What is fair, to pay a teenage babysitter on an hourly rate?

@saralee1 (1982)
United States
June 30, 2007 4:00am CST
I was just curious if rates have changed much since I was a kid back in the 80's. I was paid a dollar an hour to wach onechild, and two dollars to watch two kids, etc. whatis the going rate for babysitters nowadays?
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1 response
emeraldisle
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
1 Jul 07
I'll be honest and say I don't know. When I babysat in the late 80' I charged a $1.25 period no matter how many kids. I had one though that did give me $2 an hour but she did that I didn't ask for it. I also made sure the house was picked up and such. They did also provide food and drinks for while I was there. When we had a sitter for my niece we paid $2.50 to $3 an hour and supplied food and drink. To be honest we came home to a mess, they wouldn't even clean up the mess they made. Personally I think 1/2 of what minimum wage is. That's about what I got when I babysat. Well a little less then 1/2 but close to it.
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saralee1
@saralee1 (1982)
• United States
1 Jul 07
Ok, I was just curious, more than anything! My husbands mother claims to babysit children to pay for her rent, and she will babysit 4-5 kids at a time, for different people. I guess it can pay off, as long as it is a few kids.
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emeraldisle
@emeraldisle (13138)
• United States
1 Jul 07
I know some who will charge a lot more per hour. I posted to one similar to this several months ago and some where saying they pay anywhere from $7 an hour up to $20 an hour. I cannot picture paying a babysitter that amount of money.
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saralee1
@saralee1 (1982)
• United States
1 Jul 07
They must come with fingerprints (LOL) and a full security background check, and a security guard or something.
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