How much to offer a weekend (full-day) babysitter for 2 toddlers?

[Anonymous]

We have an important full day event to attend and children are not allowed, we have a 1 yo and a 3yo. How much would you offer an adult (hoping for one of our daycare teachers) for 7 hours (10:30-5:30)? I realize this is a huge time commitment on a weekend so was thinking of offering $35-40/hr but unsure if this is absurdly high or low for what we are asking? We would like to be generous.

[Anonymous]

$15-25/hr

Most daycare teachers who also babysit will tell you their hourly rate if you ask. I almost guarantee that $20/hr is more than they make at their main job.

[Anonymous]

That’s really high.

I would offer 20-25/hour.

[Anonymous]

Shi* I have my own kids and if you pay me 40/hr Ill show up in an Elsa costume and some coloring books. $280 cash no taxes is a half a spa day, a deep clean of my house, or a car payment. They can go out that night and have a lot of fun. It isnt too early and doesnt go too late. Do the kids still nap?

Thats great OP. Its pretty generous but its also all day. With most night-time babysitting you may be "on" from 5-1am but the kids are asleep by 8. This is likely 7 hours of play. If offer a flat $300 and have lunch delivered or something.

[Anonymous]

That's very high. Why don't you ask her for the rate? We pay our AMAZING once a week sitter $20/hr.

[Anonymous]

We pay $30 an hour for a preschool teacher for two kids and guarantee the hours. That was she knows she’s going to walk away with $180 to $200 cash for six hours with tip and never flakes on us. Offer too low and they cancel last minute if they get a better offer or don’t know what they’ll earn for a day.

If the event is important - offer high.

[Anonymous]

I only have one toddler so my data point isn't helpful (I pay $15-20/hr) but if you have a care.com account, you can look at local sitters' hourly rates per number of children. A lot of their profiles will say "$15 for one child, $20 for 2 children," etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pay $30 an hour for a preschool teacher for two kids and guarantee the hours. That was she knows she’s going to walk away with $180 to $200 cash for six hours with tip and never flakes on us. Offer too low and they cancel last minute if they get a better offer or don’t know what they’ll earn for a day.

If the event is important - offer high.

+1. We paid $25 for two kids, four hours guaranteed, and she flaked on us maybe half the time. She is a preschool teacher. I thought $100 in her pocket was enough incentive to show up. I was wrong.

[Anonymous]

$20/hr is fine. Jeepers.

[Anonymous]

Paid $25/ hour for 1 DC

[Anonymous]

Two kids under five for a whole day?. $50/hr.

[Anonymous]

$25/hour

[Anonymous]

I bet she’d be happy with $25/hr or $30/hr. If you pay her well you will create some goodwill and a happy sitter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay $30 an hour for a preschool teacher for two kids and guarantee the hours. That was she knows she’s going to walk away with $180 to $200 cash for six hours with tip and never flakes on us. Offer too low and they cancel last minute if they get a better offer or don’t know what they’ll earn for a day.

If the event is important - offer high.

+1. We paid $25 for two kids, four hours guaranteed, and she flaked on us maybe half the time. She is a preschool teacher. I thought $100 in her pocket was enough incentive to show up. I was wrong.

+ 2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$20/hr is fine. Jeepers.

It’s not about what’s “fine”. It’s getting them to show up.