Okay, so babysitting salary?

Question

Okay so ive never really babysat somebody elses kids... any tips and advice for taking care of the kids? They are aged two and four girls.. and what if the parents ask how much i charge? will they do that? or will they just pick some amount?

If they ask, what should I say.. ? please help because im going over there tomorrow !!

Answer 1

i would bring lots of paint, markers, and Barbies,(that kind of thing) for the girls to play with. the two year old would probably be happy with just some stuffed animals or something. Also, don't take your eyes off of them. ive had to learn from some bad mistakes where the kid just wanders off and gets into trouble. As for your salary, if the parente ask, just say like, "about $3-5 per hour, but im flexible." also depends on how old you are, and if they kids will be napping. its usually better to charge less if they are asleep, seeing as its much easier.$3-5 may be not as much as you would like to be paid, so you could maybe say $7 or $8. But i wouldn't if you are 14 or below. I bet you will do well. Good Luck!

Answer 2

Last i checked the going rate was $8-$15 and hour. Depending on where you live you could lower it or raise it.

A good way to learn about babysitting is to take the red cross babysitting course. parents will want to hire you more if you're certified. ;]

Whatever you do, don't just let the parents decide. It is awkward and they might not be fair enough. It's much less confusing and efficient when you set a firm steady rate. My friend just went and let the parents pay her whatever and they came home from 4 hours and only paid her $15. It's disappointing and unfair.

Also just as a note, if there are more than 3 kids you could charge like $2 extra per hour per kid....that's just a thought

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

I baby sit my neice four days a week and get $25. She is 3 and i watch noggin and movies and play boardgames with her. Just have fun with them and they will like you.

Answer 4

Oh, two and four year olds. Joy.

The first thing i have to tell you is patience. Big time. Because they don't know all the things you know, and they can't do all the things you can do. So you have to be willing to work on their level.

Another thing I have to tell you is you have to be strong and enforce your own rules. These kids might have other things in mind, but make sure you're the one in charge, without hitting them or yelling at them.

Time-outs are good. Two minutes for the two year old; four minutes for the four year old.

And as for the money deal, that's basically your standards. I mean, how long are you babysitting for? How hard are the kids to handle? I'd say about $5 and hour.

Usually, thought, the parents will pick a salary.

Good luck. :)

Answer 5

try sittercity.com they have a rate calculator depending on your zip code, years of experience, ages of children, etc. I usually charge around 10 dollars an hour, but many parents have an amount they are willing to pay. tell them you are willing to work with them on a price, sometimes a set rate for the day may work better for them in case they are half an hour late or so which wont make a huge difference to you.