Lo and behold, she said YES!
Now I'm super-excited that we have a night out...but I'm also kind of panicking. Because, even though they go to daycare every damn day...the girls have really never had a non-family member babysitter at night or on a weekend. Crazy...I know!
So, you ladies who are regular babysitter users...give me the scoop!
- What's the going rate for a babysitter?
- If she comes over at 6PM, I'm assume that we provide dinner (i.e., pizza) for her and the girls...or is that dumb?
- Anything else I should know?
13 comments:
We RARELY use non-family sitters, as well, mainly because I am a big weenie about leaving my kids. BUT, it is SO MUCH FUN if you find someone you trust. Also, the kids LOVE it because it's like having a big friend to play with, not just their grandmother or something (who is fun, too...but a teenage girl is just different!)
I pay $8, which is A LOT (I think) but we hardly ever use a sitter AND I want them to want to come back. My kids are super-easy (so the sitters tell me) so that's an incentive, too.
Usually I try to feed the kids ahead of time, some sitters get worried about pizza delivery cause then they have to open the door to a stranger etc. But that's just me. I always have PLENTY of snacks in case the sitter is too shy/polite to eat dinner here, even if I have a pizza ready. Hope that helps!
We pay $10 an hour, and we do something for dinner too. I figure a good sitter is worth their weight in gold.
I second about having good snacks...
Also, we haven't had an issue with this, but 2 of my friends have had one...you may want to explicitly, yet politely say, "no friends over here while you are sitting."
One friend had a sitter who had a male visitor, and her guest room sheets were askew when she returned!
YIKES!
i would say 10 bucks an hour. i actually don't provide dinner, but that is b/c they come after 6. i use to always put them down myself and then leave,but now the girls are easier AND they know the sitter so they actually want to stay up and see her. and they are super easy for her going to bed !!
We always have a sitter come after Brady and Jack are down so there is no dinner involved. We pay $8 because really she is only dealing with one easy, peasy child who is almost 4.
Yeah! I am happy for you. We pay at least $10.00 an hour, but with tip, it usually turns out to be closer to 12. We have three though, with two I think I paid 10. I always leave money and menus for dinner. Sometimes I will order before they get there, but I figure pizza is safe for everyone.
I lay everything out to make it as easy as possible. If you think they will be in the whole time, you may even put them in pjs before she gets there.
Be sure to be explicit with how much tv you want them watch. Are you paying that much money to have them veg in front of the tv?
Just found your blog today... I'm sooo happy to find a 'mommy' blog by a mom that also works outside the home. I thought I was the only one.
BTW, that was not a slight against SAHM's!! It is absolutely the most difficult job in the world. I would have loved to have been one but life had other plans for me... like a useless-no-good-pain-in-the-ass husband that I ended up supporting for two years before I got wise and finally kicked him to the curb.
But I digress, the point I was trying to make is... I've really enjoyed reading your old posts instead of working on client files today and I will be back.
Thx 4 the laffs.
We usually use my mom, and have never had a pm sitter!!! I do pay about $10 an hour during the day for both, but I have only used a sitter a few times.
Now that we're down in TX, we've moved from the $10/hour rate to the $8.50/hour rate. I'd call and ask if she wants dinner. Sometimes mine come already fed - at 5:30. I'd recommend asking them to put uneaten food in the fridge and plates in the sink. That's my only compaint with mine. Good luck. It's always good to have a back up. How else can you go out to eat with your parents?
Girrrrl. I love me up some daycare babysitters. I'm using one tonight in fact.
My routine involves a take n' bake pizza, some good snacks on hand, a list of phone numbers that I pray to God she doesn't call, and a bedtime that I am fairly certain will be completely ignored.
We pay $8.00 an hour. And then, without fail, I come home after a few glasses of wine and give her a huge tip that I am embarrassed about and grateful for the next day. They always want to come back...
You can doo eeet. And it will be good for all of you. :)
We pay $10 per hour for our sitter. I actually had her over prior to her doing it and asked her outright. She said she usually got $10 but that she would take whatever we could afford.
I offer food, but it is usually leftovers that we have or a frozen pizza. She never wants to eat anyway, but I always tell her to eat anything in the fridge or cabients.
I have only one non-family member that I use. I usually pay her 8-10 dollars an hour, which I agree is a lot for one kid but I know she is good and a close family friend. I usually feed DD first and bathe her too so she does not even have to do that. I do make sure there is something for her to eat too, like pizza. Enjoy your night out!
We actually don't pay by the hour. I usually give $30 or $40 bucks depending on how long we are gone. I don't like my date to be cut short because of an hourly rate;)
We have the pizza there when the sitter arrives so no worries about opening the door to a stranger. I would just let her know what you expect. (bedtime,visitors, etc) Make it a fun thing for your kids and the sitter and she is sure to want to come back! Enjoy your date!!!
I'm not a mom so I don't know the going rate but I can tell you that one of my FAVORITE memories from childhood was when my parents went to Hawaii and my fourth grade teacher, Miss Meucci, was hired to babysit us. It was amazing - I felt like the collest kid in school going to class in the morning WITH my teacher! She even rode our exercise bike in the basement. she was so ahead of her time. Hopefully this will have a similarly positive effect on your little one!
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