Aug 22, 2007 12:45 am US/Pacific
Good Question: How Much Do You Pay A Babysitter?
by Pallas Hupé
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
At the Red Cross, babysitting experts teach a course in child safety, basic care and kid-friendly activities graduates get a handbook. There are some things the Red Cross says you should consider first.
"It could be in regards to how many children you're taking care of, the ages of the children, what time of day it is," says Robin Scheil.
If it's keeping kids entertained, well that's more work.
"Then yes, I would pay 'em a little bit more than when the child is just sleeping...and all you had to do was check on 'em," says Scheil.
Scheil says parents should agree to the fee when they interview a babysitter. She recommends you do that first.
"I'm seeing Good Questions that a parent could ask…the number of babysitting jobs they've had, and the number of kids they've taken care of at one time," says Scheil.
So maybe instead of worrying about how much you should pay your babysitter, you should worry about if they have the tools and training to be a safer sitter.
Babysitters training with the Red Cross say the going rate is six to seven dollars an hour.
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