Thursday, 24 June 2010

Babysitters

I have finally built up a list of great babysitters. Right now I have four babysitters who I can text on a moments notice. Unfortunately only one can drive... but the younger they are...the less "life" they have and more available they are! The kids do really well with having a babysitter. I have even found that Beckett does great since he is at home. I have been on this frantic pursuit of finding multiple sitters since Beckett is so difficult to take places. Our summer is filled with softball games and practices with not only Faith now, but with Eden too. If we have to take Beckett, we keep him strapped in his stroller which does not make him very happy...as you can imagine. On this particular week I am needing a sitter four different times...which means I will spend close to $100. I want to mention that when I used to babysit I was only paid $1 per hour and $.50 for each additional child. This would mean $2.50/hour for my kids. I pay around $8 an hour and usually round up. I try and pay well so the sitter/s will want to come back. It isn't very often that the sitter has all 4 kids. It is normally 3 since I am running (mostly Faith) to practices and games. I also have to splurge on a sitter because Kyle is often gone with work, travel and his "mancations." I have a friend (that reads my blog) that pays $10/hour for two kids...that is too much...right???? If I have to pay $20 an hour for 4 kids then I am DONE! I can't wait until Faith is old enough to stay with all 4!!! "Yay" for great sitters and "freedom."

6 comments:

Normal Mom said...

We have started testing the waters with Alanah and it's going fine. We actually went to a movie at the Normal Theater and all was well when we got home.
I pay $5 an hour for the three. But I round up if they do the dishes. My mom always told me to leave things better than I found them. I think that's why I got hired a lot.
It's great when you can find someone you trust. And I agree the younger ones are great.

The Queen Bee said...

I pay $2 per hour per kid, WAY too expensive if you ask me. We do leave K alone with them (not usually the baby) for short periods of time. Chris and I went out to dinner the other night (with the baby) and K watched them for about 1 hour. She loves it and the other ones love it too. They feel grown up.

I only got .50 cents per hour when I was baby sitting no matter how many kids I had. And my mom rarely gave me any cash for watching my own siblings. (K gets paid depending on what we are doing, I feel like she needs to do service and needs the practice.)

The Queen Bee said...

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Jeff, Tina, Ian, and Jade Saad said...

The friend that gives $10.00 an hour must really love her kids and makes sure that she gets the BEST sitter ever!!! Just kidding...I have only felt like 1 sitter didn't earn her money...the rest are amazing!!!

Holli said...

I am looking forward to the day I can get a sitter again..... now with 4 I have NO IDEA what we are going to pay... we payed 5 pounds an hour... before moving it was just Drake and we payed 5 dollars.... I am going to move home and start b-sitting for Tina!:)

Kellybee said...

Stacey! You are so lucky to know so many girls in your area. I don't have any babysitters, and so Dan and I rarely get out by ourselves. Enjoy your time alone! By the way...I can't believe how much it is to pay a sitter these days. Wow. I think I made $10 or $15 dollars back in the day for a whole afternoon of babysitting. My, things have changed!