What is a fair price???

[chicasmama]

Hi, I am looking at hiring a mother's helper. She is a 12 year old girl who will come over 1-2x a week for 2-3 hours and play with my daughter while I get some housework done. I figured that is a more *affordable* option than hiring a cleaning lady. My dilemma is I have no clue what is a fair price to pay her per hour? What do you suggest? I am in the Denver are (don't know if location makes a difference). TIA

[Ironica]

Personally, I feel like no one should be paid below minimum wage, even (especially?) if it's not legal for them to work. What's your local minimum wage?

[chicasmama]

well it looks like our minimum wage is $7.00/hr and I would totally expect to pay a babysitter that, but another kid who's playing with my kid while I'm there? That sounds expensive!When I just googled what others were paying (across the country) some were as low as $2/hr and some as high as $7/hr. The higher paid ones seemed to be highschool students w/ added responsibilities like making the child lunch, helping w/ homework, etc. I was thinking like $5/hr for playing w/ my kid-nothing else, kwim???

[allborntogrow]

Prices are going up! Thirteen years ago I got 5 dollars an hour to mother's help. I agree that minimum wage is fair, bearing in mind that (unless this becomes a very frequent event) the money will be tax free for her . . . so . . . probably 6.50 at minimum? If she's awesome and totally keeps the kids out of your hair, you can tip her big.

[Tilia]

I used to do $5 when my DD was 1 but I am in rural Iowa. Our minimum wage is $7.15. I was in the house and she didn't do anything but play with or give DD a snack.

[bobandjess99]

WOW. really! I remember babysitting for like...$2/hour, and that was real babysitting, the parents were GONE. and I am NOT that old. Seriously? $7/hr for a pre-teen to play with your kids? Here, ADULTS are barely making $7/hr working in factories, restaurants, cleaning, home health, etc. Just a couple years ago, I was making $8 an hour using my bachelor degree in a professional job ....!!!!

[Free Thinker]

I pay mine $5/hr and I don't mind that it's below min. wage. She's a kid! SHe's 12, and I am here the whole time. SHe doesn't have a lot of responsiblity if anything happened, and I am here to keep order and discipline, ect. All she does it help keep the kids under control while I do something, usually she takes them outside to play or brings something new (like an old cash register last week, DD loved it and played it all day). Sometimes I have her help w/ housework, say fold clothes or whatever, but she loves to come and play with the kids and there really is nothing else she would be able to do to make $5/hr. She does live local, so no real travel expense. WHen I was her age I loved being a mother's helper to my neighbor. I'd keep her son busy playing in her room while she re-organized something or deep-cleaned, ect. I would ususally just go over for a few hours, and she'd pay me every few weeks when it added up to about $20 or so. THat was about 15 years ago (jeeze, I feel old! That kid is out of highschool now!!!) and I got $2/hr.

[Vanessa]

$4-$5 would be the norm for that here.

I pay my teenage babysitter $5/hr to watch my two kids. He set the rate. I do round up, though.

[crunchy_mama]

I have a friend who is paying her's $4 an hour.

[dex_millie]

I pay 6.50per hour for the mommy helper I have now who is 14 years. I use to get that same pay an hour when I worked on a assembly line all day standing. At that age I would think $4-5 would be good.

[Jilian]

I think $5/hr is very fair. Especially since you will be there and the money is tax-free. So @ $5/hr she'll likely be making the same or more than someone who is working for minimum wage and being taxed.

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by bobandjess99

WOW. really! I remember babysitting for like...$2/hour, and that was real babysitting, the parents were GONE. and I am NOT that old. Seriously? $7/hr for a pre-teen to play with your kids? Here, ADULTS are barely making $7/hr working in factories, restaurants, cleaning, home health, etc. Just a couple years ago, I was making $8 an hour using my bachelor degree in a professional job ....!!!!

:

She's a child, playing with your daughter, I think $10/day is plenty.