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How Much to Pay a Babysitter
What is the going rate of pay for a babysitter?
The answer, not surprisingly, is that it depends. The rate hinges on where you live, if you have one child or more than one needing to be watched, the ages of your children, and details surrounding care expectations. If you need a babysitter for 3 hours on a Sunday afternoon, for example, babysitter requirements and resulting pay may be different than if you want a babysitter to care for your kids from about 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. or so. Here are pay considerations before recruiting a babysitter for service:
Is your babysitter aged 16 or 17?
Most likely, your teenage babysitter has some planned uses for cash, and at this age, is more apt to find jobs, so your pay may need to increase. A general guideline is to pay $7-$11 per hour, or a rate that matches what employers pay teens of this same age group. Again, the expectation is that the babysitter will remain at home with your child(ren) and not be expected to do much more than watch kids safely, prepare basic meals, and clean up after themselves. Some babysitters this age may help tutor kids, play games or help them practice their soccer moves.
Is your babysitter at least age 18 with experience?
Using an adult babysitter, especially one who drives to your place and perhaps is even responsible for toting your kids to practice or a birthday party, etc., means that more pay is a given. Depending on your job requirements and expectations, an adult babysitter is likely to expect pay of at least $10 an hour, and perhaps up to $14 or even more an hour if you live in a major city. And, don't think that you can automatically tack on additional duties to the babysitting job. Laundry or other additional household duties may be extra. For this pay, however, you have a more mature adult who is able to handle various situations, is able to transport kids (maybe even take them to the latest kid movie they have been clamoring to see), spend the afternoon at a local park, or even take them through a drive-through to get an ice cream. Just remember that anything extra she spends on your children will be expected to be reimbursed, so make sure of plans and expectations up front, plus gas to use her car.
Does your babysitter need specific training or skills to watch your child(ren)?
A babysitter may not be right for you, seek a Nanny or a nurse to help you with your child(ren).
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