Moving from nanny to babysitter - price

[Anonymous]

I would not offer to "sit" for free. If anything, I would offer to do occasional outings for free where I covered the costs but I would do these at my convenience, not whenever the parents needed someone to watch the kids. It would come down to me wanting to spend time with the kids and do something nice with them. If you expect them to call you with days/times that they need child care coverage then I would certainly charge for it.

[Anonymous]

"Since it probably wouldn't be on the books, you could charge them $15-18 an hour or you could say nothing and see what they are willing to pay. If they really love you, they probably would use you over a new babysitter who may charge $1-2 less per hour. "

agree only at the lower end of this range. $15 is pretty expensive - at least by me - for sitting for 1 kid. maybe if you are in DC it is more avg for sitting though? I'd pay an ex-nanny a few dollars extra but not tons. Babysitting adds a lot on to the tab at the end of the night and OP is making $20 now. She is smart to offer to reduce her rate if she really would like to sit for them. She can always be "busy" if they are asking too much, but if the rate is about avg or just slightly above then the family will try to make an effort to use her, which is what OP says she wants.

[Anonymous]

I would hope the parents would not take advantage of the nanny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not offer to "sit" for free. If anything, I would offer to do occasional outings for free where I covered the costs but I would do these at my convenience, not whenever the parents needed someone to watch the kids. It would come down to me wanting to spend time with the kids and do something nice with them. If you expect them to call you with days/times that they need child care coverage then I would certainly charge for it.

This. If I wanted to take them to the movies or grab some ice cream, that would be on me as a treat (though most families I know would offer some cash to help cover the costs this). I would be able to bring them back at my convenience so if I had to cut things short after the movie and not take them to the park, I would be able to. If you want me to do something when it is convenient for you, and for the length of time you want, then I would expect to be paid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Since it probably wouldn't be on the books, you could charge them $15-18 an hour or you could say nothing and see what they are willing to pay. If they really love you, they probably would use you over a new babysitter who may charge $1-2 less per hour. "

agree only at the lower end of this range. $15 is pretty expensive - at least by me - for sitting for 1 kid. maybe if you are in DC it is more avg for sitting though? I'd pay an ex-nanny a few dollars extra but not tons. Babysitting adds a lot on to the tab at the end of the night and OP is making $20 now. She is smart to offer to reduce her rate if she really would like to sit for them. She can always be "busy" if they are asking too much, but if the rate is about avg or just slightly above then the family will try to make an effort to use her, which is what OP says she wants.

I think $15 in the DC area would be common. In my area, $15+ is common, though I don't think I would go above $17-18/hr for one child, or $20 for 2.

[Anonymous]

"She" being the OP? OP here - nowhere near wealthy, but I make $20/hr with them as a nanny and that seems obscenely high for babysitting a single child - I'd like them to choose me over other sitters, because I'll miss the little guy and want to spend time with him, so I want to make sure that along with our great relationship I'm also bringing a competitive rate to future work with them.

Based on this, you want to place your rates within the market. In DC, college students will sit for between $12-$15. In the suburbs, neighborhood high school kids will sit for between $10-$12.

[Anonymous]

I also charge a lower rate because my reg hourly rate with my last family was very high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also charge a lower rate because my reg hourly rate with my last family was very high.

What? Your logic is silly.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks all for your input!

I won't offer to babysit for free, but I will of course still ask to take him on outings to the children's museum etc. without being paid. For babysitting, I will tell them my regular rate ($15 for one child).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I also charge a lower rate because my reg hourly rate with my last family was very high.

What? Your logic is silly.

Should have been more clear - the last family I nannied for gave me a high hourly wage. When I stopped working for them on a full-time basis, but babysit as needed when they ask, usually on evenings, I charge a lower hourly rate because I am not doing anywhere near the same amount of work and it's absolutely fair to me.

[Anonymous]

I imagine you are their super favorite nanny. And a bargain to.

[nannydebsays]

If YOU offer to spend time with your former charges, do it for free. If your former MB/DB ask you to spend time with them, consider it paid babysitting, and charge what you feel comfortable charging. IMO, a slightly lower rate would mean more calls, and more chances to see the kids.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, if you babysit in the evening for say, 4 hours, it would really only cost them $8-$12 extra dollars then if you were to lower your rate. And they are getting the benefit of having YOU.

[Anonymous]

MB here. If you were my ex-nanny who I hired back for occasional babysitting, I would not pay your usual rate because your nanny rate includes all kinds of extra responsibilities that sitting for us doesn't.

For example, when you babysit, I only expect you to put the kids to bed and enjoy the pizza I left you while you watch TV, surf the net, whatever.

When you're a nanny, I expect standard child related chores, and active engagement with my kid and no TV, etc. That is what I pay for on top of keeping my kid safe and is worth more than sitting.

[Anonymous]

I guess it depends on what the "sitting" entails. Right now, we most often use our regular nanny for date nights and weekends. She's part time, so that doesn't push us into overtime territory (no way will I pay $25.50/hr for someone to sit there for three hours while my kids sleep)! I pay her regular rate because 1) grown-up DC sitters are about $15 anyway, so $17 isn't much more and I don't have to leave any instructions, and 2) if the kids do wake up, I know she can handle it.