Answering Questions About Babysitters | Parenting - Step by Step

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Most people have a lot of questions about babysitters. Here are a few of the most common ones:

What?s The Going Rate?

The national average for a high school sitter is $10 an hour. For an older sitter, expect to pay more. Here are some other factors that will affect this rate:

• Experience: Sitters who begin working at a young age will acquire experience at a fast rate. Normally, more experience means having to pay more money.
• Age: As a babysitter?s age increases, so will the amount of experience that they possess. These sitters may know first aid and be able to drive, so the rate will be higher.
• Number of Children: When a family has more than one child, the rate should be lifted by at least a dollar or two an hour.
• Kind of Job: Overnight jobs will also require paying more. Holidays like New Year?s Eve or Valentines Day should receive at least $3 more an hour as well.

Keeping A Babysitter Satisfied

Good sitters are hard to come by, so after finding one that fits your family, here are some of the things you can do to keep her happy:

• Food: Tell a babysitter that she can eat any food in the house at mealtime or for snacks. It may be a nice touch to pick up her favorite flavor of ice cream or other snack before she arrives so that it?s on hand.
• Transportation: Transportation can be a headache for some sitters. Without access to an automobile, it may be nice to pick her up and take her home. If she has to drive far to get to your house, it?s wise to include extra gas money.
• Keep Track of Time: Parents should return home at the time they tell the sitter and always call if they will be late.
• Generosity: Giving a bonus over the holidays and remembering her birthday is important. After working for a set amount of time, it may be appropriate to give her a small raise.

Should A Family Member Be A Babysitter?

There are both pros and cons to using a family member as a babysitter:

Pros

• Trust: Family members are already trusted, so you won?t have worries when you?re away.
• Low to No Cost: Many relatives will not accept money to babysit, but it may be nice to hand some over anyway. Another option is to give them something like a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant as a token of your appreciation.
• Bonding Time: When a relative has time with your children, they can get closer and learn more about each other.

Cons

• Less Control: A family member may forget that the parent is the boss.
• Low Energy: An older relative may not have the same energy as a young teenage sitter
• Generation Gap: A relative from an older generation may have different parenting styles that don?t mesh with current ideals.

Citations:

John Wisenheimer is a blogger for www.nanny.net he blogs about actionable tips and advice on how to hire a nanny

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