Parent Helpers

That young I'd say around $5dollars a hour or so... if your lucky in a year or two if she knows the family really really well you'll have a awesome babysitter.

I think that's too much money. I pay our babysitter $2.50 per hour per kid. And that's for our nights out. We have three kids so it is $7.50 an hour, but I think for a ten year old to play with your child for a while $2.50 per hour is plenty. That's the standard and what they tell girls who have gone through MOmmy and Me classes for babysitting to charge.

For sure you can pay her less ($3/hour) because you are around to help. I would wait on the guidelines until you see a problem... most 5th grade girls are watching parents at this age and mirroring their behavior. She'll probably not get into discipline, so you can just enjoy the fact that she'll play with your child - which is what you want and need.

Having been a parent helper MANY years ago, and recently having taught Red Cross courses, here are my suggestions;
it helps to have a written list of her responsibilites/ your expectations. I.E.: You might want to go over what to do in the event of an accident, trouble with the child, etc.
As for pay, ask her what she thinks would be reasonable - at 10, they have some idea of the value of money, and what it can buy; alternatively, you also could discuss it with her mother and her together. Best of luck and congratulations on a wise choice for both your children.

What a wonderful opportunity for you to have such a responsible young lady to help you out. I am in agreement with other posts that $3 - $5 per hour is plenty. I would also recommend that you talk to her mother about having her complete a babysitting course in the near future. My daughter took the course through our local hospital when she was just 10, and it opened up many doors for her to assist moms while they did other tasks. By 12 she was babysitting full time and was the neighborhood sitter all through her high school years. Use this opportunity to observe her interaction with your little one and offer her suggestions to develop into a top-rate sitter. I don't see a problem with what you have done with her so far. Good luck!

Let me first say I'm conservative when it comes to delegating responsibilities to kids, so with that said take my advice as you will.

I'd recommend that you only allow her watch your child inside your home. She's still really young herself, and I'd say probably too young to take your toddler anywhere away from your home...even around the block, without you being present.

If you're looking for a playmate to hang out around the house for a couple of hours here and there, while you're doing small household tasks or making phone calls, $8 to $10 an hour should be fine.

If you're looking for someone you can rely on to help with tasks such as cooking, feeding (knowing what's safe to eat etc), baths, taking your toddler to the park a few blocks away from home without your presence, I think you may be asking for trouble.

I personally would have a hard time trusting a child that young enough to let her out of my sight, let alone leave my property. Your son is entering the age where children like to pull away and dart off. Can she handle this? What if he goes out into the street? What if he gets hurt while riding his tricycle? Or they get approached by a stranger?

When you mentioned that you let her take your son around the block, I thought `wow, this must be a really responsible kid.' For me, if I'm leaving my child in the care of someone else, she's got to be old enough to drive, needs to know cpr or what to do in the case of a medical emergency such as choking, or an accident. Most important of all, she has to have the judgement skills to know who to call, where to go, and the wherewithall to put my toddler's safety first if something does happen and I'm not present.

I guess what I'm saying is, consider your expectations. If you're looking for a bonifide assistant, maybe you should look to hiring a high school or college student, and expect to pay the standard going rate for daycare today. If you're just looking for a playmate to keep your little guy company while you make a few phone calls and tidy the house, then she's your gal. Afterall, you want a little time to focus on the little one, not to have to babysit 3.

I would talk to the parent as well. $5 an hour for a 10 year old is max in my book. If you think about a minimum wage job, after taxes it is less than that. What do you pay a babysitter? What's the going rate for the neighborhood? All those things should be taken into account.

I think you have to look at the going rate for a babysitter in your area, then cut it down a bit. Why not pay her a flat fee for a set amount of time? Maybe $5 for 1 1/2 hours? Once she takes the babysitting class (in our community, you have to be 11), start having her stay for an hour or two on her own when you are nearby (if you are comfortable) and pay her the regular rate.

As far as boundaries, I would set them now so that if she does become your babysitter in a few years, she knows what to expect. I would have her stay where you can find her quickly (yard, somewhere in the house). Tell her specifically what you want her to do (play with him, bring him to you when he needs to be changed or go to the bathroom....whatever you want). Adjust the rules if she becomes a babysitter and make sure your expectations (rinse dirty dishes, only allow these snacks, etc.) are clear as her responsibilities increase.

Enjoy your down time!

I pay $5 per hour for that type of care and level of experience.