Re: Some advice please

Babysitting Rates

Some advice please

maplesstrip 09-29-2007, 9:34 PM
I've been babysitting for a family just about a year now. I'm 26 years old and in graduate school, CPR certified and have a few years of experience under my belt. Because we live in a fairly affluent urban area, I get paid $15 an hour to babysit two kids. To date this has been fair compensation and I haven't thought twice about it, but things are changing a bit. First of all, the parents have cancelled two weeks in a row (for Jewish holidays) the day before the holiday, and in one instance, the day OF the holiday. I feel that this is unfair and that I need to have some sort of conversation about being kept informed about these things or paid half the amount if the cancellation occured within 24 hours. (In the past they have paid me if they cancelled at the last minute) Any ideas on this?

Second of all, recently they have not been telling me that the girls will be having play dates when I am babysitting. Just yesterday I picked the girls up from school and offered to give their friend a ride home only to learn that the kid was coming home with us! I think this is irresponsible on the part of the parents to expect that the kids can keep track of where they are going after school and that it puts me in a position of responsibility for a kid of which I am not aware. They also have a regular playdate on Wednesdays that I didn't find out about until the kid came home with me. The mother is always apologetic and asks if it is OK when the kid is already home with us. My thought is that they should compensate me for the additional kid and at least tell me ahead of time so I can be prepared. Any advice on this sort of situation and how to broach the subject -- if at all -- would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

Re: Some advice please

Chosen7Stone 10-01-2007, 11:50 PM
"Hey Ms. Smith -- can I talk with you for a second? I noticed in the past few weeks that things have been kind of last minute, and it's been throwing me off my game a bit. In the future, can you give me some heads-up when you know you won't need me to take care of the kids? If you let me know as soon as you do, it gives me a chance to either book a babysitting job with someone else, or plan to run some errands or go to the beach on my day off. Also, I'd like to meet the parents of any children I'll be babysitting for outside of Jenny and Jack. I'm liable for the kids when I'm on-the-job, and I want to know the parents before I care for their children. Letting me know in advance of that helps me out, too, so I'm not confused. It would mean a lot to me."

Sounds to me like she's not thinking outside her own needs/perspective, and just may need a friendly reminder that you need to be considered in her decision-making involving you. She's not doing this on purpose, but just isn't planning ahead, or makes the plans and THEN realizes you might not like it but is afraid to speak up since the plans were already made. This polite, calm, smiling reminder will help her in the future.

Also, meeting the others kids' parents may not guarantee that you'll get a heads-up, but it will put in her mind that they're not just kids to be pawned off on you, but additional responsibility. You may want to throw in that you feel that their parents should pay for your time with those extra kids...and they should. It's not her responsibility to pay for them -- just her responsibility to notify you.

When you have this chat, do it away from the kids -- you can even schedule a sit-down if this has become something that's really grating on you.

One more tip: look up Jewish High Holy Days. Then, about two weeks ahead of time, you can ask, "Hey, I meant to ask you -- are you going to need me for Rosh Hashanah?"

*Love in Christ from Mary*
1 Peter 2:4-5

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