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08-29-2007, 10:37 AM RetiredMom Joined on 08-27-2007 Kennesaw, GA Be nice - I'm new! Newborn Rates So I've tried posting this 4 times in the last week and I still don't see it showing up anywhere so here I go again. I'm a 61-year-old retired mother of 3 grown children. I've done childcare for a handful of families over the past 6 years and most recently was paid $12/hr plus $5/day for gas for watching an 8-year-old boy for whom I've been babysitting since he was 3. That setup, however, just ended as I have moved after selling the big, "family house." Just recently, a friend of mine offered me the opportunity to sit for her newborn little girl. It will be 3 days a week for 8.5 hours a day. She and her hudband will each actually work 4 days a week and each take 1 of the remaining days I'm not with the baby so it's a pretty good setup for all involved because the baby still spends good time with her parents and I've got 2 free weekdays. However, since my kids are decades from having been newborns (my oldest is 31 and the youngest is 26), I have no idea what is an appropriate rate to charge for babysitting a newborn. Does it matter that I'm an experienced mother of three well-adjusted, happy adults versus being a 17 year-old with a few years experience babysitting? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.    Report

08-29-2007, 2:17 PM RetiredMom Joined on 08-27-2007 Kennesaw, GA Be nice - I'm new! Re: Newborn Rates My daughter was thinking $10/hr, which would be a total of $255 for the 3 days. That seems like a lot, but then I think about how when I'll be there, it'll be all day and of course, newborns need a lot more time and direct attention than an 8 year old.    Report

08-29-2007, 5:45 PM ggfan Joined on 08-21-2007 Along for the Ride Re: Newborn Rates I would say $9/hr, which would be about $230 for the three days. You definitely would be paid more than a 17 year old because of your experience and newborns do need more attention; I'm 17, with 5 years experience babysitting and certifications and for this job I would charge $6/hr.    Report