babysitting - what would you say?

[tashaleee]

My daughter babysits and usually charges £5 per hour before midnight, more after.... She has only ever finished around 11.30 pm before

Now a parent has asked for her to babysit overnight - parent is a single parent and wants to go out clubbing and has no family locally - the idea is that she will appear home in the middle of the night and will deal with the child in the morning. The child normally is in bed and asleep for 8-8.30 pm so nothing to do other than sit in the house etc

DD has no idea what to charge and nor do I - the parent was thinking of a set fee from 9pm but no idea what? (she would pay the £5 per hour for any hours before 9pm)

Any suggestions for a fee?

[Penny1959]

I babysit for one of my mindees on a regular basis

I charge her my standard rate up to 10:30pm (which is the time I would hope to go to bed) this is just £3 an hour

Then from 10:30pm to 5:30 am she pays £4 an hour - because I am not sleeping ( I might nod off in the chair for 20 mins here and there but I do not sleep)

At 5:30am it goes back to £3(because that is the time my childminding service is availble from)

Penny:)

[boxtree7]

I pay a babysitter 6.00 per hour but i usually home before midnight - the hourly rate doesn't change if i'm home after midnight.

[blue bear]

My boy gets £20 for baby sitting regardless of time and £50 if it goes over midnight (overnights) he never set the fee the family suggested it.

[rickysmiths]

I babysit for one of my mindees on a regular basis

I charge her my standard rate up to 10:30pm (which is the time I would hope to go to bed) this is just £3 an hour

Then from 10:30pm to 5:30 am she pays £4 an hour - because I am not sleeping ( I might nod off in the chair for 20 mins here and there but I do not sleep)

At 5:30am it goes back to £3(because that is the time my childminding service is availble from)

Penny:)

:eek: Why would you not go to bed and sleep Penny how on earth do you work all day and then stay up all night, I couldn't do that.? If you are doing that for £3 and £4 per hour no wonder the parent uses you that is so cheap Penny.

My teenage son charges £5 per hour but has never been needed after that time. As a teenager I often used to stay the night and I went to bed! To be honest I wasn't paid an hourly fee for overnight I was probably paid a bit extra but I was able to sleep. I did wake up when I heard the children or the older ones knew I was there and where to find me if they needed me or to jump on me at some ridiculous hour in the morning. :laughing: But the parents were and would be on duty from when they got home. I think i would be happy for my son if he was paid up to Midnight and then an extra £10 if he stayed.

[tashaleee]

At the moment DD can be babysitting and this person pays up til around £11.30 and then for a taxi home which is around £5... DD can go to sleep so thats fine and the child is 5 so again not a problem and not really likely to wake (and is used to seeing DD in the house so wouldnt be upset by mummy not being home).

The thing is last night she got £30 plus taxi from this lady and finished at 11.30 (started 6.30) and thats not unusual - its the midnight bit to the next morning. I was kinda thinking of £20 for an overnight - but then that means it could cost her £50 which is a lot for babysitting :eek:

But if the woman suggested a flat fee from 9pm maybe £30 for that (normally 9-12 would be £15 and then £15 for sleeping over I guess) and then she pays £5 per hour for anything she wants before 9pm....

Just rambling... any suggestions welcome :thumbsup:

I dont know... seems a lot of money no matter what.....and no idea how to suggest it.... :blush:

[QualityCare]

I would suggest normal rate until the time mum would normally get home and then a set fee of £20 overnight, if she can afford to go clubbing she can afford babysitting and has to factor this in, if daughter has to get up in night because mum didn't hear her then she pays hour extra.

[Penny1959]

:eek: Why would you not go to bed and sleep Penny how on earth do you work all day and then stay up all night, I couldn't do that.? If you are doing that for £3 and £4 per hour no wonder the parent uses you that is so cheap Penny.

My teenage son charges £5 per hour but has never been needed after that time. As a teenager I often used to stay the night and I went to bed! To be honest I wasn't paid an hourly fee for overnight I was probably paid a bit extra but I was able to sleep. I did wake up when I heard the children or the older ones knew I was there and where to find me if they needed me or to jump on me at some ridiculous hour in the morning. :laughing: But the parents were and would be on duty from when they got home. I think i would be happy for my son if he was paid up to Midnight and then an extra £10 if he stayed.

I suffer from extreme restless lag and although I have strong medication - I don't even sleep at home in my own bed for more than a few hours a night - so little point in going to bed. After the incident of snow last Sat when I was unable to take mindee home and she had to stay overrnight at mine (with mums permission of course) I have now applied for overnight care - at least then I will get a couple of hours sleep and to be honest my armchair at home is a lot more comfortable than the one at mindees house.

As to rates - Worcestershire is generally low - average pay is very low and my full times pay even less. It is hard for childminders in areas like Worcestershire as it costs us as much to buy euipment and resources / to run our car etc as everyone else - but percentage wise it is a much large % of our income (and yes I do accept that in other areas mortgages / rent will be higher but it is still hard going in areas like mine) - which is why I am prepared to work the hours I do ( last week full time twins - everything except evening meal included I earnt £198 - the mindee I babysit for / do weekend for last week I earnt £248 - so maybe it makes more sense to you now)

Penny :)

[rickysmiths]

Oh Penny you must take care though. If you don't mind the overnight care at home does sound a better plan.

[samb]

I like the £30 after 9 idea, she could suggest that or that her hourly rate goes to time and a half after midnight - I imagine it would work out cheaper for her to stay and if she is comfortable with that then it could work out well for both of them. When I was a teenager I used to get £2 an hour babysitting no matter what time or if the kids were up etc and then got £20 for an overnight - usually 8-8! (I am 30)

[PixiePetal]

my 17 yr old babysits for a neighbouring family. £5/hr but if it's a late one and there is a bed free (no friends staying) she can stay over if she wants - she quite likes it as spare room has fab kingsize bed and en suite! kids are 12,10 and 7 and if she stays she walks home in the morning - usually kids are up but parents still in bed!

if she stays over it is really for her convenience and she normally gets £30 all together, if she comes home they pay hourly rate - all works out in the end

[hwitt]

Hi, I'm just training and looking to offer weekend care and wondered how much childminders generally charge extra on top of their normal hourly rate for my business plan.