How Much Do You Pay Your Babysitter?

[yeti]

Hi,

The daughter of a neighbor has agreed to take care of our baby when we want to go out in the evening. I'm wondering how much we should pay her for one evening?

Yeti

[torrenova]

Only ever used one, in the Marriott Spa in Bangkok. Price was Bt200 per hour with a little extra if after 10pm for a taxi home. One of their staff did it. She refused an offer of room service. Watched TV all night and fed baby once. Wife tipped her something.

I'd be interested in more traditional babysitting charges. Off the top of my head I'd suspect some food, pop etc. and maybe Bt100-200 ????? More for a professional for sure.

[yeti]

This would be the daughter of a neighbor, so we'd bring the baby to her with her milk and whatever is needed, no need to provide food or anything to the babysitter, nor taxi supplement.

[torrenova]

I never did any babysitting but my sister did and apart from the cash it seemed to be usual for the family to lay on a video, some food, pop etc. I know you say you are going to take the baby and pick the baby up but just how far do you want to trim the fat off the bone ?

As it will be a first occurance, which you may want to repeat, I'd not worry about the cost of a red one here or there.

[Eastcoast]

We pay our baby sitter 2-300 Baht every time we go out. Generally 2-4 hours at most. She seems very happy with that, maybe we pay too much!!

[yeti]

We pay our baby sitter 2-300 Baht every time we go out. Generally 2-4 hours at most. She seems very happy with that, maybe we pay too much!!

Ok, sounds reasonable.

[Boo]

I asked my husband (thai & Issan) & he said for a thai teenage girl between 50-100baht an hour would be ok, if an older women then around 150 but for a teen 100 baht would be sufficient, if the kid got a job in a noodle shop they would be earning that a day (maybe less) but of course looking after a kid is a lot more difficult than serving up noodles so you pay for that level of responsibility too. Also when you consider the going rate for a babysitter (late teen) in UK is around 5 pounds an hour then 100baht an hour is about right.

[sylvafern]

Lots of the TAs and maids/nannies at my school babysit for those of us with children and the rate is 100 baht an hour plus taxi money both ways (which I pay whether or not they choose to taxi or take a songthaew and save the money) plus food if at a meal time. I usually leave enough money to order food for the sitter and my son from the local shop and then she can choose what she wants. As I'm a single mum and lead a busy life, my regular babysitter usually earns between 5 and 7,000 baht a month extra from me as I go to the gym and go out with friends in the evenings quite a bit ... I also tend to round up to 1000 baht (incl taxi money) if I've been out on a big night and get home late. Paying well and providing regular hours means the babysitter is keen and I know my son is in safe and capable hands. I personally chose to go down the route of having an English speaking babysitter with childcare qualifications rather than having my maid do it as many others do and it works best for me.

Edited September 24, 2008 by sylvafern

[Milo]

Sweet FA, nada, nothing. Similar situation, 15y/o neighbour's kid, wife gives her some old clothes now and then (maybe cheaper to pay her than buying wifey new clothes constantly?!), let her borrow the scooter on occasion, give her & our daughter 100b once a week to go out and play computer games/few sweets on a Saturday morning. Ring her any time for an evening's sitting. Job done.

[torrenova]

Lots of the TAs and maids/nannies at my school babysit for those of us with children and the rate is 100 baht an hour plus taxi money both ways (which I pay whether or not they choose to taxi or take a songthaew and save the money) plus food if at a meal time. I usually leave enough money to order food for the sitter and my son from the local shop and then she can choose what she wants. As I'm a single mum and lead a busy life, my regular babysitter usually earns between 5 and 7,000 baht a month extra from me as I go to the gym and go out with friends in the evenings quite a bit ... I also tend to round up to 1000 baht (incl taxi money) if I've been out on a big night and get home late. Paying well and providing regular hours means the babysitter is keen and I know my son is in safe and capable hands. I personally chose to go down the route of having an English speaking babysitter with childcare qualifications rather than having my maid do it as many others do and it works best for me.

Hi, can I just run through and try to understand what you are saying please ?

What is a TA ?

So you have a maid - is she live in ?

You use a seperate nanny (from your kid's school ?) to babysit in the evening ?

How old is your child ?

I understand a few hundred here and would not worry about it too much as long as the babysitter did not mind me coming home late but if you get to Bt1000, just how long would you have to be out ? and would the babysitter, qualified or not, merit that money, irrespective of it guaranteeing their availability ?

It's a topic close to my heart for various reasons, not least my daughter and babysitting.