by Trenna Sue Hiler

Created on: January 28, 2009   Last Updated: February 17, 2009

Babysitting can be a fairly easy job. Some children are very happy to have a new face and love to play with the babysitter. Then again, some children hate the whole thing and can be very difficult. On the other hand, this is your child. As a parent you are entrusting the care of one of the most important persons or people in your life to someone else. How much is it worth to make sure your children are well taken care of and safe? That adds a little more thought to the situation.

The minimum wage for those over sixteen who work in United States is $6.55 an hour. These are the people who are preparing your meals at fast food restaurants and the like. Is it worth paying the person taking care of your child at least that much? Perhaps.

There are several things to consider when talking about the wages of a babysitter. Do they have extra duties? Are they expected to help clean, do laundry and make dinner with the children? How many children are they caring for? Do any of the children have special needs? How many years of experience does the sitter have? Are they actively involved with the children? Are they able to handle the children in a helpful and respectful way? Do they discipline the children in the manner requested? Does the age of the sitter make a difference?

This handy little rate finder will help to determine what others consider the going rate for babysitters in your area. This will give you options about expectations and duties as well. It is an eye opener for those of us who used to babysit for $1 an hour and do it all summer long.

The price of the babysitting should be set and discussed before the job, so all the expectations are clear. During that discussion you can see what ideas the babysitter may have to help pass the time and engage the child in activities. It is always impressive when they show up with a giant bag of "things" for the children to check out.

Tipping babysitters has become a fairly common practice. If you find that you are using a babysitter often and you are pleased with the job tipping can be important. Chances are that you are not the only offers they have. A baby sitter will likely be more available to someone who pays well, and tips than a family that does not.

There is some truth to the notion that you get what you pay for. If the kid next door is available for a couple hours for $6.55 an hour, great. If a 17 year old drives over and takes themselves home, can make dinner and you can have the whole evening out it's probably worth more than $6.55. Remember you are paying for the safety and care of your children. Save money in other areas.

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