Conference moira::parenting_v3

    Paula,   my wife has been getting $3/hour for part time care, but the
    children are brought to her house.  Your asking someone to bring
    to come to your house.
    
    other ideas,  you know your children best, but at that age, we felt
    comfortable to leave them alone.  An idea is to PAY them.  you either
    pay the sitter $15 or upward a night to watch them or you turn that
    money back into them...get a favorite CD, Nintendo game..... and if
    things go good, they get the moeny vs haveing a stranger come to the
    house to get the money.   btw for three nights a week, a ten year old
    can make a meal [send out for pizza].
    
    another idea is to check with the local high school, the guidence
    counselers or home ec teachers for a high school student to do this
    work.
    good luck.
    ed
    

Ed,

An ad was put in the local newspaper.   Tons of replies!  Interviews
with the selected few will take place over the weekend.  Note:  The
children are very capable of being left home alone; however their
father (I am his girlfriend) works out of town and feels it would be
best that someone be home with them during that time.

Some people have told me that there are certain laws in Mass. that
states children at the ages of ??? cannot be left unsupervised.  (At
what age that is, I do not know).

In any case, the father does want a sitter but has no idea what a
sufficient pay is for that service these days.

Thanks,
Paula
    

PARENTING_V2, topic 986

Babysitter and daycare rates differ by geography.  When you reply, please 
specify where you live.  And for non-US folks, include the current exchange 
rate  :^)  Respond even if you're not in the base noters geography, since 
others might be interested.

Also, I assume that the babysitting is scheduled and repetitive, for which 
rates may or may not be the same as for unscheduled, occasional babysitting.

.1, Ed, you're in southern New Hampshire, correct?

Clay

    
    RE: -3
    
    The PARENTING_V2 Notesfile has been referenced; however, I really
    don't think it provides me with the info I am requesting since the
    replies are dated from March of 1989.  
    
    (I tend to doubt that $2.00-$2.50/hour today would be sufficient
    for even a 14 year old).
    
    Paula

    RE:  Rates.  My daughter (18.5 yrs) charges $2.00 and up per hour,
    depending on the number of children and ages of th e children.
    
    She finishes high school in a week and a half, and has been asked
    to babysit for three days a week for 2-3 weeks from 6:30 (AM)-2:30
    (PM).  She was offerred $50 a week for the three days - if this
    helps.  She ususally brings home $3.00-$4.00 per hour, as a
    number of the families she sits for have 3 children, and/or
    very young children..  She also provides her own transportation,
    so no one has to bring her home later on at night.
    
    Hope this helps.
    
    Val

    My friend pays her sitter to come to her home, $3.00 an hour to watch
    her 2 yr old.  The sitter is 15 yrs old.
    
    Hope this helps,
    
    Mel

    Kat's still charging $2 an hour before midnight, $3 after.  We pay
    $2 when we hire a sitter for David.  This is in Nashua, in our
    home, and both girls are 17-year-old high school juniors.
    
    --bonnie

    We pay our sitter $20.00 for ~6 hours (Sat nights, 6-midnite).  4 of 
    those hours the kids are in bed (usually).  She is 14 years old, and we 
    provide transportation.  She is ecstatic about the $20.00.  We never 
    really talked about money, she just sat for us (it's our daycare's 
    daughter), and we gave her the money, and she was happy, and we felt 
    good, the end.  The kids are almost 3 and 5 1/2.  She also gets full
    reign of the Nintendo after they're in bed, so I'm inclined to think
    she might do it just for that (-;

    I have a 13yr old girl that babysits for my kids occasionally.  My
    children are 16mo and almost 4.  How much I pay her depends on what she
    needs to do. ie. feed them, put them in pj's.  
    
    If the kids have been fed and are ready for bed, then I pay her
    $2.50/hr.  If she needs to feed & change them etc., I pay $3.00/hr. 
    Here in So NH this seems to be the going rate from people I've spoken
    to

    We occasionally have a 13-yr-old neighbor sit for us on a Saturday
    night. We live in No Reading, MA (approx 15 miles north of Boston). 
    She lives one block away: her mother drives her over; we bring
    her home. Nick, who's 15 mos old, is already fed and dressed/diapered
    for bed before we leave. Since he hasn't needed a bottle in ages, all
    she needs to do is give him some juice at approx 8:00, and put him to
    bed at approx 8:30. We ask her to arrive at 7:00, and pay her $12 if
    we're back by 11, and $15 if we're back by 12:00. Works out to approx
    $3 or more per hr. BTW, when we asked her what she charged, she
    shrugged and suggested $2 or $2.50/hr. The extra amount was our idea
    because it felt right...
    
    FWIW
    
    Freddie

    
    I wish I have such luck with $3/hr sitters!!! I have 2 sitters from
    Andover and N.Andover area in Mass. and I have been paying $4-$5/hr.
    These 2 are college girls who work part time at the nursery school.
    They have their own car. Maybe I am paying for "experience" and
    convenience. :-(
    
    
    Eva.

    We live west of Worcester, Mass.  We have three kids (5, 3.5, 21 mos.)
    and pay $3 an hour. That's the going rate around here, in fact some pay
    less! We've never had a complaint, and people seem eager to come sit
    for us.....our kids are usually real good, though, and never argue or
    complain about bed. They usually go to bed within about 45 minutes of
    the sitter's arrival, so most of that time is for them listening for
    trouble, and watching TV. We did have a 14 yr. old come watch them once
    for 4 hrs. one evening, and all day the next day (8-5). We gave her $45
    for this, and she was *very* happy with that.
    
    --dave--

    I live in Holden, just outside Worcester. My babysitter is a freshman
    in high school and has been babysitting since she was 11. When I asked
    her what she charges, she said "whatever" so I pay her $2/hour - and
    more if we're out past 11 (rarely).
    

    $3 an hour, Souhthern, NH.  I always round it up to the nearest $15,
    $20, etc., especially if we are home after mid-night.

    We live in Worcester, MA.  We pay our babysitter $2.25 an hour.  If we
    are out less than 2 hours, we pay her a $5.00 minimum.  Our children
    are 9 months and 3.  They are always fed and ready for bed
    by the time the sitter arrives.  We also provide the transportation.

    We live in Boston. Oddly, our babysitters have never set a rate. We
    would never pay less than minimum wage  -- that has fallen so far in
    value in the last 10 years, and they're only in for a few hours. 
    
    Kit

    
    	I have 2 boys and one girl. Ages are 7 & 5 for the boys and the
    girl is 2. I pick up the babysitter and drop her off. We pay $3/hour
    before 9PM and $2.50/hour after 9PM (the kids are in bed by 8PM). 
    
    	At first I thought this was high, but after reading these reply's I
    guess not. 
    
    							-Keith
    

I use three of the teachers from the daycare center,
and pay $4 per hour.  Most teenagers in the neighborhood
charge around $2.50 per hour.  I pay more because:

- The teachers drive
- They know CPR
- They know my girls and Kati knows them
- I have an infant, which can be more demanding

    We pay the sitters, usually it's the same college age neighbor, a
    minimum of $10. for the occational night out.Last week we didn't leave
    til after 7:30 and we were back about 10:30,it was still worth $10.
    We don't go out all that often.  For what it's worth we
    will keep the rule of thumb to be $3. per hourbeyond the $10 minimum.  
    We can't have real late night, since AJ (Just turned 4) still gets up at 
    the same time,
    whether or not we've been home since 10, 11 or 2am!!  I do have a rule
    that if he's up I'm up with him, for safety sake I never let him roam
    the house alone.  (See my basenote 199, for what makes me think this
    way)
    
    Lyn

    What are the standard babysitting rates?  Does the rate go up as the
    number of kids go up?  
    
    Thanks
    
    John

    geez,  I think it's about $3.00 an hour in NH - possibly $4.00 in MA. 
    I've also heard of home daycare discounting for more than 1 child or
    full time hrs.
    
    Sonia
    
    P.S.  It might be more for licensed or daycares.

    
    	I'm paying $2.50 /hour for one baby who's asleep the whole time.

    I'm paying a high school senior $4.00/hour to play/sit with my 3.5 year
    old. This is in S. N.H. She has been with us for over two years every
    other Saturday night. While $4 may seem high, I figure that I need to
    compete with burger-flippin jobs and need to keep it attractive for her to
    come ($20-25 for a typical Saturday). My son loves her and I figure the
    continuity is important - course all this will change when she goes off
    to collage! 

Ditto, ditto ...

We, too, found an excellent 17-year old, two doors down, very mature,
very dependable, very good with (and for) Juli.

Well worth paying her $4/hour (and $4 for the last fraction of an hour, too).

Dottie

    Funny this surfaced today, I was about to ask the same question!
    
    We've had a H.S. Freshman about once a week the last few weeks. 
    Usually it's a case of hubby has a 6 o 6:30 class, gets home between
    8:30 or 9.  I have to be somewhere for 8:00, I try to have her there
    about 7, so I can finish getting dressed without hassles. So it usually
    works out to be somewhere between 1-1/2 and 2 hours total she's there,
    generally he's been bathed, and is has had or just finishing supper, so
    she only has to keep him quiet for a while and get him in bed.  We
    usually give her $8. for the 1-1/2 to 2 hour period. I was curious if
    we were under or overpaying her.
    
    This by the way is the same wonderful sitter who eats little or nothing
    while at our house.  I can't even pawn off his Halloween candy on her!
    
    Lyn

    How much do people pay for babysitting these days?  I know it depends
    on where you live, but it seems awfully high to me.  I pay my (college
    age) neighbor $4.00/hour, and someone from the daycare (who is trained
    and my daughter loves her) $5.00/hour.  I live in Westford, MA.
    
    Also, what is the general age of babysitters?  My neighbor approached
    me the other day to let me know her daughters have taken a babysitting
    course and are now available.  They are 10 and 12 and charge
    $2.50/hour.  Personally, I don't think most 12 year olds are mature
    enough to babysit.  I was not allowed to sit until I was at least 13
    and I remember I did not have the patience to deal with older children
    (early school age) and ended up quitting at 16.  (Also, at the time I
    was earning a *whopping* $.75/hour so who wouldn't quit???!)
    
    Thanks.
    Mary

    Please also see note 746 which discusses other babysitter issues
    including food and transportation.
    
    Laura
    co-mod

    I've replied to this discussion before. We use a now-14-yr-old who has
    been sitting for 1-4 kids since she was 11. Very mature for her age and
    I trust her implicitly. It also helps that her mom is 3 houses away. We
    paid 2-2.50 for one child; $3 for 2 kids. This is in central Mass.
    
    I would not go by age as much by maturity. BTW, the Red Cross
    babysitting course is reportedly excellent.
    

    
    My younger sister has been babysitting for over a year now, and she
    will be 13 in April. She took the Red Cross first aid course, and is
    mature for her age. Granted, the children are usually over 6 mos old
    though.  I too, started babysitting around 11-12, and was mature for my
    age at the time also. 
    
    I agree with not going by age, but more by maturity.
    
    Chris
    

In addition to maturity (which may be hard to judge anyway), consider the 
situation.  My daughter started babysitting just after her 11th birthday.  
The babysitting was always during the day, for a neighbor.  One of us was 
always home.  In fact many times our neighbor was home (he is self-employed, 
working from his home, and doesn't want to be chasing a very active 
one-year-old around the house when his wife is gone).  

I say this because situations like this are a good way for older kids to break 
in to babysitting, and it's also a good opportunity to "try out" someone who 
you may have some doubt about.

Clay

    I'm beginning to interview babysitters for my 18 month
    old daughter.  I take evening classes and will be needing
    someone 1 -2 nights every week for about 3 hours.
    
    I'm wondering what is the "going rate" for babysitters these
    days?  I'd like a ballpark estimate so I'm not shocked when
    I ask "what do you charge"???!!!
    
    Thanks!
    
    Sheryl

    
    We pay $2/hr.
    
    CdH
    

    
    We pay $2.50 to $3.00/hour in Boylston, MA for a 14 year old who
    babysits our 1 year old.