How Much Do I Pay a Babysitter?

Hi B.,
When I use a sitter I agree on a price before we leave- like "I'll pay you $20.00 to come over, eat dinner w/ the kids and play with them for a couple of hours" It totally depends on if they drive, how much they are going to do etc.... I live in the same area you do, and I haven't had any problems with this system. If the kids are going to be in bed most of the time I'll ask if they have a movie they want me to rent and a favorite snack.

Hope this helps.

Feel free to e-mail me!

D.

I would expect to pay from $6-$10 an hour for a good babysitter. We have two boys so of course, we are going to have to pay more (we pay $10 and round up - 4 hours $50 etc.). If you find a sitter you like be prepared to overpay him or her.

we pay about $7 per hour. I tend to tip on top of that. my sitter doesn't live close (she's in grand prairie, I'm in dallas) so I try to compensate for her gas too. l pay her a minimum of $20. I ask a sitter what she'll charge, but often they say whatever I want to pay them.

We live near the Arboretum and pay young sitters between $7 and $8 per hour depending on how many kids they are caring for. We also have a college-age young woman who drives her own car to and from our home and we pay her $8 to $10 per hour (also depending on how many kids). There are some high school girls who take their babysitting job very seriously and spend their own money to take a babysitting course through a local hospital. There, they learn infant and childcare, as well as CPR and life saving techniques. How to stay calm in an emergency, etc. These girls I would not hesitate to pay a little more.

I know that it seems crazy, but it does not matter if the child is sleeping or not. . . I pay $10 an hour for an adult or high schooler and $7 an hour for a jr. high girl that comes over.

If you are comfortable with asking, I have the lady that babysits for me ld clothes while the children are asleep. This helps justify paying $10 an hour in my book!

The problem you run into is not getting good girls to come if you don't pay enough or if they are offended that you would have them fold clothes.

Hope this helps!

Hi B.,
I also live in LH...I'm on Estate Lane near Wallace Elem.
We pay $10 an hour to adults. We have a 55 year old woman named Kay who works at White Rock Trail & Walnut Hill until 5 or 5:30 and babysits evenings and weekends.
I have not used a teenager, but have heard they make about $7 an hour.
SMU is a good resource for babysitters and they make $8 to $10 an hour.
I would love to meet you sometime.
L. Daniel
ph. ###-###-####
My son Kevin is 14 months