Op I did this and did it via email, im my mind it was less awkward for me that way.
I put the rate up from $15 an hour ( I had charged this rate for years) up to $18 an hour.
I lost a family who although extremely wealthy decided it was too much to pay me. They just stopped asking me to babysit, I found out it was over the money through a friend.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have been giving yourself a COL $1.00/hr raise every year. I always gave my babysitters and maid a $1.00 an hour COL increase every year because it costs as much for them to live as it did for me. I cannot abide cheap people.

Life doesn't work like that. You can't casually babysit for 10 years and raise your rate from $15/hr to $25/hr in that time. No one will ever hire a $25/hr babysitter.

Not so. I pay my maid $30/hr and when I still had babysitters, I was paying $18 an hour and that was 7 years ago. I am not cheap and I treat other people as I wish to be treated. I also cared deeply about my children and screwing their babysitter seemed stupid to me.

Being a maid is difficult blue-collar labor. They deserve $30+ an hour. But a babysitter who comes over at 7:30 and watches TV while the parents go out for dinner and just needs to be there if the baby cries to change him or give him a bottle does not deserve more than $15 an hour, and that is generous.

You think that's all babysitting is? Most of my clients have 2-3 school-aged children who are awake the entire time I get there. I run around playing games, making snacks/meals, cleaning up, bathing them and getting them to bed. There's not much time for TV.
Ever cared for a 3 year old who won't stay in bed? I do...often.
Good luck finding a quality person to care for your baby for $15/hour.
Youll have your pick of unknowledgeable 20 year old coeds for $15.00/hour.
On the upside, your kid will know exactly how to operate an iPhone, since that the only thing she'll be looking at for the 4 hours you're gone.

No, I have not, because I am actually a good nanny/babysitter. When people are expecting me to put their children to bed I make sure that actually happens so they can be healthy and well rested.... I don't keep a 3 year old up all night like you do.

Where in God's name did you get that from?

NP. Excuse me, but there are many 3 year olds that won't stay in bed, the parents have let them get away with bad behavior, and a babysitter or nanny who is only with them occasionally for bedtime can't do much to change that habit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:nothing to lose. it's more of a supply/demand issue anyhow.
some might do it when they call you and are caught off guard, but then, like our neighborhood in Bethesda, we have tons of good babysitting options at $12/hour.

Bethesda area are the cheapest. They don't pay good in this area.

I make $25/hr in Bethesda when I babysit. Love the families up there. Great area.

Anonymous wrote:nothing to lose. it's more of a supply/demand issue anyhow.
some might do it when they call you and are caught off guard, but then, like our neighborhood in Bethesda, we have tons of good babysitting options at $12/hour.

Bethesda area are the cheapest. They don't pay good in this area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have been giving yourself a COL $1.00/hr raise every year. I always gave my babysitters and maid a $1.00 an hour COL increase every year because it costs as much for them to live as it did for me. I cannot abide cheap people.

Life doesn't work like that. You can't casually babysit for 10 years and raise your rate from $15/hr to $25/hr in that time. No one will ever hire a $25/hr babysitter.

Not so. I pay my maid $30/hr and when I still had babysitters, I was paying $18 an hour and that was 7 years ago. I am not cheap and I treat other people as I wish to be treated. I also cared deeply about my children and screwing their babysitter seemed stupid to me.

Being a maid is difficult blue-collar labor. They deserve $30+ an hour. But a babysitter who comes over at 7:30 and watches TV while the parents go out for dinner and just needs to be there if the baby cries to change him or give him a bottle does not deserve more than $15 an hour, and that is generous.

You think that's all babysitting is? Most of my clients have 2-3 school-aged children who are awake the entire time I get there. I run around playing games, making snacks/meals, cleaning up, bathing them and getting them to bed. There's not much time for TV.
Ever cared for a 3 year old who won't stay in bed? I do...often.
Good luck finding a quality person to care for your baby for $15/hour.
Youll have your pick of unknowledgeable 20 year old coeds for $15.00/hour.
On the upside, your kid will know exactly how to operate an iPhone, since that the only thing she'll be looking at for the 4 hours you're gone.

No, I have not, because I am actually a good nanny/babysitter. When people are expecting me to put their children to bed I make sure that actually happens so they can be healthy and well rested.... I don't keep a 3 year old up all night like you do.

Where in God's name did you get that from?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hope you weren't planning on getting any more work from these people again. I would NEVER EVER EVER give a raise to my babysitter, so if she increased her rates that would be the end of our time together. I pay exactly $x per hour for babysitting, take it or leave it.

OP here. The clients that I have, have been clients for 5+ years...some for nearly 10 years.
If they're going to stop hiring me for occasional babysitting jobs for raising my rate $1/hour for the first time since 2009-that is fine with me.
I don't work for asses. I work for people who I like and who value what I have to bring to the table.
I would have NO problems finding new clients.
I'd smell you coming from a million miles away.

What extra value do you bring to the table for that extra dollar as you watch TV while their kids sleep? You're a babysitter....

CPR and First Aid certification
A Master degree in a child-related field
Homework help
10 years of experience
Punctuality
Reliability

The list goes on and on. I don't work with new families. I've worked with the same families for years and years.
They know they can trust me and know that I will show up.
I've been caring for their children since they were infants.
That extra dollar buys their piece of mind.
They will very happily pay it to retain my services.
I would never, ever work for someone like you.
I might be a babysitter, but you're just some a**hole who trolls a nanny forum.

If you are so positive that they will pay extra to retain your services then what's the issue ? If you have a standing babysitting date like every Friday from 6:30-11 pm send them a text a day or 2 in advance simply stating the rate change . Next time a client asks you to babysit inform them of your rate hike.

Op what is your current rate ? I'm just curios

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have been giving yourself a COL $1.00/hr raise every year. I always gave my babysitters and maid a $1.00 an hour COL increase every year because it costs as much for them to live as it did for me. I cannot abide cheap people.

Life doesn't work like that. You can't casually babysit for 10 years and raise your rate from $15/hr to $25/hr in that time. No one will ever hire a $25/hr babysitter.

Not so. I pay my maid $30/hr and when I still had babysitters, I was paying $18 an hour and that was 7 years ago. I am not cheap and I treat other people as I wish to be treated. I also cared deeply about my children and screwing their babysitter seemed stupid to me.

Being a maid is difficult blue-collar labor. They deserve $30+ an hour. But a babysitter who comes over at 7:30 and watches TV while the parents go out for dinner and just needs to be there if the baby cries to change him or give him a bottle does not deserve more than $15 an hour, and that is generous.

You think that's all babysitting is? Most of my clients have 2-3 school-aged children who are awake the entire time I get there. I run around playing games, making snacks/meals, cleaning up, bathing them and getting them to bed. There's not much time for TV.
Ever cared for a 3 year old who won't stay in bed? I do...often.
Good luck finding a quality person to care for your baby for $15/hour.
Youll have your pick of unknowledgeable 20 year old coeds for $15.00/hour.
On the upside, your kid will know exactly how to operate an iPhone, since that the only thing she'll be looking at for the 4 hours you're gone.

No, I have not, because I am actually a good nanny/babysitter. When people are expecting me to put their children to bed I make sure that actually happens so they can be healthy and well rested.... I don't keep a 3 year old up all night like you do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why you're so nasty to posters who would question the idea of paying a babysitter more for the same job. It sounds like you have plenty of stable clients who will not mind your rate increase. Great. Increase your rate and send an email to all your clients explaining your rate increase and when it goes into effect. Easy.

Why did you even bother to post such a simple question? Just looking for reasons to be mean here?

It's an honest question. I wasn't mean. I was responding to the snarky comments that had NOTHING to do with the question I asked.

If you've been with your clients for years, I would certainly think a $1 increase would be fine, and I would let them know at the end of the booked nights that next time, the rate will be higher.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not sure why you're so nasty to posters who would question the idea of paying a babysitter more for the same job. It sounds like you have plenty of stable clients who will not mind your rate increase. Great. Increase your rate and send an email to all your clients explaining your rate increase and when it goes into effect. Easy.

Why did you even bother to post such a simple question? Just looking for reasons to be mean here?

It's an honest question. I wasn't mean. I was responding to the snarky comments that had NOTHING to do with the question I asked.

I'm not sure why you're so nasty to posters who would question the idea of paying a babysitter more for the same job. It sounds like you have plenty of stable clients who will not mind your rate increase. Great. Increase your rate and send an email to all your clients explaining your rate increase and when it goes into effect. Easy.

Why did you even bother to post such a simple question? Just looking for reasons to be mean here?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should have been giving yourself a COL $1.00/hr raise every year. I always gave my babysitters and maid a $1.00 an hour COL increase every year because it costs as much for them to live as it did for me. I cannot abide cheap people.

Life doesn't work like that. You can't casually babysit for 10 years and raise your rate from $15/hr to $25/hr in that time. No one will ever hire a $25/hr babysitter.

Not so. I pay my maid $30/hr and when I still had babysitters, I was paying $18 an hour and that was 7 years ago. I am not cheap and I treat other people as I wish to be treated. I also cared deeply about my children and screwing their babysitter seemed stupid to me.

Being a maid is difficult blue-collar labor. They deserve $30+ an hour. But a babysitter who comes over at 7:30 and watches TV while the parents go out for dinner and just needs to be there if the baby cries to change him or give him a bottle does not deserve more than $15 an hour, and that is generous.

You think that's all babysitting is? Most of my clients have 2-3 school-aged children who are awake the entire time I get there. I run around playing games, making snacks/meals, cleaning up, bathing them and getting them to bed. There's not much time for TV.
Ever cared for a 3 year old who won't stay in bed? I do...often.
Good luck finding a quality person to care for your baby for $15/hour.
Youll have your pick of unknowledgeable 20 year old coeds for $15.00/hour.
On the upside, your kid will know exactly how to operate an iPhone, since that the only thing she'll be looking at for the 4 hours you're gone.