summer babysitting

**garn91** · 05-18-2009, 01:02 PM

What's the going rate for high school kids to watch a kid for the summer? When I say watch, I mean just making sure someone responsible is in the house (we are parents of an only child) to handle emergencies, help with a light lunch (sandwiches, warming up leftovers, etc.), reading a book while at the park, and taking him to the pool.

Some of these kids are asking for $8-10 AN HOUR! If my wife and I could afford that kind of rates, one of us would be a stay at home parent.

**dosry5** · 05-18-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by garn91

What's the going rate for high school kids to watch a kid for the summer? When I say watch, I mean just making sure someone responsible is in the house to handle emergencies, help with a light lunch (sandwiches, warming up leftovers, etc.), reading a book while at the park, and taking him to the pool.

Some of these kids are asking for $8-10 AN HOUR! If my wife and I could afford that kind of rates, one of us would be a stay at home parent.

I was gonna have you check with Tarheelhawk, but then I saw a certain amount of responsibility was involved...so never mind...

**bos** · 05-18-2009, 01:05 PM

We pay our daycare lady 100 a week per child and she has them from 8-4:30 every day.

8-10 per hour is a little steep unless there are multiple kids.

**mj4cy** · 05-18-2009, 01:05 PM

I don't think 8-10/hour is that far off anymore.

**RyCy04** · 05-18-2009, 01:08 PM

The guy I drop my kids off with each morning doesn't charge me a dime.

**garn91** · 05-18-2009, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by mjones34

I don't think 8-10/hour is that far off anymore.

huh? At $8.00/hour, that's $320/week or nearly $1,300 per month! It's not like there are diapers and bottle feeding invovled. We paid $100 a week last Summer for Y Care and the most we ever paid when our son was an infant was $75 per week.

**keepngoal** · 05-18-2009, 01:10 PM

we pay $2.50 per hour per kid, plus a swim pass.

**LeSchmick** · 05-18-2009, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by bostinelosd

We pay our daycare lady 100 a week per child and she has them from 8-4:30 every day.

8-10 per hour is a little steep unless there are multiple kids.

you pay $100 a week aka 42.5 hours?! How do you get away with this? Whoever is your babysitter needs to grow a pair or leave you. That is ridiculous!

**dosry5** · 05-18-2009, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by RyCy04

The guy I drop my kids off with each morning doesn't charge me a dime.

I didn't know DJK did babysitting!

**garn91** · 05-18-2009, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by keepngoal

we pay $2.50 per hour per kid, plus a swim pass.

We were thinking of $75-80. Keep in mind, we would want the kid to come to our house and we are providing the meals and overhead of utilities, etc., not to mention a pool pass as well.

God, if someone offered me $75-80 a week when I was in high school to do pretty much nothing, i'd be all over that in a heartbeat.

I should mention my son will be in second grade and is pretty independent.

**keepngoal** · 05-18-2009, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by garn91

We were thinking of $75-80. Keep in mind, we would want the kid to come to our house and we are providing the meals and overhead of utilities, etc., not to mention a pool pass as well.

God, if someone offered me $75-80 a week when I was in high school to do pretty much nothing, i'd be all over that in a heartbeat.

I should mention my son will be in second grade and is pretty independent.

They come to our house... 8AM - 5PM. It seems fair IMO. And both sides are happy.

-keep.

**bos** · 05-18-2009, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by LeSchmick

you pay $100 a week aka 42.5 hours?! How do you get away with this? Whoever is your babysitter needs to grow a pair or leave you. That is ridiculous!

She also watches 5-6 kids and gets paid holidays and vacations (to an extent). Its fair.

**cmoneyr** · 05-18-2009, 01:30 PM

If it was an all day 8-5 thing for the whole summer I'd want someone older than high school age personally.

**keepngoal** · 05-18-2009, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by cmoneyr

If it was an all day 8-5 thing for the whole summer I'd want someone older than high school age personally.

depends on the kids being watched (age, demeanor..) and the maturity of the HS kid. Ours sitter is in college, but a few HS'ers I know would have been fine. A few wouldn't have... but again, it goes back to the quality of the HS'er and the kids being watched.

-keep

**garn91** · 05-18-2009, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by keepngoal

depends on the kids being watched (age, demeanor..) and the maturity of the HS kid. Ours sitter is in college, but a few HS'ers I know would have been fine. A few wouldn't have... but again, it goes back to the quality of the HS'er and the kids being watched.

-keep

Exactly. My wife and I aren't looking for the Supper Nanny, whatever her name is. All we need is for someone to be in the house who knows basic first aid, can tell the kid it's going to be all right when a nasty storm is in the area, can make an easy lunch, and drive him to the pool.

Y Care last summer was a big dissapointment.