BABYSITTING

Babysitting requires skills in creativity, adventure, and play. But those skills are no help
if you don't know what to do when a kid has a playground tumble or you're not prepared
for a 2-year-old's temper.

Whether you need a regularly scheduled babysitter or just a night out every once in a
while, choosing a babysitter is a very important decision.  The price you pay them may
have an effect on how they care for your children.

When it comes to knowing how much to pay a babysitter you can be left in more of a
tangle than attempting to wrestle a trio of bubble-bath covered toddlers against their will.
How much is the ‘right’ amount? What is legal? What other factors come in to play? Do
you pay babysitting per child? Do you pay for any extras such as travel? Do you tip? Do
you pay more at certain times? If so, when?

When it comes to knowing the ins and outs of how much to pay your babysitter, we are
experts. With 50 years in the business we know the legalities, the moralities and the
unseen costs of babysitters. Use our experience to take away the angst and be sure you’re
getting the best care at the best price. We know that your children are priceless, but we
feel that great childcare should be affordable for everyone.

How Much to Pay a Babysitter

Start with the Basics

Before money even comes in to the equation you need the right person for the job. Doug-
Next-Door’s 15-year-old niece might be visiting, and willing to come on round for £4 an
hour, but is she really the sensible choice? Bear in mind, much as you might be desperate
for some adult-only letting-your-hair-down time, these little beings are your most
treasured possessions. Are you really going to relax and unwind if you’re not 100%
certain your kids are in the most capable and experienced hands?

Don’t start with the preconception that a seasoned childcare expert will cost you dearly.
In our experience you can easily find childcare experts, with many years of babysitting
behind them, and frequently families of their own, for around the National Minimum
Wage level When it comes to babysitting, you really can have the best of both worlds: an
experienced capable babysitter and value for money.

Location, Location, Location

Ascertaining how much to pay a babysitter requires you giving a little thought to your
area. If you’re in central New York, you’re going to be paying a premium, and possibly
more for requiring a babysitter to come to your hotel. Bear in mind these rates are still
competitive. You’re currently looking at around 10/h for a Saturday night in London or
the South East ($10/h if they come to your hotel). However, down in Devon, or up in the
North East, you’re most likely to find a competitive rate for experienced childcare
babysitting professionals on a Saturday night is equal to the National Minimum Wage.

When and Why

Next up, affecting the rate of how much to pay a babysitter is the when and why. For
babysitting, much like any other service, it’s often about supply and demand. Saturday
nights are more popular than a weekday evening because generally both your, and the
sitters, social lives are centred then. Premium nights, like New Year’s Eve, are going to
hit the pocket a little harder still. Daytime rates - when the eight year old has homework;
the pre-schooler wants to play Shopping List; and the baby is on a feeding marathon -
command a higher fee than evenings when the babysitter can get the brood in bed, and
kick back with a DVD and the baby monitor.

Getting it Right

All in all, therefore, there are a significant number of factors that come in to play when
knowing how much to pay a babysitter. The good news is that we take the hard work out
of it for you. Simply enter your postcode in to our online search tool and in a split second
you’ll have a break-down of rates showing you exactly what an experienced and checked
babysitter will cost you in your area, whether it’s a Saturday, a weekday, in a hotel, or for
daytime needs.

Babysitting Extras

All that’s left is for you to make the booking and hand over the payment for the
babysitter at the end of their work, usually rounding the payment to the next quarter hour.
However, a few little extras do need to be remembered. If your babysitter came by public
transport, and that’s stopped running by the time you’re home, then you’ll need to cover a
taxi fare. If you’re a nice sort, who values a trusted sitter who’ll come back again, then
some tea and coffee and a few nibbles won’t be missed either. If they’ve gone above and
beyond the service you expected, a tip would be nice but is certainly not obligatory.
Remember that tips are entirely up to you and not part of the ‘fair pay’ established by us.
We believe your little ones deserve the very best care. That's why our local network of
babysitters are personally checked and picked by our family for your family. We make
booking and paying for a babysitter easy, hassle-free, and allow you to leave your little
ones knowing they’re in good hands at a fair rate. You can’t get much better than that.