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Typical costs: |
- According to BabySitters.com, the hourly rate for babysitters is usually $5-$15 an hours, depending on where you live and the ages and temperaments of your children.
Related articles: Child Care and Day Care, Nanny, Preschool, Elementary School
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Additional costs: |
- Multiple children, long hours and baby sitters hired to work on holidays will increase the cost. It's not recommended to ask baby sitters to perform additional duties, such as cleaning the house.
- BabySitters.com[1] recommend adding a tip to the regular hourly pay to encourage the sitter to make your family a priority.
Discounts: |
- According to BabyCenter.com[2] , some parents organize a baby sitting co-op -- a trade instead of paid service -- in which they take turns watching each other's children.
- Sometimes families will pool together to hire a baby sitter for the night.
Shopping for a baby sitter: |
- Because costs vary by region, parents should ask other parents in their area what they normally pay their sitters, and what they pay for extras such as multiple children, long hours, late nights, and holidays.
- The nonprofit organization Safe Sitter[3] says parents should pay according to experience. They recommend finding a sitter who likes children, is trustworthy and competent. Sitters should know basic first aid, how to care for a choking infant or child, and how to call for help in an emergency. Parents should always check references.
- According to BabyCenter.com[4] , word of mouth is a good way to gather names of teens and adults in your area who like to baby sit. They also recommend checking your local Yellow Pages for a local baby sitting agency.
- Sites that charge a fee, such as BabySitters.com[5] (which offers a three-month subscription for $30), SitterCity.com[6] (with an annual plan of $8 per month and free registration or a monthly plan of $10 per month and $40 registration) and 4Sitters.com[7] (with a one-time setup fee of $35 plus $7 per month) offer a search by zip code feature to help connect parents with desirable baby sitters.
- Church, senior center and school bulletin boards, and online resources like Craigslist[8] are additional ways to search for baby sitters in your area, but be sure to do a thorough reference check.
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Material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. For medical decisions, always consult your physician for the right course for your infant or child.
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
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| Posted by: Top in Saint Marys, PA. | Posted: March 23rd, 2019 09:03PM |
| Agency or Individual: N/A |
We babysit the grandkids and are being taken advantage of because we are retired (I'm 100% total and permanent disabled Marine, my wife is my "Caregiver". The mother of the grandkids just drops them off with a diaper or two to last four to five days 24 hrs a day. She never offered to pay and doesn't care to ask if we have plans or not. We pay for their diapers, food,new cloths, laundry, night clothes, everything.
She works as a manager for a popular bar, makes great money in tips, gambles but will not offer to help for any of the costs plus she never stops by to see her kids. Their calling us mom & dad now and this is very upsetting.
Again I'm a 32 yr Marine infantry/airborne/EOD(BOMB SQUAD and I wasn't around for my on kids growing up so I'm asking "What should I do"?
We're on a budget and I just want to get away from her.
Someone please help? |
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| Posted by: ba_parent in San Jose, CA. | Posted: July 19th, 2018 03:07PM |
| Agency or Individual: individual |
We learned from our neighbor that their daughter (entering high school) was interested in babysitting work and was a responsible child. We feel bad if it's a short job (sometimes just 1-2 hours to attend a school meeting) so we agreed to $15 for the first hour and $10 for each hour after that, and often we'll round up to the nearest $5 for fractional time. (So if it's like an 1:15, we round up to an hour and a half). She seems thrilled to get money for hanging around as she does homework. But she's good with the kids, makes sure they do their stuff, and get to bed. Because she's just a teenager, we try to make things easy for her -- we make sure the kids are showered beforehand, and usually line up a movie on Netflix for the kids to watch. |
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| Posted by: a user in Oxford, IN. | Posted: June 26th, 2018 11:06AM |
| Agency or Individual: Individual highschooler |
I’m about to start babysitting for their first time ever (for pay) and I was wondering if my pay was too high or too low. Tha family has two boys, a ten year old and an eight year old. I’ve met them before and they seem fairly easy to take care of. I’m just watching the kids and playing with them and feeding them so is 6 dollars too much if the mother is working 10 hours a day for 3-4 days? That would be 240 per week and I feel like that’s a lot of money (but then again I am just a teenager with a total of 40 dollars that I’ve actually earned by myself). Also just to let you know I’m not old enough for any jobs in my town and I can’t drive so baby sitting is the only option I have (and truly the only job I absolutely want to spend my summer days doing). |
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| Posted by: Florence roby in Dayton,oh, OH. | Posted: April 11th, 2018 06:04PM |
| Agency or Individual: Individual |
I babysit for a 4 month old i get 12 dollars a day 3 days is for 7 hours 1 day 5 hours 1 day 12 hours i have to drive him home every night plus i have 2 kids at home 1 school age 1 not am getting paid enough |
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| Posted by: Kky in Bklyn, AZ. | Posted: January 27th, 2018 09:01AM |
| Agency or Individual: Pvt |
Same work same pay unless someone has better credentials and qualifications. |
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| Posted by: ba_parent in San Jose, CA. | Posted: January 24th, 2018 12:01PM |
| Agency or Individual: neighbor |
When we had a toddler, we'd hire one of the caregivers from our old daycare center. We had a lot of confidence in her and she was so skilled, and she could come right after work, but it cost $15 for one child and $20/hr for 2 kids, and our kids did seem to get colds afterwards (due to her working in a daycare center).
Now that our kids our older and just need someone to make sure the house doesn't burn down, we hired a high school student in our neighborhood who seems very responsible and we know her parents. We pay her $15 the first hour and $10 each hour afterwards, and she seems very happy with the pay. Plus, because she's so nearby, there's no driving issues. |
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I watch a 2 month old and a 3 year old who's not potty trained.... from 7pm-2pm with so 17 hrs a day 2 days a week. I am getting paid a flat rait of $180 I feel like it's not enough for how long I'm with them without a break. |
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| Posted by: M acosta in Fresno, CA. | Posted: March 19th, 2017 01:03PM |
| Agency or Individual: Grandma |
I cook , major cleaning, laundry, age approximate activities discipline the consequences childcare during sick this of child were colonies long hours late nights and overnights Kaylan parents to Aaron's child still in diapers and behavioral issues of two boys two years old and four years old and I live in Donavon I provide my own food |
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| Pay |
| Amount: $2.00 per hour |
| Posted by: Casiopia in Prairie Grove, AR. | Posted: December 16th, 2016 10:12AM |
| Agency or Individual: Individual |
I watch one 3 year old during the day, take him to appointments, etc, do home pre schooling with him. Also, do the dishes almost every day, laundry, sweep, watch the dog. Then on Friday's I do the major whole house cleaning. Also, have the two other children who are 5 and 8 after school for at least 2 hours. Then the parents run their errands when needed and sometimes do not get home until after six or later at night. I start at seven in the morning. I am the grandmother but the agreement was that I would get paid the same as a babysitter if I took the job instead of working outside. |
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| Posted by: Paige in Rochester, NY. | Posted: September 2nd, 2016 03:09PM |
| Agency or Individual: individual |
I babysit my two cousins and one has severe autism. I babysit them two or three days of the week for 3-4 hours each time for the whole summer. They pay me all at once at the end of the summer and usually it's 100 dollars. They don't have a whole ton of money but I feel like I spend a lot of time with those kids and I should get payed more. |
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| Posted by: Slove2689 in Jarrell, TX. | Posted: August 19th, 2016 01:08AM |
| Agency or Individual: Individual |
So I have a FRIENDs brother that's wants me to watch his 2 year old soon who isn't potty trained at all. He doesn't even tell you when he went pee or poop in his diaper. These people still live at home with their parents (they're in their 30s btw) and they want me to watch this boy for $90!A WEEK! That's 2 dollars an hour.. I have a 5 month old son to take care of as well. They drop off and pick up at my home but I still find that 90 a week is way to low coinciding the situation. -_- |
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| Posted by: Anna Berry in Harrison, AR. | Posted: August 17th, 2016 04:08PM |
I'm getting paid $15 an hour $60 a week for 10 hrs plus a day. Am I getting paid enough to or do I need to ask for more |
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| Posted by: super mom on good days. in Seattle, WA. | Posted: June 9th, 2016 10:06PM |
| Agency or Individual: web sites |
I am tired of those who believe they have worked with children on the spectrum when all they ahd was maybe a cousin on the spectrum and they are horrid with your kid. I will only hire those that have plenty of real experience with a child most definitely in the middle of the spectrum, they are worth the money and I tip them and give them gifts and take them on vacation. |
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| Posted by: Jane Meeks in Rome, GA. | Posted: June 9th, 2016 11:06AM |
| Agency or Individual: A friends daughters child |
When my best friends daughter's baby was 4 months old I offered to be the babysitter! We never discussed money! I kept him 12 hours a day! I sang and talked with the child, changed his diapers fed him bounced him and danced around holding him! He LOVES me! Recently the mother of the child got a big promotion! She was getting paid $25.00 an hour and now MORE! We'll I asked her the other day as the child is almost 6 months old and heavy to tote around if I could have $25.00 so I could take my 92 yr. old mother out to eat and I'm on a fixed income. Her response was"sorry but we just don't have it"! I was beside myself! Of course I stopped babysitting! Do you blame me? Any responses? |
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| Posted by: opinions wanted in kansas city, MO. | Posted: February 8th, 2016 02:02PM |
| Agency or Individual: just want opinion |
I have a sitter who comes to my house after picking my children and her children from school. She pretty much just takes care of the 1 yr old and the other 3 do what they need to do as for homework and chores. Not only do I pay her a certain amount I also let them have dinner at my house (at my cost), they have whatever they want for snacks and drinks. She will also do roughly 3-6 loads of laundry a week. I just want someone to give me their opinion what I should actually pay her. She only has them for 3 hours. |
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| Posted by: nj nanny in northern, NJ. | Posted: August 25th, 2015 08:08PM |
| Agency or Individual: individual |
I am a Nanny That will be with my current family for 1 year in october. I work from 745 am - 745 pm mon-Fri. I care for a 1 year oid and a 5 year old they both just turned 1 and 5. The mother of the family just announced a week ago that she is pregnant with her 3rd. Ive mentioned to them saying wow its almost a year and they said wow that was so fast... No conversation about salary or anything has come about and Im very concerned. I feel for what I do on a daily basis working 12 hours a day is worth more than 900.00 a week. I treat these childen as my own go above and beyond. I guess I can be too generous with gifts for the kids and also for both parents bdays xmas and the kids no one is ever left out. Is it premature to have a salary convo including the 3rd child ? Or how do I go about having this convo ... I am just confused, over worked and concerned. Please help !
Nervous Nanny NJ |
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| Posted by: a user in Wahiawa, HI. | Posted: July 27th, 2015 02:07PM |
For a 11 year old boy n a 5 year old girl n a 21 old baby |
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| Posted by: LAS in Dallas, TX. | Posted: June 28th, 2015 11:06AM |
| Agency or Individual: High School / College Students |
The going rate in Dallas seems to be about $10 to $15 an hour with most babysitters asking for $10 to $12. I almost always pay $40 for 3 hours, sometimes a little more if it's last minute notice or if they can stay later than we agreed if I'm out having fun! |
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| Posted by: Mofy in Boston, MA. | Posted: February 8th, 2015 08:02AM |
| Agency or Individual: Babysitter |
I'm a babysitter from a wealthy suburb on the east coast, and I charge $7 for one kid, $10 for 2, $12 for 3, and up to $20 for 4, depending on if the kids are difficult. Once, I sat for a friend's little sister (Age 7) and was paid $15 an hour, and my friend was home for half of the time. It varies depending on the family- Some families think they can get a bargain with a naive sitter that doesn't know what to charge, but if they want quality care for their precious children, they're going to have to pay quality prices. |
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| Posted by: Momy widow in Hayward, CA. | Posted: January 29th, 2015 02:01PM |
| Agency or Individual: Individual |
I babysit 2 sisters , 3 n 2 y/0, from 9 am to 9 pm, can I ask for the minimum pay for the state wage ? I'm 48 teacher by profession in the phils.
Parents are both state workers and own a house n 3 cars. |
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| Posted by: a user in dallas, TX. | Posted: December 31st, 2014 03:12PM |
I have been hired for several caretaker jobs off of websites online and I have never even been offered less than $10.00 for one child, $15 for 2-3, and $20-25 for four. Even just picking up kids from school, taking them home and feeding them a snack while doing homework until their parent got home(usually 3-4 hrs max) I made$60+. How can parents be such rip offs with their children?? |
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| Posted by: adan in west warwick, RI. | Posted: December 12th, 2014 04:12PM |
| Agency or Individual: individual |
To all of you who feel that 3.00 an hour to care for your children is appropriate, here is an idea....how about you working for 3.00 an hour? And for 3.00 per hour that is what you get, a warm body who texts, talks on the phone, and watches TV.
As a professional Nanny I have NEVER had a client who would even interview, never mind hire, a person who feels their worth is 3.00 per hour, to care for their most precious little children.
But everyone feels differently and to those who want to pay so little, well...it says a lot about what you feel the safety of your children are worth. |
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| Posted by: slm in amarillo, TX. | Posted: December 7th, 2014 10:12PM |
i watch a 1 year old from 630 to 5 sometime she doesn't show up until 6 she works at McDonald how much should i charger her |
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| Posted by: a user in Lewiston, MN. | Posted: November 12th, 2014 07:11PM |
| Agency or Individual: Individual |
My family wants to pay me $6-$7 an hour. Is that appropriate? They have a 6-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 1-year-old. |
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External Resources: |
- www.babysitters.com/
- www.babycenter.com/0_babysitting-co-ops_51.bc
- www.safesitter.org
- www.babycenter.com/0_finding-a-babysitter_50.bc
- www.babysitters.com/
- www.sittercity.com
- www.4sitters.com
- www.craigslist.org/about/sites/
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