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Having a friend babysit: pay or gift?

LALAFitz04LALAFitz04
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months

I'm having one of my girlfriends babysit my 2 month old for a few hours.  She is my age and I'm not sure what the etiquette is on "paying" her to babysit.  We have another couple and will watch their child, but wouldn't expect anything because they would return the favor of watching or baby too.  

I was thinking of getting her a gift card to a restaurant....is that okay or should I give her money?  I am not sure what to do without asking her directly cause I think that might be tacky.  I was also going to leave her money to order a pizza if she wanted dinner.

Thoughts?

LA 

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Re: Having a friend babysit: pay or gift?

  • Watergirl21Watergirl21 member
    I would leave food (and maybe wine) in the house and give her a gift card for Dinner or a movie or something... that would be really nice.  If you try to give her cash she might refuse...
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  • Mrs.MLTMrs.MLT
    I honestly think it depends on the situation. Is she one of those friends who has been asking from day one when they will be able to babysit LO? IMO, if she asked to babysit I probably wouldn't feel inclined to pay her. If, on the other hand, you specifically asked her to watch LO and she had never really expressed interest in wanting to watch your baby before... I'd probably offer to take her out to lunch or something as a thank you.
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  • mysticportermysticporter
    I would ask...offering to pay for her time is polite, IMO.  If she refuses, I would get her the gift card and pay for her dinner while you are out, anyway.

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  • jennygirlmtjennygirlmt member

    imageMrs.MLT:
    I honestly think it depends on the situation. Is she one of those friends who has been asking from day one when they will be able to babysit LO? IMO, if she asked to babysit I probably wouldn't feel inclined to pay her. If, on the other hand, you specifically asked her to watch LO and she had never really expressed interest in wanting to watch your baby before... I'd probably offer to take her out to lunch or something as a thank you.

     

    This exactly. I have friends and family who BEG to watch DD. I don't feel inclined to pay them since really all they want is special time with her. But if you asked her then I would say taking her to lunch would be a nice gesture...then again getting away with/without the baby is hard, so maybe a gc but I would do a coffee type gc,not a full one for dinner. 

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  • angiek941angiek941
    If it's a friend who I babysit for, then nothing because we pay each other back with sitting. Otherwise, I think a bottle of wine or dinner is good. My friends are happy to sit (or so they say), but I still feel like I should do something.
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  • Dreamsicle23Dreamsicle23 member
    If it was one of my super close friends I probably wouldn't pay/compensate.  They don't have kids yet, but if they did I would not expect to be paid if I watched their kids so they probably feel the same way...especially if they offered.
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  • kemeshiwarkemeshiwar member
    I offered to babysit my friend's baby before I was pregnant with my son and never expected any kind of compensation. I offered to do it as a friend...so I would say if she's offered to do it or has in the past, she's probably not expecting to be compensated.
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