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[quote=Anonymous]I have posted before about this family I'm working for as babysitter. I usually work only 2 hours per day, twice a week. I started on a low-ish wage because the mom said I had no formal experience and because I was told I would be babysitting their children, except speaking in my native language to them so they would learn it. I was told it was for the oldest child, a 4 year old, but that her almost two year old sister would be around and I just had to keep an eye on her. That was ok in the beginning, because the younger one mostly kept to herself (she didn't even walk yet) and I really was mostly just speaking to them in another language while playing.

Where I live in Europe, rates apparently go from 5-10 euros an hour. I have a friend who tried getting a babysitter for her daughter and couldn't find anyone who charged less than 10, but researching online I have not come across anything much higher than 10. Sometimes I see people asking for even less than 5 euros.

Regardless, we agreed on starting with 7 and seeing how it goes. How it went is that children absolutely love me. The oldest one asks me to come everyday and even asks to come to my house and tells me she loves me and I'm her best friend. Very sweet. The youngest one is very excited to see me and sometimes sad to see me go, she will cry sometimes! Which is a little awkward for me, but anyway. The oldest one also usually does not want me to go home. They are both learning my language, even the little one. She barely speaks but will say about 5 words in my language and knows what they mean. And knows what a lot of other words mean, even if she can't say them. The oldest one understands a lot and knows a lot of words, but usually prefers to speak in English, no matter how much I try to push her...and how much her mom pushes either (and her mom pushes quite a bit). But, she is learning. She is only 4 and it's only been 8 months or so.

Anyway, as time went on, I'm now serving the kids snacks or lunch, sometimes I have to cook them something or heat up food on the stove as there's no microwave. Cleaning them up, and such. That is fine, but that was never mentioned I supposedly I would be there to play with them in my language. But then I started being asked to go over a book with words every day, for at least 15 minutes. That is very stressful for me, because the kid hates it, but the mother insists on it. And I'm torn between respecting the kid's wishes and doing what the mother tells me to do. The mother also wants me to teach her to say specific phrases, instead of just teaching her to say what she usually says. I figure she's more likely to want to say her usual sentences and words in my language, than to say something she never ever says in English. I do teach her new words regardless and I'm constantly speaking to her and read books and sing songs.

Now that we have some background, how much extra would it be reasonable to charge to this?

I think 7 is too low for too kids, no matter the language. It's fine for one kid, even if I'm speaking my language. But then it would be your regular babysitting, except done in a different language, without having to constantly speak and having the pressure to teach them, which is stressful, specially when the mom semi complains to you that they don't want to speak the second language or criticizes how you are teaching them (she says I'm speaking to fast even when I'm not, even though the children understand me even when I do speak faster, the older one can even repeat words I have never said before when I accidentally speak faster and whenever she cant say something, I say it extra slow). Like I said, stressful and annoying. I'm also asked to write down all the words we learned that day, which is usually a long list and sometimes I do not have time to do it because I am constantly giving them attention, it's almost impossible to have down time with two kids, at least with them.

So 7 for one kid....how much more for two kids? 10? Is that unreasonable?

Now, adding the second language thing, how much is it worth to be making a constant effort to teach new words, go over word books, pretty much do an actual lesson, albeit more laid back with playing in between and such? How much would it be reasonable to charge on top of the base rate above?

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