17yr old babysitter wants €20/hr??

Ginger83

Hi all, sorry if this is in the wrong place.

We are staying at a hotel in Waterford in a few weeks. We have 2 young girls but hope to get out to dinner and a few drinks.
I've contacted a babysitter who advertised online, she came back to us with a rate of €20/hr. Does anyone find anything wrong with this???
I nearly choked when i read it. We've booked babysitters in their 40s before with 25yrs experience and 3 or 4 kids of their own and didn't charge anywhere near that and a child/youth/teenager want an industrial trade rate.

I understand its a Saturday evening but it wont even be late, i've said 7.30-11.30, maybe even 11pm.

Am i being unreasonable? If thats the current rates i think i'll change profession. Our kids bedtime is 7pm so they'll most likely be asleep.

syklops

First thing you do is ring the hotel and ask do they have a babysitting service or if there is anyone they can recommend. See what that persons asking price is and compare.

I'd imagine the girl is looking after her own costs. If you get back late she might have to get a taxi home. If she charged you 10 an hour for 4 hours and her taxi home is 20 euro, its hardly worth the hassle. Im just speculating obviously.

To be honest, I'd be more concerned about her age.

MeatTwoVeg

It's expensive, but it's her prerogative to charge what she wants. You can either accept the price or try to find someone cheaper.
Don't get what the issue is.

PokeHerKing

Do people actually leave their kids alone with random strangers who advertise on the internet?

ScouseMouse

20 euro an hour? Tell her to take a hike.

Moonbeam

I would contact the hotel and see if they can offer someone. That is a crazy price.

readytosnap

€20 an hour is a bit expensive so i would not take her up on that offer.

Leaving your children with a 17yr old stranger is madness.

As I see it you have 2 options.

1) Don't go out.
2) just tie the kids up, like you said they will probably be asleep and you will only be gone a few hrs.

flanagain

I think it's reasonable. It's not a full time job and it's in the evening time on a Saturday. As that other poster said, it's her prerogative to charge what she feels she needs to charge. If you can find a cheaper babysitter elsewhere then go for them instead.

uck51js9zml2yt

PokeHerKing wrote: »

Do people actually leave their kids alone with random strangers who advertise on the internet?

In short..yes.

The long answer is contact the hotel who will have a set of people they use regularly.

Bandana boy

While €20 a hour on the surface sounds outrageous
It is non repeatable work ,it is in the evening of a sat night and it is in a hotel .
All would add a premium , particularly if the hotel is not in the city.
She could be chancing her arm a little that it is a special occasion too and you will overlook the price.
Shop around and see if you can find cheaper , but everybody providing a service who is upfront on the costs is fully in their rights to name their price , if they are overcharging the market will correct this pretty sharpish.

ted1

Supply and demand, she has a service you want. Your move .

keavebm

PokeHerKing wrote:

Do people actually leave their kids alone with random strangers who advertise on the internet?

Would be in the same boat as this person. I would never leave my kids with a total stranger. Myself and my wife would always go to dinner early with the kids

CIARAN_BOYLE

Ginger83 wrote: »

Hi all, sorry if this is in the wrong place.

We are staying at a hotel in Waterford in a few weeks. We have 2 young girls but hope to get out to dinner and a few drinks.
I've contacted a babysitter who advertised online, she came back to us with a rate of €20/hr. Does anyone find anything wrong with this???
I nearly choked when i read it. We've booked babysitters in their 40s before with 25yrs experience and 3 or 4 kids of their own and didn't charge anywhere near that and a child/youth/teenager want an industrial trade rate.

I understand its a Saturday evening but it wont even be late, i've said 7.30-11.30, maybe even 11pm.

Am i being unreasonable? If thats the current rates i think i'll change profession. Our kids bedtime is 7pm so they'll most likely be asleep.

The big thing is that 90% of babysitters live very close to their clients and are young people who don't drive. Therefore they are taxi reliant. Your counter should be €10 an hour and a taxi home while asking where they live. If they don't live close to the hotel obviously thats your problem. Hire someone closer.

idnkph

Completely astonished that you, or anybody else would leave your kids with a complete stranger for any amount of time.
What's wrong with people theses days? If I don't have someone I know and can trust to leave my kids with then I'm afraid my partner and I don't go out.
That's the joys of being a parent.
I think you're being very irresponsible.

Bandana boy

idnkph wrote: »

Completely astonished that you, or anybody else would leave your kids with a complete stranger for any amount of time.
What's wrong with people theses days? If I don't have someone I know and can trust to leave my kids with then I'm afraid my partner and I don't go out.
That's the joys of being a parent.
I think you're being very irresponsible.

Except statistically , when you leave your kids with someone you know they are more likely hurt your kids than a babysitting service.

So right back at you , how can you be so irresponsible , for shame , for shame.

lawred2

Ginger83 wrote: »

Hi all, sorry if this is in the wrong place.

We are staying at a hotel in Waterford in a few weeks. We have 2 young girls but hope to get out to dinner and a few drinks.
I've contacted a babysitter who advertised online, she came back to us with a rate of €20/hr. Does anyone find anything wrong with this???
I nearly choked when i read it. We've booked babysitters in their 40s before with 25yrs experience and 3 or 4 kids of their own and didn't charge anywhere near that and a child/youth/teenager want an industrial trade rate.

I understand its a Saturday evening but it wont even be late, i've said 7.30-11.30, maybe even 11pm.

Am i being unreasonable? If thats the current rates i think i'll change profession. Our kids bedtime is 7pm so they'll most likely be asleep.

She can charge what she likes... You need to simply tell her to take a hike.

seamus

I can understand the paranoia about "strangers", but ultimately you've got a 17-year-old, you have their full contact details and you have plenty of ways you can verify they are who they say they are before you leave them there.

How likely is it that someone who wanted to hurt your kids would advertise their services and haggle over price?

Honestly I can see how €20/hr might be considered reasonable these days, given that it's one-off work. And it may be remote for her, as others say.

Alf Veedersane

If it was someone with 25 years experience and their own kids, would that ultimately change the value of the service to you?

MeatTwoVeg

idnkph wrote:

Completely astonished that you, or anybody else would leave your kids with a complete stranger for any amount of time. What's wrong with people theses days? If I don't have someone I know and can trust to leave my kids with then I'm afraid my partner and I don't go out. That's the joys of being a parent. I think you're being very irresponsible.

Yeah, those pesky paedos are everywhere, just waiting for their opportunity to strike.
Best to raise your children in a culture of fear.
Only way to be sure.

Shop40

idnkph wrote: »

Completely astonished that you, or anybody else would leave your kids with a complete stranger for any amount of time.
What's wrong with people theses days? If I don't have someone I know and can trust to leave my kids with then I'm afraid my partner and I don't go out.
That's the joys of being a parent.
I think you're being very irresponsible.

The OP didn't ask for your opinion on how to go about finding a babysitter, how long one should know this person etc. Is 20 euro an hour the norm or not is the question.

That's what bugs me about these forums, you come on to ask a simple question and in return you get your parenting skills criticised! Just answer the bloody question asked.

ellee

I'm afraid if you stay in a hotel, you get burned big time on the babysitter issue. That said it still seems extremely expensive. The most I've been charged by hotel babysitters is €15/h which is still eye watering.

Contact the hotel and see what their babysitter contacts charge.

Cienciano

I stayed in a hotel a few months ago and it was a tenner an hour for a 50 year old lady. I wouldn't pay €20 for a 17 year old girl unless the hotel recommended her, it's a complete rip off imho. But as people have mentioned, if it's too expensive, don't pay it, I wouldnt

keyboard_cat

My GF use to do babysitting for a hotel when she was in college a couple of years ago but if i recall she only got 10 euro an hour (however sometimes people were nice and gave her tips for not injuring the babies or whatever)

sbsquarepants

PokeHerKing wrote: »

Do people actually leave their kids alone with random strangers who advertise on the internet?

I'm with you.
Not in a million years, I'd bring them with me or stay in.

MeatTwoVeg wrote: »

Yeah, those pesky paedos are everywhere, just waiting for their opportunity to strike.
Best to raise your children in a culture of fear.
Only way to be sure.

Culture of fear is a bit of an exaggeration don't you think.
I find it hard to see what's wrong about advising someone not to hand their kids over to a complete stranger so they can go drinking. In fact when you say it out loud - I left my kids with a stranger so I could go drinking, it doesn't really sound great does it? It actually wouldn't sound out of place as the title of a Jeremy Kyle show!

Orion

OK folks can we get back on topic please. She's asking about the price of a babysitter not a lesson in parenting.

Orion

I think 20 is mad money. We've never paid more than a tenner an hour. As others said contact the hotel and they probably have a list of people they use.

Neyite

We recently got a hotel babysitter, she charged 10per hr, didnt charge more after midnight. I thought that was very fair.

She was a mature woman too - looked like she had plenty of hands on experience and has babysat for about 10 years for the hotel.

rolo13

I'm 18 and have been babysitting for about a year, in my opinion 20 euro/hr is a shocking price especially if children are going to be asleep and it is for 4 hrs or less.
I would never charge more than 10 euro an hour, which some parents even find too expensive. It has to be worth the babysitter's while but I think she is absolutely in the wrong to charge 20, especially being 17 and most likely having no qualifications.
I would never dream of charging any family that price, I'd be embarrassed telling them that price to be honest. I'd advise you to look elsewhere.

Ginger83

idnkph wrote: »

Completely astonished that you, or anybody else would leave your kids with a complete stranger for any amount of time.
What's wrong with people theses days? If I don't have someone I know and can trust to leave my kids with then I'm afraid my partner and I don't go out.
That's the joys of being a parent.
I think you're being very irresponsible.

Well not that i need to justify myself to you up there on that high horse this girl is advertising on a childminding services website with garda vetting and references.

TheQuietFella

Ginger83 wrote: »

Hi all, sorry if this is in the wrong place.

We are staying at a hotel in Waterford in a few weeks. We have 2 young girls but hope to get out to dinner and a few drinks.
I've contacted a babysitter who advertised online, she came back to us with a rate of €20/hr. Does anyone find anything wrong with this???
I nearly choked when i read it. We've booked babysitters in their 40s before with 25yrs experience and 3 or 4 kids of their own and didn't charge anywhere near that and a child/youth/teenager want an industrial trade rate.

I understand its a Saturday evening but it wont even be late, i've said 7.30-11.30, maybe even 11pm.

Am i being unreasonable? If thats the current rates i think i'll change profession. Our kids bedtime is 7pm so they'll most likely be asleep.

Just out of idle curiosity what were you hoping to pay for four hours?

Ginger83

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

If it was someone with 25 years experience and their own kids, would that ultimately change the value of the service to you?

Did you ever see a job advert that state "Pay DOE"!
I'm half sorry i asked at all now