Pampered Chef Thread: Babysitting - What's the going rate?

I pay $10 an hour and I have a 21 month old. I'm not sure if that's high, but I know that I was paid $8 an hour four years ago to watch a 2 year old. Hope this helps.

$10 an hour? WOW!

We pay $5 an hour for our almost 4 yr old. He has a teenaged babysitter when Grandparents aren't available. Maybe it depends on where you live?

Of course, when it's the Grands, - they practically pay us to watch him.




oh - and I did check with my Mom's Group to find out how much others paid - so I'm paying the norm for this area at least!

I pay $5 an hour for our 2 1/2 year old. And that would incude any part of an hour. So if I am gone from say 6 to 8:15 they would get $15.

My friend is paid $12.00/hr. to watch 1 year old.

By the way, just to add, you can always pay her more to stamp catalogs or put host packets together!

It's been a long time but I was going to say $5 would be a standard or $20 a night. You could always ask her what her experience is and how much she has been paid before.

Wow it looks like I'll never leave the house again!! How much do you pay for more than one kid? Is it $5/hr for one and less for #2 & #3? Or $5/hr for each child?

Quote by ChefBeckyD

$10 an hour? WOW!

We pay $5 an hour for our almost 4 yr old. He has a teenaged babysitter when Grandparents aren't available. Maybe it depends on where you live?

Of course, when it's the Grands, - they practically pay us to watch him.




oh - and I did check with my Mom's Group to find out how much others paid - so I'm paying the norm for this area at least!

Wow only $5!!! I babysat an 8 yo about 15 years ago and was paid $5 an hour. That was in Pittsburgh, but it must be the norm for your area. I wish I could pay less, but I want to make sure they actually watch her and come back again if I need her. Maybe I'll move to Michigan...

One more thing....I also feel the younger the children the more you have to do for them (change diapers, feed, etc...), so the more you pay. Just my thoughts!

My neighbor pays my 14 year old $ 5.00 to watch 3-4 kids, one is a baby about a year old and two are twin 3 year olds and the other in 2nd grade. Sometimes the baby goes with mom, sometimes the 2nd grader has other plans but usually it is 3 kids. I don't think she gets paid enough and recently won't do it since my neighbor's grandmother has come to live with them. She can't walk but she is constantly telling my daughter to not do this and go do that. My daughter is uncomfortable and often can't understand what the grandmother is saying. I hope she will be able to continue to babysit for them.

We usually pay pretty well. I don't go by an hourly rate but if we're gone a while I give the babysitter about $40.00. She brings a friend w/her and they split it. So from 5-12 is...a little over $5.00 an hour

My girls all get $8 - $10 an hour... whether it's one child or more. And I have to pay thier friends the same... although if I have to pick up the ones who cannot drive yet they get $7 - $8 depending on what they have to do that day/night

My daughters get between 7 and 10 an hour - depending on the family - If I had to pay again it would be around 8 an hour - (one of the perks of having teenagers!)

it totally depends on the sitter. I am very fortunate. I pay $5 an hour for 2 kids. I tried to give my sitter the same amt when she only had one last week and she said it was too much! I am so lucky!!! I have a really great sitter!

Depends on the sitter and on the area.

When I used to hang out with folks down on Philly's Main Line like.. 10 years ago or so $10 was the norm an hour... I'm sure it's gone up since then. I couldn't afford that. LOL... with minimum wage at about $7/hr I'd consider that a good starting point... perhaps more for more kids, time of night and all that.

I usually pay $10 an hour for my 6, 4, and 1 year olds. Or for any 2 of them (a lot of times it ends up being just the older 2). If its just the baby then I pay about $7 an hour.

YIKES!!! I get away with $4/hr for 2 kids. $50 overnight (our overnights are 15-18hrs, tho) And Im considered one of the BETTER paying parents. LOL
Then, again, I live in a really small WV town. Teens here are happy to get anything. Some parents pay as little as $2

So it really does depend on where you live. 20 years ago when I was babysitting I was getting $2-3/hr per kid. But that was in NJ suburb, just outside of Philly.

I would ask her what her rate is, if shes sat before she'll have an idea of what she wants. Also ask parents in your area. Comparing Indiana to New York isnt going to be much help.

-meryl

This might help:
BabySitters.com - Determining How Much to Pay Your Babysitter

Hey Mwalker, I'm originally from Clarksburg (family is all still there) . How close is Williamstown?? I really miss living in WV!!!!!