Anonymous
05/05/2025 01:19
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:My husband and I are celebrating our 20th anniversary later this year and plan to take a trip for about 4 nights just the two of us. My kids are 14 and 16 and very responsible, but I still think having someone in the house is a good idea. If you've hired someone to be with your kids in a situation like this - about how much did you pay / day? My kids don't really have activities they need to be shuttled to and they don't need rides to school. It's basically just dinner / over night. Thanks in advance for your advice!
They don’t need anyone. Stop infantizing your kids. Teens babysit at that age. They don’t need a babysitter. Have a neighbor on stand by if needed. Pre-make a few meals, pack the fridge with frozen foods, and have money or DoorDash for 1-2 days.
Anonymous
05/04/2025 22:34
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Haven’t any of you seen Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead? lol
This thread is totally wild. Some of you have a lot of money to burn. Mine are this age and I’d leave them and have a close friend or family check up on them. And arrange to have them go stay with friends over the weekend part of the week. Notify all of your neighbors so they can text you if there is a party.
I clearly need to start a new career “babysitting” teenagers (there is literally nothing to do, but ok $200-500 a night to sleep haha!!)
This thread is totally wild. Some of you have a lot of money to burn. Mine are this age and I’d leave them and have a close friend or family check up on them. And arrange to have them go stay with friends over the weekend part of the week. Notify all of your neighbors so they can text you if there is a party.
I clearly need to start a new career “babysitting” teenagers (there is literally nothing to do, but ok $200-500 a night to sleep haha!!)
Anonymous
05/04/2025 13:15
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Whoever is watching them needs to make sure they don't skip school, and don't throw parties or get into shenanigans with staying out late while you're gone. This is more work than you think it is.
You should pay at least $100 per day.
$100 a day? Are you from 1995? I think you are looking at at least $500 a day.
NP. I pay our petsitter $100/day for a cat and dog, plus tip. Someone safe and experienced for kids, I imagine, would be as least as much as whatever a trusted nanny gets paid — I.e., hopefully much more than 100/day!
Eh, pet sitting is more work than making sure two teens have something for dinner, get to school, and don’t throw a party.
It's more than that. They might need to drive the kids to various places and pick them up.
OP said they wouldn’t need to be driven anywhere and don’t have planned activities during this time. Even so, this is still easier and preferred to walking tour dog several times per day and picking up its poop
Anonymous
05/04/2025 13:01
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:Whoever is watching them needs to make sure they don't skip school, and don't throw parties or get into shenanigans with staying out late while you're gone. This is more work than you think it is.
You should pay at least $100 per day.
$100 is what we pay our dog sitter to walk and feed the dogs 2x / day. Your children are worth more than that, and require more supervision, expect to pay an adult $150+ meals and booze
Anonymous
05/04/2025 11:13
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:Are you expecting them to stay at your house the entire time?
We’ve done something similar but the person wasn’t at our house all day. They mainly came in the evening or if the kids needed to be driven somewhere. I forget what we paid but it was their hourly rate for any hours they hung out at the house plus $100 per night.
+1
I’d estimate hours they are expected to be at your house and responsible for the kids x hourly rate + overnight fee.
For example 6hrs/day x $20 = $120 + $100 overnight fee = $220/day. Honestly for 4 days I’d probably just offer $1000.
Also consider if there is any possibility of needing daytime coverage (kid missed the bus or whatever) and make sure you have a plan in place for that- whether with this person or with local friends.
Anonymous
05/04/2025 11:11
Subject: Re:20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:Nope. I have never done this. I have never left my kids with some random person.
For me, if I had to leave my kids with anyone I could only trust - my parents, my brothers and their wives, my aunts, my DH's sisters. And they are in another country. We are lucky that we have many friends and neighbors that we are very close to and we can lean on them if needed. I have hosted teens at my house for days.
But, nope. I have never left my kids alone, one parent has always been with them.
First of all, I don't futz around with my kids safety. We always took them with us or one of us stayed with them.
Secondly, my kids are my responsibility and no one else needs to pitch in unless it is a life or death emergency.
And lastly, we are legal immigrants who are naturalized citizens, my kids are US citizens born here. We were aware that if we both of us died while my kids were minors, my kids would be put in a foster system and not handed over to my relatives. When my oldest turned 18, we were so relieved.
So you clearly have nothing to add to this thread.
Anonymous
05/04/2025 11:10
Subject: Re:20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Nope. I have never done this. I have never left my kids with some random person.
For me, if I had to leave my kids with anyone I could only trust - my parents, my brothers and their wives, my aunts, my DH's sisters. And they are in another country. We are lucky that we have many friends and neighbors that we are very close to and we can lean on them if needed. I have hosted teens at my house for days.
But, nope. I have never left my kids alone, one parent has always been with them.
First of all, I don't futz around with my kids safety. We always took them with us or one of us stayed with them.
Secondly, my kids are my responsibility and no one else needs to pitch in unless it is a life or death emergency.
And lastly, we are legal immigrants who are naturalized citizens, my kids are US citizens born here. We were aware that if we both of us died while my kids were minors, my kids would be put in a foster system and not handed over to my relatives. When my oldest turned 18, we were so relieved.
For me, if I had to leave my kids with anyone I could only trust - my parents, my brothers and their wives, my aunts, my DH's sisters. And they are in another country. We are lucky that we have many friends and neighbors that we are very close to and we can lean on them if needed. I have hosted teens at my house for days.
But, nope. I have never left my kids alone, one parent has always been with them.
First of all, I don't futz around with my kids safety. We always took them with us or one of us stayed with them.
Secondly, my kids are my responsibility and no one else needs to pitch in unless it is a life or death emergency.
And lastly, we are legal immigrants who are naturalized citizens, my kids are US citizens born here. We were aware that if we both of us died while my kids were minors, my kids would be put in a foster system and not handed over to my relatives. When my oldest turned 18, we were so relieved.
Anonymous
05/04/2025 10:57
Subject: Re:20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Sounds like a sensible idea to hire a 20 something person to be available. I wouldn’t leave my 14 and 16 yr olds alone for 4 days either.
My immediate thought would be $200-$250/night, so $800-$1000. I’d probably just do $1000.
And no cooking or cleaning required, obviously- leave frozen stuff or $ for takeout and the kids should clean up after themselves of course. Also assuming no pets this person would have to deal with, as you don’t mention any.
My immediate thought would be $200-$250/night, so $800-$1000. I’d probably just do $1000.
And no cooking or cleaning required, obviously- leave frozen stuff or $ for takeout and the kids should clean up after themselves of course. Also assuming no pets this person would have to deal with, as you don’t mention any.
Anonymous
05/04/2025 10:26
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Whoever is watching them needs to make sure they don't skip school, and don't throw parties or get into shenanigans with staying out late while you're gone. This is more work than you think it is.
You should pay at least $100 per day.
$100 a day? Are you from 1995? I think you are looking at at least $500 a day.
NP. I pay our petsitter $100/day for a cat and dog, plus tip. Someone safe and experienced for kids, I imagine, would be as least as much as whatever a trusted nanny gets paid — I.e., hopefully much more than 100/day!
Eh, pet sitting is more work than making sure two teens have something for dinner, get to school, and don’t throw a party.
It's more than that. They might need to drive the kids to various places and pick them up.
Anonymous
05/04/2025 09:18
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Whoever is watching them needs to make sure they don't skip school, and don't throw parties or get into shenanigans with staying out late while you're gone. This is more work than you think it is.
You should pay at least $100 per day.
$100 a day? Are you from 1995? I think you are looking at at least $500 a day.
NP. I pay our petsitter $100/day for a cat and dog, plus tip. Someone safe and experienced for kids, I imagine, would be as least as much as whatever a trusted nanny gets paid — I.e., hopefully much more than 100/day!
Eh, pet sitting is more work than making sure two teens have something for dinner, get to school, and don’t throw a party.
Anonymous
05/04/2025 03:54
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Whoever is watching them needs to make sure they don't skip school, and don't throw parties or get into shenanigans with staying out late while you're gone. This is more work than you think it is.
You should pay at least $100 per day.
$100 a day? Are you from 1995? I think you are looking at at least $500 a day.
NP. I pay our petsitter $100/day for a cat and dog, plus tip. Someone safe and experienced for kids, I imagine, would be as least as much as whatever a trusted nanny gets paid — I.e., hopefully much more than 100/day!
Anonymous
05/03/2025 19:22
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
I don’t have a problem with leaving teens home alone, but I don’t think you should leave for more nights than you’re comfortable with leaving them alone. Go for two. Save the longer trip for when they’re both in college.
Anonymous
05/03/2025 19:10
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
For cousin or close friend, it seems more like a favor and $500-1000 seems fine as a gift.
Anonymous
05/03/2025 19:09
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
Anonymous wrote:If this is a stranger, absolutely not. If your kids know them well (cousin, close family friend, etc) then I would say $600- that’s with the expectation they could come over around 5pm, do dinner and stay the night, make sure kids get to school, then they can leave and come back 5pm for the same. If you expect them to stay more than that or all day/night on weekends, I’d give $1000
5pm and sleep over for $150? 8pm and no cooking for $150 seems fine. Purely just overnight. If that person has to cook, do dishes, anything, more.
My BIL did this for us without pay. He didn’t show up one night! He checked up on them and the kids ordered pizza for dinner. I was livid BIL did not come one night.
Anonymous
05/03/2025 18:57
Subject: 20 something to watch teens while away on a trip?
If this is a stranger, absolutely not. If your kids know them well (cousin, close family friend, etc) then I would say $600- that’s with the expectation they could come over around 5pm, do dinner and stay the night, make sure kids get to school, then they can leave and come back 5pm for the same. If you expect them to stay more than that or all day/night on weekends, I’d give $1000