I babysit a couple of kids part-time. I originally started out as the "fill-in" person, but became the primary sitter for one of the kids because they were more comfortable with me caring for their little guy. Plus we live just next door so it is majorly convenient!!
#1 will turn 2 at the end of August. Mom is pregnant and due with #2 in July. She has asked me to watch #2 as well, which I am completely open to, but am not sure what to charge. They currently pay $5/hour to watch #1. It might seem "high" for an unlicensed in home sitter, but I was not the one to come up with this original number. Their other sitter did and when they approached me, they just said "we pay $5/hr".
Honestly, I think the higher rate is fair for a couple of reasons -
1) It is not full time. A lot of people charge more for a part time spot because it takes up "room" that another full time/regular child could fill.
2) It is quite variable - some weeks I will have him 1 day, some weeks I will have him 3 days - all depends on mom/dad's work schedules and how they overlap (or don't)...one month I might have him 4 times, the next month I might have him 12 days...
3) Hours are variable and odd - some days I will have him from 4:30am-4:00pm and again from 6-7 (12.5 hours), or 1-7pm, or 4:30am-1:30pm. I also am open to watching him on the weekends if their schedules need it. Mom's work schedule is changing in May - she worked as a PM nurse, and will be switching to day shift, so as of May, it will just be 6am-7pm on the days he is here. Yes, a 13 hour day...
I do provide food/snacks as well (won't for infant until they eat table food).
So - with all of that said, I am not sure what to charge when #2 comes along and I have 2 kids. Since they already pay on the "high" end, should I only increase the rate a little for #2 and charge something like $6.50-$7/hr? Or should it be more since #1 is still young?
If you have an in-home babysitter, what do you pay per hour? I know a lot of people pay by the day/week, but with such variable hours, that doesn't really work for this family...
Thanks for your input!! :-)
I appreciate everyone's input. My mom thinks $5/hour is low too, however, other in-home sitters in the area charge $3-4/hour for one child! Typical "day" rate is $30-40 and typical "week" rate is $150!! So, for my area, I am on the "higher" end of pay.
I used to be a kindergarten teacher and I have my bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education which means I am NOT a typical "babysitter". I have worked in various day care centers, I work in our church nursery, and I TEACH early childhood to day care providers at our local tech college. I am not your average "babysitter". I have the coursework...I TEACH the coursework!
Their LAST sitter is the one who came up with the $5/hour and when they approached me about being the primary sitter, they said "we pay $5/hour" and since most of the people I know who do in-home care are in the $3-4 range, I was like, "I'LL TAKE IT!"
Another thing to think about - When I worked at the day care, I made $13/hour...(granted, it was a small center and at a larger center, I might make $15/hour or so)...day care ratio for an infant is 4 babies to 1 adult...so if you divide 13/4...there is the range of $3-4/hour... just something to think about. Also, granted, that in home care is a lot different than a center...in both positive and negative ways.
I appreciate all the feedback!! Anyone else want to share specifically what you pay your in-home caregiver for care (2 y/o and infant?)?
Wow, my teenage kids make more than you do, at LEAST $10 an hour for one kid, more for two.
You need to DOUBLE your rate!!!
So you have to watch 2 kids for 13 hours a day, be at their disposal based on their work schedule, you have to provide snacks as well as entertainment, and they are telling you they pay $5 an hour? Teenagers in my neighborhood make $8 and hour for a few hours in the evening when the kids are asleep.
You are being used. Sorry to say that. $5 is not on the high side, no matter what they are telling you.
I'd call a few day care providers for their rates as if you have children to enroll, or look at their websites, and get a baseline. If you don't value yourself, they won't value you either. You can make more money on a reliable schedule at the grocery store, and you'd get overtime beyond 8 hours, and you'd have a few bathroom breaks. And you wouldn't have to feed the manager.
Stand up for yourself!
Most daycare providers charge a flat rate per week/month/day. Per diem sitters probably get more like $10 per hour. An infant is a lot of work. They are expecting you to be available based on their schedule, which changes a lot. My teenager gets $7-8 an hour for babysitting, and some get $10 per hour. You should figure out what other in-home providers get per kid, per week and divide it by how many hours that covers and charge at least that per hour. When I used a home daycare provider when my kids were tiny, I paid full price for each kid, not just a little more for a second child. $5 per hour and you provide the food is not a fair wage. I think they should be paying you at least $10 an hour for the two kids, and a fee on top of that for the food.
my teen daughter got $10/hours during the day and $12/hr at night for babysitting on a regular basis for families with 1, 2 and 3 children. You are providing a valuable service to this family. In a day care setting, infant care is more expensive than for older children. You need to be paid more for the hours you are putting in. They should also be supplying the food for their children.
$5 an hour?! Are they crazy?! I can't imagine paying a sitter only $5 an hour!! I realize I live outside of Washington DC, which is an expensive area, but still... If I were you I would call around to see what the going rate is in your area. A 2 year old and an infant? You could probably get at least $10 an hour. Sounds like you enjoy your situation though, and don't want to gouge them for money, but really, I think you are worth so much more than you are getting.
That is really really low. I pay a sitter $8-9/hour for one child. When he was a baby it was more like $10. I would think you should be getting more like $10-14/hour for two, especially since one will be an infant.
My 11 year old niece get $8/hour as a mother's helper.
For casual childcare I charge $5 per hour per kid. So if there two kids it is $10 per hour. That is for kids, not infants. Infants are a lot of work. I would be have to be getting at least $10 per hour (minimum wage here) for two kids still in diapers!
I pay $10 an hour for one kid and $12 an hour for 2 kids.
If I were you I would call daycare centers near you and ask what they would charge for 2 kids those ages. You will see what a bargain they are getting for one on one care.
FYI...I seriously doubt they can find anyone else to watch their one child for $5 /hour. I also think it was rude to tell you what they pay and not ask you what you charge. If I were you I would tell them that they must provide the food. You are probably spending $10 / week on it. Technically, when you factor in food you aren't even making $5. /hr.
I didn't read your whole post and stopped when you said you get paid only $5/hour.
That is really s*** pay, sorry.
I did childcare in my home.
Licensed or not, this is really, poor pay.
I charged a MONTHLY flat rate. Per the area I was in.
And it was more than just $5/hour.
IF that Mom/Dad has such irregular hours/schedules etc. I would just charge her a FLAT MONTHLY RATE... and it is a flat rate regardless if she is there or not.
The thing is, being she has such irregular hours and demands upon you... she will find it VERY hard, to find another Sitter/Provider, that will put up with this.
I wouldn't.
Not for that pay.
AND plus on top of it all, you are providing all food/snacks. And getting really low pay.
But THEY decided how much to pay you. Not you. And YOU are the Sitter. You are at their whim... and at the amount they want to pay, and are next door to them, and no wonder their other Sitter is not their sitter anymore.
Typically, when a person needs childcare, they, do not come up with how much they will pay that childcare Provider. It is the Sitter/Provider that comes up with what is going to be charged.
You... are at their whims.
They are deciding everything.
You are getting below minimum wage.
I really do not know why, you consider $5/hour on the high end.
It is... very "insulting" of them, to pay you only $5/hour.
That is ridiculous.
This seems really low by any standards. I would increase as much as you feel comfortable. Maybe say $10 an hour, 5 each which is still a serious bargain. You are flexible with hours and convenient, don't feel uncomfortable asking for what you deserve.
I appreciate that everyone is saying she is being used.... but you guys are not taking into account cost of living. OP is in Green Bay Wisconsin, some of you posted that she should paid equal to prices in larger cities.... not realistic and your advice is not applicable to her situation.
I used the rate calculator on SitterCity.com. I typed in 54301, which was the first Green Bay zip code I found, entered 2 kids and it told me you should expect $8.25/hour.
So, I would say that $5 an hour for ONE kid..... is not out of line for your area. Plus...... $5/hour for a 13 hour day is $65. That is actually HIGHER than the day rate for most in-home providers.... even in cities larger than Green Bay. I believe I have seen that charges between $25-$50 per day as an average.
I would go onto the sittercity.com website. Search what other parents are offering to pay for babysitting 2 kids. That will give you an idea.
Typically care in a *day care center* is MUCH more than in-home or babysitting.... unless you are a certified nanny with degrees etc.
M. - here is my advice. I would do your research about what is reasonable in your area and then have a conversation with the parents. I would let them know that sittercity.com recommends $8.25 an hour.
Then see what they say. They may negotiate, but it sounds like even if they offer $7.50 that is more than what you were originally thinking.
However - note that people get very weird about money. They may be thinking NO additional raise..... in which case they may say they are not going to pay you any more than $5 an hour..... especially if that is already *high* for your area (which you indicate you thought it was high when you took the job). So, you need to be determine what you will do if they DON'T offer you any more..... will you quit? will you stay? Have a back up plan in place.
When our youngest was a baby, her nanny was paid $10/hr under the table, plus transportation (tolls, subway, etc). You can do the math on that one... but then, those are San Francisco prices, so the rest of the country may be a little less.
Now that my kids are older, for after-school (3 hours per day) 5 days per week, the cost is $250/week for 2 kids. That cost is at the babysitter's house, and there are 4 other kids there! If we were to have the babysitter come here, it would cost a good bit more than that (like $7.50/hr if the hours were regular and consistent, or for on-demand, as-needed care, it's $10-15/hr for 2 kids). Of course, these are prices for school-aged children. The sitter feeds them some graham crackers and an apple, and they sit and do their homework.
If you're watching a school-aged child AND an infant on an as-needed basis? Around here that's at least $10/hr.
I'm a part time nanny (Or in home sitter, whatever you want to call it) for two different families. I know that normal prices change drastically from state to state but I'm in the next state over from you so the prices should be about the same.
For one family, I work for $100 a week. I am scheduled to work 7am-5pm every Tuesday and Thursday, so if I am there for the whole time it works out that I get paid $5. However, if the dad comes home early or they don't need me at all one day for whatever reason I still get paid the full $100. In fact, I didn't work at all last week because their family was sick and they still paid me $100. The child is 5 and very well behaved so the job is pretty easy and they allow me to bring my 2 year old son with, so in the end the perks are worth the low pay.
For the other family I work every Monday, alternating Wednesdays and Fridays, and some weekends. I could work for 1 hour or I could work for 10 hours, it all depends on how late the dad has to stay at work that day. The kids are 3 and 1 and in the full on tantrum stage so the job requires a bit more. I still get to bring my 2 year old with me. They started off paying me $10 and hour before they realized that they couldn't afford that and I agreed for my pay to be lowered to $8.50 an hour.
If I was caring for just the 2 year old, I would be charging at least $7 but with the newborn hike it up to $10. That is what I would charge in the perfect world. However, I also understand that some people just can't afford to pay that much. So I think you should just talk to your employer, tell them that you need a raise, and ask them what they are comfortable with. If that works for you, then go for it! :)
11 dollars an hour my kids are 10years old and 7 years old.
I paid $10/hour....in 1993...to my stepmother!!
Don't devalue yourself.
