Finally looking to start hiring babysitters - we have a 3yo and twin babies - what's the going rate for this circus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always put my babies to sleep and then went out. I pay $15 and babysitters are thrilled. I use local girls in our neighborhood

Do you live in the woods?

[Anonymous]

I have twin high school daughters who periodically babysit for a family with 1.5 year old twins and a four year old.

They hire them both for the night, and pay both of their typical hourly rates of $16.

So it is $32 an hour for the parents, but they get two babysitters instead of one.

[Anonymous]

Those parents are stupid, sorry, pp. High schooler would not know what to do with 18 month old. Not even safe!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is this for Friday/Saturday night babysitters? $30 is insane. I’ve hired a babysitter every weekend since my oldest was born. $15 is the going rate. If you want them to put the twins to bed- $20. This is way more than minimum wage and they also aren’t paying taxes. We put the youngest to bed, then we leave and they play with our oldest and then put her to bed. And then they watch tv for hours or study.

I think there are too many Nannie’s on this board skewing the wages.

This. Pp. In real life no one is paying 30+

[Anonymous]

In the 90s, I was babysitting this combo as a 14 yo and getting paid peanuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Those parents are stupid, sorry, pp. High schooler would not know what to do with 18 month old. Not even safe!

I started babysitting an 18 month old when I was 9 years old for two dollars an hour. 25 years ago.

[Anonymous]

oh yeah? Did you take him to the playground at age 9? Those young girls have no idea of kids' abilities at age 18 months, most think 18 month old is fine to go on the slide by themselves or be left on a changing table while she walks away to get more diapers from the closet. Be careful, parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:oh yeah? Did you take him to the playground at age 9? Those young girls have no idea of kids' abilities at age 18 months, most think 18 month old is fine to go on the slide by themselves or be left on a changing table while she walks away to get more diapers from the closet. Be careful, parents.

Are you aware that some people are exposed to babies before their first babysitting jobs? I've hired college students who didn't know to support a newborns head.

I bet a 10 year old Duggar is a more competent babysitter for an 18 month old than the typical TJ senior.

[Anonymous]

I live in DC and babysit evenings and weekends (I have a ft job in another field). I would do it for $30 if you got the twins to sleep before you left and the 3 yo was reasonably easy to put to bed. I charge 20-25 for similar situations now but with only one younger kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:oh yeah? Did you take him to the playground at age 9? Those young girls have no idea of kids' abilities at age 18 months, most think 18 month old is fine to go on the slide by themselves or be left on a changing table while she walks away to get more diapers from the closet. Be careful, parents.

Are you aware that some people are exposed to babies before their first babysitting jobs? I've hired college students who didn't know to support a newborns head.

I bet a 10 year old Duggar is a more competent babysitter for an 18 month old than the typical TJ senior.

Well, the supply of 9 year old Duggar babysitters.IS limited in the DMV.

And no, most 18 year olds are not great with infants, especially twins plus a toddler. That’s why PPs recommended hiring an experienced adult.

[Anonymous]

only an idiot would hire college kid for a newborn, sorry

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a nanny and would do it for $30 with my usual 3hr minimum. I think you'll be fine funding appropriate adult sitters for this.

^Seems about right for a consistent young woman/teen who is in their lives in the DMV area. And then the favor is returned in the next generation. At least that's how it works in my world.

Also, I would always pay double for the first hour, no matter what the duration. That way if I needed help for an hour or two some time, I didn't feel bad about it. They seemed to like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:oh yeah? Did you take him to the playground at age 9? Those young girls have no idea of kids' abilities at age 18 months, most think 18 month old is fine to go on the slide by themselves or be left on a changing table while she walks away to get more diapers from the closet. Be careful, parents.

Are you aware that some people are exposed to babies before their first babysitting jobs? I've hired college students who didn't know to support a newborns head.

I bet a 10 year old Duggar is a more competent babysitter for an 18 month old than the typical TJ senior.

True. Pro-tip on the Duggars, though--definitely ONLY hire the girls.

[Anonymous]

I paid a total of $50 an hour (two sitters, each getting $25/hour) for my twin infants and toddler.

Why so much?

-- three children who needed direct supervision at all times
-- three children in diapers/Pull-ups
-- three children to feed
-- both babies could be crying or needing to eat simultaneously, and inwas NOT okay with bottles being propped. My twins didn't learn to hold their own bottles until they were almost a year old (they were preemies who needed OT to work on fine and gross motor skills)
-- the toddler threw epic temper tantrums when she was tired or feeling neglected, so I wanted someone to be available for her, as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:only an idiot would hire college kid for a newborn, sorry

When I was 18-22, I worked in the infant room of a daycare and was responsible for four of the 12 babies in our space. The babies were all 6 weeks to walking age (usually 12-14 months). The other two infant staff had earlier hours than me, so I was usually left alone with the last four babies.

My college-aged niece was incredible with my twins when they came home from the NICU. I hired her to be my "Mother's Helper" for the first three weeks, until she went back to school, and she was probably more comfortable with my tiny, 5-pound babies than I was!