How much to pay for babysitting a toddler?

[midjd]

DD's daycare is closed Monday for the next two weeks. My mom and sister are coming to watch DD for two days, and MIL is coming to watch DD two other days (DH is taking off the remaining non-holiday days). I suspect all will resist payment, but we are talking 10-hour days with a rowdy toddler plus at least a 45-minute drive each way, so I'm not going to let them leave without some money.

The daily daycare rate is ~$50 for a center.

What would you pay? 

And does it matter if it's a relative or a non-relative? Several of DD's teachers offered to watch her over break (one said she'd do it for free ) and I may take them up on that next year, but I would have no clue what to pay. Seems odd to go below minimum wage but that's like $75/day... 

[gs11rmb]

We use three different babysitters and they charge $10, $11 and $12 per hour.  I use the $10 girl the most .

[Lizard Queen]

It should be less than a center, since you're providing everything.  We paid MIL the same as what we pay for the in-home daycare. (We're not exactly well compensated ourselves.)  $23/day for 1, $43 for 2.  Driving that far, I would pay extra though, but not so much that they'll turn you down, if you KWIM.

[ArchietheDragon]

Family - $0.00

Non family - $10/hour

[giramomma]

If they won't take cash, I would get them each a $100 gift certificate to their favorite restaurant or something.

My Ils are watching the little one for free. However, in return I've offered to help them prep (clean, help cook, pretty much whatever they need) for the holidays.

We'll also starting trying to have them over for meals more regularly.

And, we are taking them out to a nice adult-only dinner eventually.

I pay $8 for one kid, $10 for two, and $15 for three. Watching my older two isn't particularly strenuous work.

[yogiii]

The best we can do when my ILs babysit a day we're working is to leave them a gift card to the local pizza place and say lunch is on us.  I'd try something similar with your mom and MIL, I doubt they'll take $50 from you.

If you're going to use the daycare workers next year I'd just ask what their rates are.  If the one person still says free, I'd probably give her a $50 gift card to Target or something, assuming she's doing one day.

[Deleted]

Our in-home daycare is $21/day and she feeds them for that.  I would think offering $20/day to a family member that is offering to watch her anyhow would be sufficient.  However, I've never paid my parents or in-laws anything for childcare, I doubt they'd ever accept it even if offered. 

[973beachbum]

As the parent of a 19 year old who babysits she gets $10 an hour for the multiple kid households and the kids who are terrors.  I think of it more as being a WWE ref than babysitting though.  For the kids she says are well behaved and listen to her it is $8.

As the future grandmother I couldn't take anything to babysit my for now pretend grandchildren.  If it were on a consistent basis like a few days a week it would be one thing but for this one time at the holidays no way!

[yogiii]

Also the reason I'm stressing gift cards is that people seem to take those easier than cash.  If we left cash on the table for my ILs to get lunch, they wouldn't use it but for some reason they see a gift card and can mentally accept using that.  Same with offering the daycare worker money to babysit in your home.  She may be more adamant about refusing cash but see the gift card as more of a thank you gift and be more open to it.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Gift cards are the way to go. 

ETA - we were advised to give my grandma gift cards in small amounts so that she could regift them.  Grandma's kinda broke and in a retirement community.  I don't know if that's the way to go in this case though. 

[midjd]

Thanks for the responses. I agree that gift cards are more likely to be accepted, so that's probably what I'll end up doing. I'm getting some gift cards for DD's teachers tonight anyway, I'll just add a few more to the pile!

[gooddecisions]

I would offer $50, but would be thrilled if they didn't accept it as I don't ask for favors very often. I personally would never accept payment for a one-off opportunity to watch my family's kids or even good friend's kids (assuming I was off work and had to watch my own anyway). I would view it as a bonding opportunity, not a money-making opportunity.

My company offers back-up care for these situations- up to 25 days per calendar year. They'll send a nanny to my house and I only pay $6/hour for up to 3 dependents. For an in-network center that's open while her normal center is closed- it's $15 per child for the whole day.

[giramomma]

Dec 18, 2014 10:23:49 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

My company offers back-up care for these situations- up to 25 days per calendar year. They'll send a nanny to my house and I only pay $6/hour for up to 3 dependents. For an in-network center that's open while her normal center is closed- it's $15 per child for the whole day.

So jealous.

[gooddecisions]

Dec 18, 2014 10:26:26 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Dec 18, 2014 10:23:49 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

My company offers back-up care for these situations- up to 25 days per calendar year. They'll send a nanny to my house and I only pay $6/hour for up to 3 dependents. For an in-network center that's open while her normal center is closed- it's $15 per child for the whole day.

So jealous.

Yeah, if only it were that cheap for the full-time deal as I pay nearly $30K/year which is why I really, really hate to pay for baby-sitters.

[midjd]

Dec 18, 2014 10:32:30 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Dec 18, 2014 10:26:26 GMT -5 giramomma said:

So jealous.

Yeah, if only it were that cheap for the full-time deal as I pay nearly $30K/year which is why I really, really hate to pay for baby-sitters.

That is a great deal on the other care but ouch on the regular prices! 

I pay about $12K/year for one kid, and am a little peeved that my $975 this month only covers 10 days of care, but what can you do. I'm very fortunate that both sides of the family (plus a few teachers) jumped at the opportunity to watch her during the break, since if I'm home with her all day when DH is working I am freaking exhausted by 5pm!

[Sam_2.0]

We pay the local in-home daycare rates for our babysitters that come to us, and we keep the fridge stocked with their favorite snacks It's about $250/wk for both kids ($150/wk for infant, $100/wk for toddler), or $50/day for both.

[giramomma]

Dec 18, 2014 10:36:31 GMT -5 midjd said:

That is a great deal on the other care but ouch on the regular prices! 

I pay about $12K/year for one kid, and am a little peeved that my $975 this month only covers 10 days of care, but what can you do. I'm very fortunate that both sides of the family (plus a few teachers) jumped at the opportunity to watch her during the break, since if I'm home with her all day when DH is working I am freaking exhausted by 5pm!

You know how they tell new moms to nap when the baby naps?

Yeah, we haven't stopped doing that if we can.

[yogiii]

Dec 18, 2014 10:49:17 GMT -5 giramomma said:

Dec 18, 2014 10:36:31 GMT -5 midjd said:

That is a great deal on the other care but ouch on the regular prices! 

I pay about $12K/year for one kid, and am a little peeved that my $975 this month only covers 10 days of care, but what can you do. I'm very fortunate that both sides of the family (plus a few teachers) jumped at the opportunity to watch her during the break, since if I'm home with her all day when DH is working I am freaking exhausted by 5pm!

You know how they tell new moms to nap when the baby naps?

Yeah, we haven't stopped doing that if we can.

What about when you have a kid who whines for 20 mins and then takes a 20 min nap or no nap?

[gooddecisions]

Dec 18, 2014 10:36:31 GMT -5 midjd said:

Dec 18, 2014 10:32:30 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Yeah, if only it were that cheap for the full-time deal as I pay nearly $30K/year which is why I really, really hate to pay for baby-sitters.

That is a great deal on the other care but ouch on the regular prices! 

I pay about $12K/year for one kid, and am a little peeved that my $975 this month only covers 10 days of care, but what can you do. I'm very fortunate that both sides of the family (plus a few teachers) jumped at the opportunity to watch her during the break, since if I'm home with her all day when DH is working I am freaking exhausted by 5pm!

$975 for 10 days of care &#%!@ 

[yogiii]

Sorry, I'm very snappy about sleep.  If a certain acquaintance tells me one more time about how her kid sleeps 13 hours at night and takes a 3 hour nap every day, well, I may need to be committed to an insane asylum.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Dec 18, 2014 11:02:59 GMT -5 yogiii said:

Sorry, I'm very snappy about sleep.  If a certain acquaintance tells me one more time about how her kid sleeps 13 hours at night and takes a 3 hour nap every day, well, I may need to be committed to an insane asylum.

I don't know her and  I hate her. 

[cktc]

I hate taking money from family as payment. I'd much rather have the money go towards food and activities for the day. Maybe tickets to the aquarium, movies, ice skating, gift cards for pizza and ice cream, that sort of thing. Kids get bored at home, even, or especially, when someone other than their parents is watching them, and a day out can add up.

[yogiii]

Dec 18, 2014 11:03:38 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

Dec 18, 2014 11:02:59 GMT -5 yogiii said:

Sorry, I'm very snappy about sleep.  If a certain acquaintance tells me one more time about how her kid sleeps 13 hours at night and takes a 3 hour nap every day, well, I may need to be committed to an insane asylum.

I don't know her and  I hate her. 

I'm very happy for her but people IRL should know not to talk to me about sleep.  You may as well just tell me the world is out of chocolate, I mean really, it's cruel.

[Wisconsin Beth]

Dec 18, 2014 11:05:15 GMT -5 yogiii said:

Dec 18, 2014 11:03:38 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

I don't know her and  I hate her. 

I'm very happy for her but people IRL should know not to talk to me about sleep.  You may as well just tell me the world is out of chocolate, I mean really, it's cruel.

You're a better person than me. 

[midjd]

Hahaha! I couldn't agree more! 

Now that DD is one, I no longer get the "is she sleeping through the night?" question 10x a week since everyone assumes she is. She's not even close, but at least I don't have to restrain my "GFY" reflex on <3 hours' sleep.

[gooddecisions]

I never felt so alone during my year of sleep deprivation. Nobody I knew had it as bad as me, and I really thought I was losing my mind. Everyone I knew complained about their babies waking up once/night or raved about how well their babies slept. I really tried hard not to complain, but people always ask. I physically felt my irritability above my right eye about the size of a tennis ball. Thank goodness it went away about the same time I got more than 60 minutes of uninterrupted sleep at night. It would have been a lot easier getting through it if I had known when it would get better.

[raeoflyte]

Dec 18, 2014 11:02:45 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

Dec 18, 2014 10:36:31 GMT -5 midjd said:

That is a great deal on the other care but ouch on the regular prices! 

I pay about $12K/year for one kid, and am a little peeved that my $975 this month only covers 10 days of care, but what can you do. I'm very fortunate that both sides of the family (plus a few teachers) jumped at the opportunity to watch her during the break, since if I'm home with her all day when DH is working I am freaking exhausted by 5pm!

$975 for 10 days of care &#%!@ 

I'm pissed about ds preschool that my $280 is only covering 4 days, but I can blame that on picking a preschool in a public school.  I'd lose my mind if my daycare center did that.  

[ArchietheDragon]

Dec 18, 2014 11:36:56 GMT -5 raeoflyte said:

Dec 18, 2014 11:02:45 GMT -5 gooddecisions said:

$975 for 10 days of care &#%!@ 

I'm pissed about ds preschool that my $280 is only covering 4 days, but I can blame that on picking a preschool in a public school.  I'd lose my mind if my daycare center did that.  

why is it any different?

[Firebird]

If they won't take cash, I would get them each a $100 gift certificate to their favorite restaurant or something.



Generally we pay $50/day - that's my mom's regular rate.  Her daycares charge $50-55 per day so I think $50/day when they don't need any equipment or food is pretty fair. 

Kudos for wanting to offer something.  A lot of people don't bother and my personal philosophy is that entertaining/waiting on a toddler who's not yours for 10 hours is worthy of compensation regardless of family relationship.  If it makes family uncomfortable to accept money, gift cards can be very good alternatives.

I usually give my mom a massage gift certificate once or twice a year - in her case, it's a bonus of sorts but that can also be a good noncash present.  Heaven knows most people need it after chasing around and picking up a big baby all day long

[gooddecisions]

Dec 18, 2014 11:42:19 GMT -5 Firebird said:

If they won't take cash, I would get them each a $100 gift certificate to their favorite restaurant or something.



Generally we pay $50/day - that's my mom's regular rate.  Her daycares charge $50-55 per day so I think $50/day when they don't need any equipment or food is pretty fair. 

Kudos for wanting to offer something.  A lot of people don't bother and my personal philosophy is that entertaining/waiting on a toddler who's not yours for 10 hours is worthy of compensation regardless of family relationship.  If it makes family uncomfortable to accept money, gift cards can be very good alternatives.

I usually give my mom a massage gift certificate once or twice a year - in her case, it's a bonus of sorts but that can also be a good noncash present.  Heaven knows most people need it after chasing around and picking up a big baby all day long

The problem is when you're already paying $50 for the day to the closed center, paying another $50 is getting a little steep!