How much to pay 12 year old sitter

[Anonymous]

I am going to have a 12 year old from the neighborhood come watch my 2 kids for a few hours (2 to 3 hours) during the day so I can go to the gym. She advertised $6 per hour but this sounds too low to me. How much should I pay her?

[Anonymous]

$6 an hour. Then if she works three hours, instead of paying $18, round up to $20. She'll be thrilled. $20 is plenty for a 12 yr old.

[Anonymous]

I would never hire a twelve-year-old babysitter! Come on, OP - you can find a great older babysitter who has completed CPR training and elementary school.

[Anonymous]

$12/hr inside the beltway for babysitting-- ms, hs and college students. Cash.

[Anonymous]

How old are your children, OP?
Pay her to first come as a mother's helper for 3 hours with you at home.

[Anonymous]

Sweet Jesus. 12? You're going to leave your kids with a 12 year old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am going to have a 12 year old from the neighborhood come watch my 2 kids for a few hours (2 to 3 hours) during the day so I can go to the gym. She advertised $6 per hour but this sounds too low to me. How much should I pay her?

Might as well just leave your children home alone. Why bring in another child just to complicate the CPS investigation?

[Anonymous]

We pay 12-13 yos $7, 14-5 yo $8 and 16+ $10.

The 12 (now 13) yos mom is across the street and would come if there is a problem. The kids are sleeping when she is there.

[Anonymous]

I was babysitting for families with 4-5 kids when I was 12. I took a Red Cross babysitting course when I was 11, during spring break. Not all 12 yr olds are immature, and if OP trusts this one for a couple hours, then what's the problem? How does one become an experienced 14 or 16 yr old sitter if no one gives them any experience??

That said, I hope you don't have infants.

The $6 she advertised is just fine. Pay that and maybe round up to $20 at the end.

[Anonymous]

I'm confused, I have being called to babysit 12 years old so their parents have time to go out. In my opinion, it's safe to hire a 12 years old to play with Toddlers while you work from home, so an adult is present just in case. Livingston children with children is not safe. In fact is illegal.

[Anonymous]

Most 12 year olds wouldn't be responsible enough, but SOME certainly are.

[Anonymous]

To the gym? Oh my goodness!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused, I have being called to babysit 12 years old so their parents have time to go out. In my opinion, it's safe to hire a 12 years old to play with Toddlers while you work from home, so an adult is present just in case. Livingston children with children is not safe. In fact is illegal.

Exactly, as a sitter I have been hired to watch numerous 13-17 year olds with no younger children in the house. I can't see how it would be a good idea to hire a 12 year old to watch babies.

[Anonymous]

A 12 year old is too young to watch two children without another adult in the house. MAYBE, maaaybe, if she was only watching one child, who she already was familiar with, who was between 2.5 years old and 6 years old, then MAYBE it would be okay (but still illegal? I'm pretty sure she would have to be 13 or 14 before it was legal). But if you have a child under 2 that would be difficult, if you have a child over 6 that would be difficult (they might see her as more of a peer and not listen to her like they would to an adult), and having two children together with a 12 year old?? No way, absolutely not.

I am a nanny, and a family I babysit for occasionally, who has a 2 year old and a 5 year old, had a piece of paper drawn in crayon, sitting on their kitchen table when I arrived a couple months ago. It was a "coupon for babysitting," given to their mother by a 12 year old neighbor. I remarked about how cute it was (she obviously had had fun drawing it, complete with teddy bears and smiley faces), and the mother laughed and said "yeah, maybe I'll take her up on that in a few years." I'm sorry, but no matter how earnest and "mature" this twelve year old is, she is NOT equipped to handle two kids all by herself!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A 12 year old is too young to watch two children without another adult in the house. MAYBE, maaaybe, if she was only watching one child, who she already was familiar with, who was between 2.5 years old and 6 years old, then MAYBE it would be okay (but still illegal? I'm pretty sure she would have to be 13 or 14 before it was legal). But if you have a child under 2 that would be difficult, if you have a child over 6 that would be difficult (they might see her as more of a peer and not listen to her like they would to an adult), and having two children together with a 12 year old?? No way, absolutely not.

I am a nanny, and a family I babysit for occasionally, who has a 2 year old and a 5 year old, had a piece of paper drawn in crayon, sitting on their kitchen table when I arrived a couple months ago. It was a "coupon for babysitting," given to their mother by a 12 year old neighbor. I remarked about how cute it was (she obviously had had fun drawing it, complete with teddy bears and smiley faces), and the mother laughed and said "yeah, maybe I'll take her up on that in a few years." I'm sorry, but no matter how earnest and "mature" this twelve year old is, she is NOT equipped to handle two kids all by herself!

Another nanny trying to overstate how hard her job is. =/