Anonymous wrote:Were you thinking they just need beer money, or were you aware they're facing a crappy job market with crippling debt and less family support?

If you don't want to pay sitters, swap with other families.

Ah, love this logic. I would really like to start saving more for my kid's college, but darnit, this is a crappy job market for me too (seriously, it is. I'm in journalism).

Therefore, I will tell prospective employers that although I was making $71,000 a few years ago, now I will do the same exact job except I want them to pay me $120,000. Since, you know, this increase wouldn't be for me to just buy wine or earrings but it would be for more serious expenses, like education.

Yeah. that's airtight.

Anonymous wrote:I'm also finding that $15-$20 and even $25 for a Saturday night is pretty standard.

A lot of us on our street have started swapping.

Things that sound dirty, but really are not?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay $10 an hour for Marymount students. $17 is insane - most nannies start at $10-$13.

I think your logic is flawed. Most college students are better educated and smarter than most nannies, at least the severly under-educated nannies you find working in many homes in the area. I definitely expect to pay a college student (from a good school like AU or Georgetown) than most "nannies" in the area.

Let's be realistic. AU is not a good school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay $10 an hour for Marymount students. $17 is insane - most nannies start at $10-$13.

Go take a look over at the nanny discussion section, they will whole-heartedly disagree with you on that one...

I've employed an nanny and she still does evenings for me some weekends and charges 13/hr. The kids sleep and she watches TV.

When I have a HS kid come she charges me $10/hr.

The nannies on this board are just as nuts and delusional as the moms.

Anonymous wrote:We pay $10 an hour for Marymount students. $17 is insane - most nannies start at $10-$13.

I think your logic is flawed. Most college students are better educated and smarter than most nannies, at least the severly under-educated nannies you find working in many homes in the area. I definitely expect to pay a college student (from a good school like AU or Georgetown) than most "nannies" in the area.

If you don't feel the rates they are asking are fair, you can certainly post a job for less and see what you get. We have not found any babysitters that we were happy with that charged less than $15 an hour for one child, but if you can find someone good for less, more power to you.

Anonymous wrote:$15 is what we pay.

Us too Two elementary age kids.

i also pay an AU sitter somewhere between 12 and 13. We usually start with 12 and round up. kids are almost always asleep. as for nanny rates, a friend in AU Park pays a nanny $20/hour for part-time care of two kids.

What's the web site for the board? I'm looking for a sitter

I live in AU park and have a college age sitter - not an AU student who is 13/hr. I have 2 kids - 4 and 1.5. She has sat for us for a year and never met the 1.5 (always sleeping).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay $10 an hour for Marymount students. $17 is insane - most nannies start at $10-$13.

Go take a look over at the nanny discussion section, they will whole-heartedly disagree with you on that one...

Umm, I have a fulltime nanny and am very familiar with the reputation of the DCUM nanny board. The rates quoted on that board are way out of line with reality. Noone in my N Arlington circle pays above $13 an hour for a fulltime nanny. Check out the rates complied by care.com - that's much more objective than a random board populated by nannies posting on their phones when they should be working.

I've never paid more than $15 and generally pay $12 and I never have a problem finding AU sitters. Don't play their game!

I agree that you should post and offer what you feel comfortable with. I personally would never pay that much for one child, I'd rather sit home first. But if you find you can't find anyone that you feel comfortable with for less, then you'll have a decision to make.

I was paying $12 an hour in 1996 when my son was born. The current rate parents I know pay is $20 an hour.

Jesus, I went to school and have loans to repay and make only a little more than $25 and hour. Wow.