How much do people pay babysitters these days?

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  Posted by MissK Mon Aug 4, 2008 1:22am PDT

  I can't imagine leaving my child with a 12 year old, but come to think of it, I babysat at 12. I made $6 an hour. I am thirty five, so that was more than 20 years ago. Rates have gone way up. If you want to keep this girl, pay her more - if she's really that great, she will have many customers as time passes. A youngster like that I would pay 10$ and anyone older, $15 - this seems to be the going rate.

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  Posted by Honey Mon Aug 4, 2008 4:04am PDT

  she isnt old enough yet to get a job making minimum wage. I think that the previous comment of paying her $10-$15 an hour is waaaay too much for a 12 year old. i would check the minimum wage rates for your area and then give her a couple of dollars less than that. If its around a holiday then give her a little extra "bonus" for doing a great job. Its hard to find a good sitter that you can trust to do the job right without running up phone bills and such. I know people that pay $15 a day per child for all day child care so i think that $6-$7 an hour is reasonable for a sitter.

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  Posted by Rose Mon Aug 4, 2008 6:03am PDT

  I agree with the last statement. I would pay between 5$-7$ myself. She is 12 and this is some earning money to get those sneakers she always wanted. I have a niece who just turned 16 and for a night of babysitting she comes home with 30$ for 5 or so hours. I think if you give her more she will always expect it and when she does go out and gets her first real job in the grocery store she will be disappointed that she will only make $7. I think you are doing the right thing. I have 2 children and would pay $5-$7 an hour to a 12 year old too. You are doing the right thing.

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  Posted by Bethie Mon Aug 4, 2008 6:43am PDT

  Our nanny and sometime babysitter is 26 and we pay her $10 an hour - but she's almost completed her college degree and I'm her only source of income. I agree with th others that for a 12 year old I would pay her between $6-$8 an hour. Your geographic area is probably a factor too.

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  Posted by Caitie Mon Aug 4, 2008 7:02am PDT

  That sounds very fair. Bur beth M has a point depends where you lived. I just baby sat my dads friend's baby for 10 hours. If I am lucky I might get $20 for being a 21 and in collage.

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  Posted by Monica S Mon Aug 4, 2008 7:41am PDT

  I left my 5 month old with my youger cousin, who is 16, for 4 hours and gave her $20. I think $5 an hour is perfectly fine. It is less than minimum wage but babysitting every once in a while isn't "a job". She isn't certified in anything and as a relative I think she is doing me a big favor. My husband and I just went to dinner & a movie. Of course, my mother said she should do it for free because she is family but that is fair either.

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  Posted by Susan Mon Aug 4, 2008 7:48am PDT

  Our children are are lives and future....I would hope a person would research and pay a person/teen a living wage of 10.00 or more an hour. Like our school system and other areas of society were children are involved, we choose to pay more for dog care products and SUVs than taking care of our children and their future.

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  Posted by Mimi-pz Mon Aug 4, 2008 8:28am PDT

  I think the $5 an hour is fine. I only made $1 an hour but I'm in my 40's!

  Around here, we have a state college and the going rate, for college aged kids and grown parents (a lot of mom's babysit) is $10 an hour.

  For teens, though, it's between $5-7 an hour depending if they can drive.

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  Posted by nina Mon Aug 4, 2008 8:30am PDT

  i think you are paying a fair price for fill in babysitting please recommended your sitter to go to the redcross for cpr and babysitting certification it doesn't take much time and is usally free just in case an emergency arises also on the holidays giving her a little bonus or small gift from the child on her b-day goes a long way hang on to that sitter if she is as good as you say because they are few and far between

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  Posted by Ashley Mon Aug 4, 2008 9:06am PDT

  For a 12 year old girl to watch your kids on occasion I would say that is very reasonable and fair. It's not like she has gas to buy :)

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