The first time I babysat by myself, I was in sixth grade and
I cared for two preschoolers. At the end of three hours in which I’d run
circles around the house (literally) to keep the children happy, their father
handed me $1.50. I still remember staring dejectedly at the quarters in my palm
and vowing never to babysit for that family again. That was more than a decade
ago and I’ve never been so underpaid since then, but negotiating babysitting
costs continues to be a sticky situation.
I’m sure the parents I’ve worked over the years dread the
awkward money conversation as much as I do. I meet the kids and connect well
with them, I provide good references, I get along with the parents. Then
comes the unpleasant, “So, how much do you charge?" As someone who’s had this conversation more times than I
count, here are some guidelines, from a caretaker perspective, for developing a
comfortable relationship with your babysitter or nanny.
Read More...
