Babysitter Pay: Does my number sound fair?

DiveFrog

My parents provide our normal full-time care. I let them know a month or so ago that I would be off on vacation the week of the 4th,so they planned a vacation for themselves. Totally deserved, and very happy they are taking some fun time for themselves. 

Then last week I was notified by our lawyer that he would like DH & I to be present in court July 1st for a hearing in a lawsuit we have filed . So, I have been working on finding some childcare for that day. My SIL has a summer nanny for her two children and offered to ask her whether she would be willing to watch DD for that day. She agreed. I have mixed feelings on this since I am not sure how the nanny could have refused when SIL asked, but DH says that if she said yes then we should take her up on it. 

SIL told me I didn't need to pay her anything, but I think I definitely need to pay her to watch an extra kid. For one my SIL's kids are both in elementary school, where DD is 2 and everything that goes along with being 2. We live in a MCOL area. She will be at SIL from about 8-3. I was thinking about giving her $40-50, does this sound fair? 

djm31012

i pay my babysitter $10 an hour when she babysits for date night and other things and i always round up. for example , we went to a wedding and my baby sitter was there for 8.5 hrs...we gave her $100.   As far as a nanny goes, that sounds low to me, but I am in a HCOL area so maybe thats why. I think at a minimum I would give $75 for that time frame.

*sparky*

If she is working that day anyway and will be watching your LO in addition to the others then I think that amount for adding your DD to the other kids she is watching is fine. I am assuming your SIL will still pay her normal rate for watching her kids that day. If she is watching just your LO that day and was otherwise going to have the day off then the rates the others quotes are fair.

DiveFrog

*sparky* said:

If she is working that day anyway and will be watching your LO in addition to the others then I think that amount for adding your DD to the other kids she is watching is fine. I am assuming your SIL will still pay her normal rate for watching her kids that day. If she is watching just your LO that day and was otherwise going to have the day off then the rates the others quotes are fair.

Sorry I wasn't clear. Yes she will be watching my SIL's kids that day as well, and she will get her normal rate from them. This would be in addition for adding DD that day. 

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like I should up it a bit to $60-75 maybe.

fitmom82

I think $50 is fine.   I live in a HCOL area right outside of NYC and most home daycares are $50 a day.  You're paying in addition to her regular salary so you shouldn't be expected to pay a full daily rate for a nanny

*sparky*

Since this is additional pay to take care of your DD I think $50 is fine. My nanny only gets an extra $1 per hour to have both of my kids vs. just the baby.

chloebeth930

I pay $10 an hour here for our sitter here, even though she only charges $8.  I would much rather overpay and stay in a sitter's good graces.  You can never have too many babysitters in your back pocket!

krose0713

I agree that since it's in addition to her typical salary, $50 is fair.