Anonymous wrote:We paid $30 for high schooler to watch two kids 6 and 8 while we are at home.

We paid $25 for a recent high school grad to watch one child while we are home.

We expected them to play with the kids, including video games, swimming (dropped them off and picked them up at neighborhood pool, and some light reading with the kids.

You sound like the only one on this forum paying a fair wage.

We have a 17yo HS sitter who started over the summer and will continue thru the school year. Her friend who is a grade ahead did the prior school year. We only need childcare 8 days a month. The max hours we need are 340-630. We pay her $40 cash for this time. However, sometimes if DD had a class after school or I get off 30 mins early she works less hours. We still pay $40. It’s worked well for us and them.

We paid $30 for high schooler to watch two kids 6 and 8 while we are at home.

We paid $25 for a recent high school grad to watch one child while we are home.

We expected them to play with the kids, including video games, swimming (dropped them off and picked them up at neighborhood pool, and some light reading with the kids.

My 14 year old gets somewhere between $10 and $15 depending on how generous the people are. I think she states her rate as $10 but she often gets more.

I made $2 an hour at her age.

Anonymous wrote:$10-12/hr for high school
$15/hr for colleges

$20 for HS and $25 for college. You will have no problem getting sitters.

update for going rate in 2022?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok. By the way, sitter is on board for our arrangement. Is $14 too much? I feel like its a lot but I am taking into consideration the one hour thing...

Do you live pretty close (walking distance or less than 5 minute drive) to the sitter? If so, I think 10-12 is fine. If the sitter has to drive a little more 14 is fine because it's more of an effort. This is assuming you are home. Everyone I know pays more for a sitter than a mother's helper, but they are also completely out of site when working in the home.

I am home and she is a close drive.

Anonymous wrote:Ok. By the way, sitter is on board for our arrangement. Is $14 too much? I feel like its a lot but I am taking into consideration the one hour thing...

Do you live pretty close (walking distance or less than 5 minute drive) to the sitter? If so, I think 10-12 is fine. If the sitter has to drive a little more 14 is fine because it's more of an effort. This is assuming you are home. Everyone I know pays more for a sitter than a mother's helper, but they are also completely out of site when working in the home.

Ok. By the way, sitter is on board for our arrangement. Is $14 too much? I feel like its a lot but I am taking into consideration the one hour thing...

Anonymous wrote:Wow I just re-read the 1st post and it looks like OP is really asking about the going rate for a Mother's helper which is DEFINITELY less than the going rate for babysitting. OP would be there. It's an easy job-just play with the kids and if an emergency happens-mom is right there.

The going rate for a mother's helper varies by age and even middle schoolers are hired for this. I have heard of people paying 5-8-have rarely heard more than that. I agree it would only be worth it if the person lived in the neighborhood, which is what I assumed. We have only used sitters who could walk to our home.

Got to disagree with the bolded. Watching kids when their parents are there is way more taxing because it's confusing to children who is in charge, and you're generally asked to do things like keep kids contained and away from their parents.

I do think that if you're having a much younger kid (elem or middle) you can pay less, but if you're hiring a high school or college age sitter the hours will be the same whether you're there or not.

Wow I just re-read the 1st post and it looks like OP is really asking about the going rate for a Mother's helper which is DEFINITELY less than the going rate for babysitting. OP would be there. It's an easy job-just play with the kids and if an emergency happens-mom is right there.

The going rate for a mother's helper varies by age and even middle schoolers are hired for this. I have heard of people paying 5-8-have rarely heard more than that. I agree it would only be worth it if the person lived in the neighborhood, which is what I assumed. We have only used sitters who could walk to our home.

My 14 year old DD babysits. She only charges $7/hour, but she usually works 3-4 hours while she's there. That is more desirable than her working $10 for only an hour. Unless the house is right next door, it's a waste of commuting time.

Anonymous wrote:I generally pay by the grade. We have an eighth grader who is our mother's helper sometimes, and we pay him $8. A high school junior babysits for us sometimes and we pay her $11 an hour. I pay my nanny $15/hour. She is a 23 year old woman who is a professional nanny.

I like this.

Anonymous wrote:Wow, high schoolers in this area sure are entitled to look down on $10/hour!

It is their right. But to be fair I think the point was it's not much if it's just for one hour.

I generally pay by the grade. We have an eighth grader who is our mother's helper sometimes, and we pay him $8. A high school junior babysits for us sometimes and we pay her $11 an hour. I pay my nanny $15/hour. She is a 23 year old woman who is a professional nanny.