How much would you pay these babysitters

[Anonymous]

A friend just reached out because I have a younger child and she doesn’t.

Their neighbor who has two preschool children asked if my friends’ twins (just turned 13) would be interested in being a “mother’s helper”. The thing is, the neighbor isn’t going to home (like she’ll be running errands and things).

When I’ve hired a young teen to help with my 8 year old I’ve been home if needed. Also, it’s complicated that it’s younger children and two teenagers rather than one.

I would typically pay a 13 year old about $13 an hour but I feel like that might be low for my friend’s twins watching preschoolers. What do you think?

[Anonymous]

Are the kids splitting the amount. $13 is plenty for a 13 year old, I’d up it to $15-16 if sharing the job.

[Anonymous]

So twin 13 yr olds watching 2 preschoolers for like 2 hrs while Mom runs errands?

I'd do a flat payment and the twins can figure out for themselves how to divide. Theyre young and inexperienced and preschoolers are self sufficient and eager to play anything so this shouldn't be asking too much.

[Anonymous]

For starters, if mom is not home, she needs to start calling the job babysitting. Not mother’s helper. The latter implies mom is home, and pays a little less. She wants the young teen/cheap rate but plans to saddle the teens with low pay. Red flag?

I

[Anonymous]

No, say no. Especially if this would be the 13 yr olds first jobs. And if the parents are not home it's babysitting, not mothers helping.

I say this as someone who babysat at age 12.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For starters, if mom is not home, she needs to start calling the job babysitting. Not mother’s helper. The latter implies mom is home, and pays a little less. She wants the young teen/cheap rate but plans to saddle the teens with low pay. Red flag?

I

Its not low pay for a 13 year old child. They cannot get a job otherwise.

[Anonymous]

$20 per hour is standard for teens. It’s worth it to get errands done.

[Anonymous]

This is babysitting, not a mother’s helper. Since there are two of them I’d say $13 per hour for each is good. That’s more than minimum wage and no taxes. They won’t get paid that well again for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is babysitting, not a mother’s helper. Since there are two of them I’d say $13 per hour for each is good. That’s more than minimum wage and no taxes. They won’t get paid that well again for years.

But there is two of them because they want to do it together, not because OP needs both of you. You don’t need two babysitters for two preschool aged kids. I’d pay $15 an hour of both. Or they can alternate who babysits and get $12-13

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$20 per hour is standard for teens. It’s worth it to get errands done.

Not 13 year olds it’s not. 16 year olds yes.

Do the 13 year olds have experience with that age? CPR/first aid course?
If not, I wouldn’t hire them as sitters, or let mine be the sitter. I have a 13yo who has been a mother’s helper for a year now, twice a month. She gets $40 for 3 hours in moco.
I think giving them $10 each is fine.

[Anonymous]

Why pay them less for their age? It's the same work a 20 yr old would do. Shady and cheap to want to use 13yr olds.

[Anonymous]

What does any of this even have to do with you? It's an arrangement between other people.

[Anonymous]

My 13 year old gets paid $20 per hour for babysitting two elementary aged kids. We live in MCOL. Personally, I would offer $15. But I also would not have 2 teens come over. The only time I’ve seen 2 teens share babysitting is for a family with 4 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why pay them less for their age? It's the same work a 20 yr old would do. Shady and cheap to want to use 13yr olds.

Because part of determining a wage is based on level of experience and expertise.