: Anjani | June 22, 2007 at 07:47 AM
we've used the same teenage babysitter for the past 5 years (she's nearly 18 now). not only do my 3 children prefer her to other, older sitters/friends/grandparents because she's younger and more fun, she's also exceedingly responsible and focuses only on them.
she asks $5/hour, but we regularly pay her $7.50. the youngest babe is usually asleep when she gets here and she plays games with the other two and puts them to bed. she's consistently available for us because we pay her more than she asks and we have such a long relationship.
i've NEVER felt uncomfortable having a teen watch my children. in fact, when she began sitting for us, her mom stopped in a couple times to check on everyone. it was a gradual process at first, but i definitely recommend establishing this kind of relationship with a young, responsible teen and including him/her into your family. not only does it give the teen a growing sense of responsibility, it also gives the children something to look up to and, in my case with my daughters, look forward to when they reach the age to babysit.
Posted by: leslie | June 22, 2007 at 08:17 AM
My son babysits for good friends of ours - they have a nine year old son who my 14 year old has bonded with and knows well, and he absolutely loves it when my son comes over to babysit!
Because they're friends of ours, we have a special arrangement - my kid spends the night, is fed breakfast the next morning, and is driven home afterwards. This way, no one has to drive him home, and he can go to sleep before they're home if they're out late.
They pay him the going teenage rate - 5 an hour, and the clock stops when they get back home (nothing extra for overnight, for example.)
My son is *only* willing to babysit for this boy/family, however. (Believe me, other friends have asked...!)
Posted by: Betsy | June 22, 2007 at 07:01 PM
I honestly can't believe that some moms are balking at paying $10 an hour to have someone watch your child! Did you know that most dog sitters are paid $35 to $45 a night? I have nannied for years and haven't yaken less than $10 an hour since I was 18 years old. The idea that anyone's time is worth less than that is pretty upsetting to me. And if you can't afford it, then yes, share or trade with someone instead, but please don't assume that good care is only worth as mmuch as you can afford. Even saying that you would pay $50 for dinner and $30 for the sitter-- so the food is worth more than the person watching your most prescious child?
Posted by: Beth | June 22, 2007 at 08:36 PM
Oh, please. Do people paying 10 and up for babysitters think that daycare workers necessarily earn that much? Oh, wait...maybe you all can afford your own nanies. I think the issue is that babysitting rates have outpaced other types of salaries, as Debby pointed out. Plus, not all of us have money for dog sitters, but okay, I see where people pay way more for services like dog sitters/manicurists/lawn maintenance on a per hour rate than those same people are willing to pay for a babysitter.
Let's remember, though, that this is an open forum. Isn't it supposedly for moms/parents of various classes (income levels) to have as a resource? I can see why there have been comments made here and there by newcomers about how imtimidating and off-putting this site can be.
Posted by: middle class mom | June 22, 2007 at 11:00 PM
How about the idea that you would pay $50 for 5 hours of babysitting and that a dialysis technician, who by the way might by caring for your precious child, gets paid $48 (pre taxes) to put needles in a patient's arm and monitor their blood pressure and general health throughout the treatment? I am simply trying to point out the discrepency between babysitting rates and the rates for specialized, trained services for people of a similar age, who also are providing care for the people we love. And yes, it does cost a lot for dinner, even at Spaghetti Factory, and movies are outrageous. The point I am making is that I have NOT gone out for dinner and a movie and gotten a sitter, because the rates are just not in my price range. Don't you think our precious children would benefit from happy, relaxed parents who have some enjoyment in their lives outside of parenthood (as so many point out on this forum)and don't have to worry that if they go out they won't be able to pay for day care that month (or meals, or fun activities with the kids)? I have done many babysitting exchanges, but then I am tied down with having to watch someone else's kids during my very limited time off, and often I can't leave the house with the kids because I can't transport them all in my car, or I don't have enough stroller room. So there are other factors involved. Our precious children can be cared for by caring individuals who charge us a reasonable rate and babysit because they love to spend time with kids. Trust me, I could not afford to go out and buy tremendous things with the $1-2 per hour I made in high school, but I saved it up and after a long period of time, I was able to buy the things I wanted/needed, or save it for my college fund. Kids now can babysit one night and go out to buy an IPOD the next day.
Posted by: debby | June 23, 2007 at 06:41 AM
Just to point out, I am not intending to be sarcastic when saying "precious child." I honestly believe that our children are precious. I am trying to say that they can be precious and cared for without breaking the bank.
Posted by: debby | June 23, 2007 at 07:35 AM
When this question came up for us (that is, what to pay the 14-yr-old babysitter), I looked at minimum wage in Oregon and subtracted paycheck withholdings since they wouldn't be taken out of what we pay and came up with about $7.00/hr. Then I dropped it to $6/hr because, well, frankly, with inflation that $2/hr that I got paid for babysitting in 1983 in now $4/hr so I think $6 is pretty good. Also, we leave dinner for the sitter along with the kids (something fun like pizza and ice cream sundae makings for dessert) and the sitter has a pretty good time with our generally happy, easy-going kids.
Posted by: AmyS | June 23, 2007 at 03:00 PM
Is there another Camellia participating in this discussion? I didn't post the second comment attributed to "Camellia". It's not a common name, so I'm just wondering if something's funky with the site...
Posted by: Camellia | June 23, 2007 at 03:13 PM
Debby, I think there are two points being made here, and neither one should be taken personally. A) if you prefer to pay an adult person (a graduate student, a professional nanny, etc), the going rate according to most mom's who've answered so far is about $10 per hour. B) if you prefer and are comfortable with a responsible teen sitter, the going rate seems to be about $5 an hour. Also, I seem to be reading here that the price goes down as the ages of the children go up, since the needs change.
I don't think anyone is trying to offend you (though I can see how a nerve would be struck when a person says they are aghast at "anyone" who would pay less than $10 per hour, if that isn't within your realm of possibility - I'm sure you love your children as much as anyone else here). I think folks are merely reporting their experiences in response to a query. Debby and Middle Class Mom - I would genuinely appreciate reading what YOU both pay for childcare/babysitting - as you say since it's an open forum, parents from all socioeconomic backgrounds should feel welcome to build up the information base at this site, and make it more useful for all. If your experiences are different, please share them!
And I assure you - those of us who've had family on dialysis or any other intensive medical treatment pay far more than $48 per hour for treatment, especially if we don't have good health insurance. The fact that the technician may be underpaid is a flaw in the healthcare system - not a personal attack by the patient's family.
Posted by: Amy3 | June 23, 2007 at 05:23 PM
I HAVEN'T really used a paid babysitter, except for "parent's night out" at day care centers that charge $5/hour, but you can only go on nights when they do this, and then you have to pick up your child, transfer them to the car and then to bed, and hope they stay asleep...I have also done a couple of exchanges, and then I also have a couple of wonderful friends who have agreed to take my daughter overnight once or twice so I could not only attend an event, but also stay out later than usual and sleep in the next morning. But those situations are few and far between.
I am not suggesting that we are personally denying certain professions of what they deserve...what I am saying is I think as a society, we should expect that people will take good care of our children when we hire them, REGARDLESS of what they are paid...a babysitter who makes $5 an hour should not skimp on quality. If they commit to care for your child, they should take the responsibility to care for that child to the best of their ability. We should not assume that people who accept less money will necessarily provide less adequate care, just as I would not expect medical professionals to skimp on the care of my loved ones because they are not making tons of money off of doing it. As a matter of fact, I often prefer going to see a nurse practitioner rather than a doctor, as in some practices, they are able to spend more time with their patients. I think now the expectation is that babysitters get paid more because the belief is "you get what you pay for" but all that does is make it harder for people with less income to find any care, since it has become such a competative field. Also, I am sure that many kids forego getting a job, such as at the mall or waitressing, in the "real world," as they are making a boat load of money babysitting, and that wasn't the case before. When I was younger, kids babysat until we were old enough/able to get a "real" job where we could make more money, more consistantly.
Sometimes I think it takes about 3-4 posts on a blog to get your point across, because it's hard to know how you are coming across to your audience!
Posted by: Debby | June 23, 2007 at 10:27 PM
We've employed all of the tactics mentioned - swapping, family (though they live far away so this only happens on rare visits), friends, coworkers, and yes, we occasionally pay a graduate student former-nanny $12 an hour.
As someone who has worked in the non-profit/government field for many years I hear this alot -- that I must love my job and that even though I don't get paid a ton, I have the privilege of doing "good" work. Am I hearing the same thing being said about child care providers?
While it must be mostly true that they like their jobs -it's really challenging work. Does that mean that they don't deserve more money because they love children? I agree that people in all kinds of work should strive for quality regardless of their pay rate. But let's not suggest that child care providers must hold on to a higher moral ground and that they should be happy to be doing "good" or "meaningful" or "fulfilling" work.
Especially when we ourselves don't make a ton of money it can be then very difficult to pay someone else a high wage to watch our children. We've obviously hit upon a big issue for mamas at all levels. This tells me that we need more affordable quality child care options in this community! What are we going to do about it?
Posted by: scotti | June 24, 2007 at 09:15 AM
I wasn't trying to insult anyone who lives at a lower income. In fact, the reason I posted was that I value every penny of my salary as a nanny and babysitter. I also understand that not everyone can afford the going rate. My point was, though, that maybe that means they end up doing a share or using a daycare center, and not expect someone to lower their rates accordingly. Most babysitters don't work on a sliding scale. And I do agree that cost doesn't necessarily rise with experience. But there is definitely a difference in hiring an adult with years of experience and usually infant/child CPR certification than hiring a teeneager. In addition to the issue of very often having to take the teenager home, which, as I recall, was difficult for the single moms I've worked for.
I'm just saying that pay should not be dependent on the income of the person paying you. Nannies have to eat too. Instead, there should be other options.
Posted by: Beth | June 24, 2007 at 02:25 PM
And just to clarify, if you read back my posts, I do not begrudge older, experienced babysitters or caregivers what they are being paid. I am talking about people 14-18 who are charging as much as older babysitters and don't have nearly as much experience. I wish I at least had choices.
Posted by: Debby | June 24, 2007 at 08:56 PM
I really can't afford to pay a sitter...but I have a neighbor who takes the girls once in a while...she won't take money but I drop off a loaf of homemade bread & I've offered to coach her in Spanish. I also have a friend who has a similar situation & whose kids get along very well with mine so a couple times a year we exchange.
Posted by: capella | June 25, 2007 at 07:40 AM
i was searching online for going rates of childcare abd babysitting fees..i was suprised to find so many helpful comments on this site..i am 25 yr old mother of 2~ (4 yr old & 6 yr old)..i recently quit my job and started helping a friend(who i have know since i was 12) with babysitting for her 2 yr old and 4 yr old while she is at work..i charge her $20 a day i have the kids from 8 am til 12 noon or as late as 6:30pm depending on when she or her husband get home..they come to my house i feed them breakfast and lunch (which i provide most of the time)Me and her agreed on a flat rate for date nights and stuff in the past and just kept the same agreement when i became her main childcare provider for the week i keep the kids tues-friday and some saturdays..i think if u can afford to pay more then more power to ya..but for those that are a low income family like her and myself i think agreeing on a flat rate that is fair for both is the best way to go for long time care..not just date nights.
Posted by: jamieB Alabama | August 06, 2007 at 11:19 AM
I agree with most that babysitting has become a very lucrative profession, and that $10 and up is not affordable for one child. I sometimes need a sitter to do odd jobs myself at roughly $20/hr on weekends, based on the $10/rate for a sitter, here is my equation.
$20/hr X 8 hours=$160
minus gas=$6
minus travel time, 1 hour=$10(sitter’s rate)
minus sitter rate for 8 hours=$80
=$64 divided by 8 hours
=$8/hour for me.
I’m being paid less than the sitter!!!
I agree that if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys, … but who is setting the amount of peanuts we pay? Maybe the babysitter rate is the culprit for so many divorces!! Couples can’t afford quality time.
This is dinner date night right b4 the divorce:
Couple: Reservations for two at 7pm.
Hostess: Great! One moment to be seated.
Husband: gazes at watch.
Wife: Looking at her cell phone
Hostess: your table is ready.
Wife: Can we sit a little further from the kitchen and the bathroom.
Hostess: One moment, I’ll find another table.
Husband: gazes at the watch, … nevermind this table is fine.
Wife: you are sooooo cheap.’
Husband: I’m the only breadwinner of the house.
Wife: well it doesn’t make sense to go to work with the rate of daycare centers.
Husband: Why did we have children again?
Wife: Why did I marry you again?
Waitress: Can I offer you a glass of water?
Husband: I’m ready to order. I’ll take a steak. Rare. Onions. Potato. Coke.
Wife: I’m not sure, what I want. Please give me another minute or two.
Husband: We’ve only been here one million times and you get the same thing everytime!
Wife: This time I’ll try something different.
Waitress: I’ll return in a minute.
Husband: Infuriated.
Wife: Checking cell phone to check in with babysitter. Not looking at the menu.
Husband: Would you order?!?!?!
Waitress: Ready?
Wife: I’ll have the same thing I always order. Now tell me what sides comes with the Angel Pasta again.
Waitress: The soup of the day, or a house salad.
Wife: Oh goody, what is the soup of the day?
Waitress: Well let’s see, we have Onion. Creamy Potato, Spinach Rigatoni…
Wife: Explain what Spinach Rigatoni is.
Husband: Jesus Christ!
Wife: I’ll just have the salad.
Waitress: Coming right up.
Another 15 minutes go by:
Wife: I’m just going to check on the sitter to make sure everything is ok.
As soon as she walks outside to use her cellphone the food arrives.
Husband tries to wait patiently for wife to return.
Wife is outside for 10 minutes giving instructions for Mikey’s sniffles.
Wife returns.
Husband is finished eating.
Wife: This is great, I’m so glad we got a chance to have date night. So how was work today?
Husband: I went, I hated it, I left, I’m here.
Wife: My day was soooo hectic. After feeding Mikey this morning, I did the laundry, I cleaned the house, I ran to the grocery store, I put him down for a nap, and he did the cutest thing today, ….
Husband: Are you gonna eat that?
Wife: Go ahead, I’m not that hungry, I ate right before you got home tonight.
Husband: Incredibly frustrated at this point, he asks for the check.
Waitress: Can I get you a dessert? Coffee?
Husband: No.
Wife: Well that over there looks good. What is that?
Husband: Honey, I thought you were on a diet. (notice the lack of question mark)
Wife: You’re right, and I baked a cake this afternoon.
Husband: Well why didn’t you cook too.
Wife: I was just so tired from chores all day that I just wanted to get out and have a good time.
Husband: Yeah, this is great.
Waitress: Your check.
Husband: Great, let’s go.
Wife: Oh Miss, may I have a container to take my order home?
Husband: I’ll be in the car.
Wife: I’ll be right out.
Waitress returns with container, bag, receipt.
Wife: Maybe I’ll go to the little ladies room before we leave.
Husband is waiting for 7 minutes, he pulls up to the front of the restaurant.
Wife decided to take the short cut out the back door.
Wife: Where’s the car?
Husband: Where’s my wife?
Cell phones ring.
Husband: Where are you?
Wife: By the car, well, .. where the car was.
Husband: I’ll be back to get you, just stay there!
Wife: I’ll just call the sitter to tell her we are on our way home.
Husband hangs up to meet his wife around the back. A carpool of elderly people have parked so he cannot move
Wife: Honey, where are you?
Husband: I’m stuck, you come up here.
Wife and husband reunite.
Wife: Thank you for giving me a break from the baby.
Husband: You called through the entire dinner.
Wife: I miss him when I’m away from him.
Husband: So why did we leave him?
Wife: I really think date night is important for us to be alone and be romantic again.
Husband: I’m sorry honey, I really wish that I could be more romantic. I wish that I could still give you roses, and take you out to dinner and the movies, and have time at home for hours upon hours.
Wife: That’s so sweet honey.
Husband: I’m sorry that you have such a long day with the baby, and that you take care of all of the household responsibilities. I wish I could help more at home, but I’m so overworked at the office. My boss calls on me for everything. My back hurts. I’m so stressed.
Wife: I know honey, and I understand. That’s why I’ve asked mother to come live with us for a little while.
Husband: Your father is very lucky.
Posted by: modelkrysti@yahoo.com | August 17, 2007 at 12:14 AM
That is a riot! :)
Posted by: Debby | August 17, 2007 at 02:02 PM
Hello,
My stepdaughter is available to babysit for for "date nights" or weekend days. She has a couple families she sits for now, but would like to find a few more. She is 14, almost 15, attends MLC and is Red Cross certified. She is comfortable traveling to the home by bus, but would need a ride back if she is needed late into the night. We live in North Portland (Overlook neighborhood,near Addias campus/New Seasons). She is most comfortable with children who are potty trained. Since we're connecting via the internet, we'll ask that we meet you first to make sure it's a safe situation for her and the fit is a good one. She has been making $5-6 an hour.
Her contact info is below:
Siobhan (pronounced Sha von)
503-201-1540
Thanks,
Nicole
Posted by: Nicole | October 13, 2007 at 11:59 AM
My daughter recently babysat 3 kids 4,5 & 9 years old. She is 15 and saving for a car. From 8am to 4pm and receive $25. she felt it was under paying her. She took the RED CROSS SCHOOL and enjoys playing with the kids. She wants to come up with a reasonal pay wage. What is the average middle class pay in NE Ohio. East of Cleveland. I would appreciate some input. thanks
Posted by: Lora | January 22, 2008 at 08:43 AM
It's practically impossible to figure out from the name of this site, or from the main page, but this a site for moms/parents in Portland, Oregon.
That said, sorry about your daughter's experience in Ohio. Regardless of locale, that's just not adequate pay.
Posted by: pdxmom | January 22, 2008 at 09:05 AM
I pay $8 an hour to a teen who is the daughter of some friends. I would not personally pay less than this as I want to ensure that I retain my sitter. However, if other people are able to find reliable and consistent childcare at $5 per hour more power to them! Maybe I started my offer off too high! :)
Posted by: Liz | January 22, 2008 at 10:03 AM
The state pays $2.63/hour for childcare. That is, if you have a low income daycare and are subsidized by the state,they pay $2.63 per child, per hour.
My younger sister was a daycare provider for years and she DID have a sliding scale. She had a going rate. But she had a couple clients who she knew were in dire straits, so she only charged them $10/day. And she provided excellent care. She can't be the only one out there.
I am in a similar boat to modelkrysti. And I'm not poor enough for gov't subsidized daycare, but if I keep working, I might be!
Posted by: lea | May 13, 2008 at 01:55 AM
I get paid $12 an hour for two kids (10 and 13). Hope this helps.
Posted by: Hank Renfrow | May 13, 2008 at 10:09 PM
I am a mom and a daycare provider. I host parents night out care twice a month. The extra income pays for date nights with my husband or the rare girls night out. We are primarily home bodies, bring our daughter with us to visit friends and rely on family for occasional evening care.
I struggled with how much to pay a sitter and/or an assistant. I have paid between $8 and $12 depending on experience and training. I also factor in regularity of employment, group size and the age of the children. It isn't easy. I feel like I should be paying them more, yet those are the going rates in the field.
I work hard to provide quality daycare at a competitive price while making what we consider a reasonable living. At $5 an hour per child (before sibling discount) for parents night out, I need a minimum of two children to pay my assistant and two more to pay myself... so I keep the group small and hire my husband. If only it were so simple during regular business hours. :-)
Posted by: campgabej | July 31, 2008 at 09:47 PM
I'm a seventeen year old who has been sitting for some neighborhood families for some time. Mostly, I take whatever the person thinks is fair. When I sat for my next door neighbors, I usually got ten dollars for about two or three hours, while she went shopping or whatever. For longer nights, like date nights with her husband, I'd get around twenty to twenty five dollars for five or six hours.
That said, for some close friends of the family, I once stayed at their house continuously for three days, while they went camping for the weekend (Their kids were twelve and ten... responsible) and got paid like fifty bucks for thirty six hours.
With the lady down the road that has two small children (look to be five and two, I don't know their exact ages yet... haven't started sitting for them yet) I suggested five or six dollars an hour, or whatever she thought was fair.
To address another issue: I'm a teen, but I think I do just as good a job as a "professional" would. I establish relationships with the families... we send cookies and pies back and forth at holidays and help each other with yard work, loan tarps, fix fences. I watch movies or read or play board or computer games with the kids, fix them simple meals like frozen pizzas or chicken fingers and mac and cheese. I tuck them in, feed the dog, and call the parents if I have questions... I'm CPR and First Aid certified by the Red Cross, and I worked at a day-care center two summers ago. Getting a teen sitter doesn't mean you're getting someone less willing or ready to work hard for you, just like not every adult sitter will be phenomenal. Some adult sitters might be worse than some teens... and teen sitters sometimes can surprise you with the quality of their care.
<3
Posted by: Leah | August 06, 2008 at 03:37 PM
We live in the Willamette Valley and my question what would be a good hourly rate to pay a sitter of two girls for occassional usage? One is five and totally potty trained and the other is 2.5 and still wears diapers.
They both go to bed at 7:30pm at night, so do you pay a little less when they are sleeping or the same hourly rate.
Does the babysitters age have anything to do with her pay? It appears that cost are all over the board...I think that $12 is to high and $5 seems to low.
Any input would be appreciated soon.
Posted by: Michelle | August 28, 2008 at 03:17 PM
I used to think I had a handle on this--I was paying our 15 year-old sitter $6.50/hour for two kids. This was after starting her at $5/hour more than a year ago, which was based on what the family who recommended her was paying. The other day she looked after just one child while I had a "date" with the other, and I suggested beforehand that I'd be paying her a little less. When I gave her $15 for three hours she made a very obvious face that this was not to her liking. And I think she's "breaking up" with us, as she said something about being really busy once school starts up again.
Posted by: S | August 28, 2008 at 06:46 PM
It seems like you should pay your sitter the same for 1 or 2 children,she is putting in the same amount of hours either way.Its actually harder to have only one child to watch-you are that childs only source of entertainment.
Posted by: heather | August 29, 2008 at 12:18 PM
the pay rate should also depend on how well behaved the children are,and wether it's summer or school time(should cost more cause you have lots of homework and studying to do).
---
I babysitted 2 children, 1 (boy)6years old(boy) , 1 (girl) 8yrs. old.
I came at the time when they had said to arive, cause they needed to be gone 10min after that they said, (they didnt leave till 2 hours after that and didn't pay me for that time though I was babysitting their children while they watched a movie) the girl threw her dinner on the floor, while I was talking to her to see why she had
(she said she was made cause it was supposed to be her and her brother's dinner together and her parents were eating the dinner I had made also),
her brother bit me(it was bleeding) and when I asked them where the first aid kit was, the parents just sat on the couch and laughed and told him to do it again.
(that is one of the worst behaved households i've had to babysit but it ties with the household where the dad molested me and the mother said I had better not ever tell or___(never did), both house holds were rich people (were doing both the same year, and they both said they'd pay me when the end of summer came, I babysat them for a year, they never paid me even a penny), i don't work for rich people any more cause you take care of their children, love them like your own(you know the only thing the parents like is their rep. and their money, they don't love the children, they tell them all the time "we don't want you in here go in your room and watch your winni the pooh movies")
----
-------
so before you let your teens go to baby sit make sure you KNOW who and what the people are... and just don't babysit rich people's children they have no manners and the parents don't care if they do9most the time the parents just are fake nice till your parent leaves, and your stuck there not allowed to use the phone), and you won't get paid at the end end of the year.
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Posted by: bitten | September 06, 2008 at 06:52 PM
the pay rate should also depend on how well behaved the children are,and wether it's summer or school time(should cost more cause you have lots of homework and studying to do).
---
I babysitted 2 children, 1 (boy)6years old(boy) , 1 (girl) 8yrs. old.
I came at the time when they had said to arive, cause they needed to be gone 10min after that they said, (they didnt leave till 2 hours after that and didn't pay me for that time though I was babysitting their children while they watched a movie) the girl threw her dinner on the floor, while I was talking to her to see why she had
(she said she was made cause it was supposed to be her and her brother's dinner together and her parents were eating the dinner I had made also),
her brother bit me(it was bleeding) and when I asked them where the first aid kit was, the parents just sat on the couch and laughed and told him to do it again.
(that is one of the worst behaved households i've had to babysit but it ties with the household where the dad molested me and the mother said I had better not ever tell or___(never did), both house holds were rich people (were doing both the same year, and they both said they'd pay me when the end of summer came, I babysat them for a year, they never paid me even a penny), i don't work for rich people any more cause you take care of their children, love them like your own(you know the only thing the parents like is their rep. and their money, they don't love the children, they tell them all the time "we don't want you in here go in your room and watch your winni the pooh movies")
----
-------
so before you let your teens go to baby sit make sure you KNOW who and what the people are... and just don't babysit rich people's children they have no manners and the parents don't care if they do, and you won't get paid at the end end of the year.
-------
Posted by: dead by the time you read this | September 06, 2008 at 06:53 PM
I babysat when I was a teen and made hardly anything, which didn't bother me. It was fun and I was responsible and made a little spending money. I met the parents through my mother. It seems like this is the best way to find responsible teen help. Suss out the parents of teens you know and trust. When I was twenty I did emergency childcare and nannying, where I made much more money. I was living on my own then so it was neccessary. I also did childcare work at a domestic violence shelter once a week making only $7 an hour. I think it is possible to find responsible care for every income level. Just becuase you're paying more doesn't mean the person caring for your children is a better person.
Posted by: bethb | September 07, 2008 at 06:28 PM
Bitten
If there is a person that you feel safe reporting what happened to you while babysitting - being molested - I would try to muster up the courage and talk them. Perpetrators(bad guys)usually get worse with time. Not only might it help you to process this, but you will probably be saving many other innocent victims...Perhaps even his own children.
Posted by: anon | September 08, 2008 at 12:35 AM
I am a babysitter and I am only paid $2.25 an hour. Am i getting ripped off?
Posted by: brace face | December 23, 2008 at 04:38 PM
Holy Smokes guys... I pay my part-time, 40 yr old adult daycare babysitter $6 per hour for my 2 toddlers. This isn't date-night babysitting, this is five days a week in the afternoons. I can't imagine paying $10-$12 an hour for a babysitter to go out. I guess in Kansas City cost of living is way different. Around here that is what a majority of heads-of-households make. We pay $15-$20 for a full date night to our teen babysitter.
Posted by: PJ | June 25, 2009 at 05:52 PM
I am a stay at home mom and I have been watching a neighbors 20 month old for the past 3 weeks for free (while she gets back on her feet, with a new job)Which I told her I would for ONLY 3 weeks. What should I ask her to pay me if she asks me to continue watching her daughter for money? I supply the food,milk,bathing and changing diapers.,along with fun play times. I don't get it tho. She may not have the $$ to pay for daycare, yet..her hair and nails are ALWAYS done and beautiful. Should I ask her to look somewhere else?
Posted by: Kay | September 23, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Interesting comments. I am a 27 and just finished grad school for elementary teaching. I am currently a sub and babysit a 2 year old 2 mornings a week. My rate is $11/hr, but the family is paying me $12 because I am a professional. I would ask for $2 more per additional child. I think this is completely fair and honesty I wouldn't take a job for less than $10/hr! Sure, as a teen $5/hr is fine, but if an adult is watching your child, it needs to be worth their time. Especially if it is their career, where they are educated about caring for your child and are CPR certified, etc. You get what you pay for.
Posted by: Jenny | October 07, 2009 at 06:01 PM
I've been babysitting for like 6 years now and i can tell you for a fact that kids are 5 times worst behavad when a babysitter is there. even if the sitter is saying they were great kids did everything they were told its a lie. sometimes i have wanted to rip my hair out. so none of this 5$ an hour our you wont see your sitter again a good thing is 8-10$ an hour unless you have over 4 kids. and another thing to keep in mind is dont let the kids have friends over when you have a babysitter without asking the sitter first!!!
Posted by: Claire | November 11, 2009 at 05:28 AM
I live in Michigan and 2 of my sisters do a l licensed day care I just started doning a little of it myself. From what I am reading above my sister and I are way under charging our parents, I feel that 10.00 an hour and up is wow high I charge my parents 2.00 an hour and if they have more than one child its 1.50 an hour per child after that. I know that my sisters charge around 2.50 to 3.00 an hour and they are licensed. I was sitting for my nephews children and getting paid by the state they paid me 1.65 an hour per child. Maybe all you people should move to Michigan
Posted by: Carol | February 24, 2010 at 07:58 PM
Hi, I have a very responsible 12 year old girl. She has gone through the Red Cross Babysitting class and either my husband or myself are always home when she has a babysitting job (in case of emergency). We have a family friend, she is a young single mother, that asks my daughter to babysit 6-8 hours a day while she works. The child is good but a handful. My daughter focuses all her attention on the child the entire time she is there (no naps). What would you say is a fair rate? The lady is only paying 2.00 per hour and even though my daughter is young I still don't think that is a fair rate (neither does she). Can she ask to be paid more?
Posted by: Michelle | July 07, 2011 at 02:33 PM
I watch a 2 year old she is always asleep when her mom is gone. Some nights I am there till 5:00. The Mom wants to only pay $2.00 an Hour. I think this is too cheap. And whenever I watch during the day, we go on field trips to Mc Donalds. I pay for any food and also gas. Which I is unfair. Any thoughts on this?
Posted by: Carol Alioto | March 20, 2012 at 03:50 PM
I am 20 years old and usually get paid no less than 15 or 20/hr! I would honestly not take a job that paid less than 10, even 12. I have coupled who pay me over 50/hr in some cases. When paying someone to watch your child, they are there to act as a psuedo parent and if some emergency were to occur or anything of that nature, the babysitter is the person who has responsibility for your child's life. Hopefully that's a valuable enough reason to pay your sitter generously, because watching a child and scooping ice cream (a generally minimum wage job) are extremely different responsibility wise. Why do you think life guards get paid so much...
Posted by: Kacey | April 19, 2012 at 01:17 AM
So, I'm a single father of an 8 year old boy. I work, generally, 6-4:30pm, Monday thru Thursday. Which means I must leave the house by 5:30am. I return by 5:30 pm.
Is there any services that could accomodate this kind of schedule?
This time of year is my busy season so, at times I will be required to work at midnight or possibly 5am. When working at 5am, I could very easily work until 8pm and not get home till 830pm. Crazy I know.....but I am in some need of some help, thanks in advance!
Posted by: Darren | July 29, 2012 at 03:34 PM