Our first babysitter questions...

[Liziz]

Well, we have a babysitter coming this weekend -- our first time leaving DD. I'm excited -- I found out one of DD's regular daycare teachers was interested in some occasionally babysitting. DD loves her and I trust her, so it's a win win! But I have a couple silly questions since I've never done this before....

1. She's coming on Saturday from 10-2, so I definitely need to have something available for lunch....what type of food do you usually have available for sitters? Do you have snacks and such around as well? We typically don't really have any junk food in our house (can't handle the temptation!) or snack-type food...

2. Can you give me a ballpark of what you'd expect to pay per hour for one kiddo? We live in Texas. I plan to just ask her, but want to have an idea in advance in case I get the "well, what were you thinking?"

3. Obviously, we'll leave cell phone numbers for both DH and I, and go over where everything is in our house before we leave. Anything else I should do/plan/prepare?

TIA!

[123LuckyMom]

Honestly, I don't usually have food for sitters. My sitters always have brought their own food and snacks, though I always tell them to help themselves to anything they'd like in the fridge and cupboards. Maybe they don't because we rarely have junk in the house! I don't know. Maybe I'm committing a terrible snafu, but I don't think my friends provide food for their sitters, either.

[123LuckyMom]

Oh, and the going rate around here (which is far, far away from Texas), is $10-$12/hr. depending on the age/experience of the sitter.

[SnuggleBuggles]

When I used to babysit, they'd have frozen meals or sandwich stuff for me. We use family for babysitting so no help otherwise.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

i'm in TX and we paid our sitter $12/hr. SHe was college-aged, very experienced (worked as a nanny for almost a decade) so i think that's on the high end. I know people who use highschoolers/first year college students and the rate is lower, maybe $10/hr.

As for food, i think a frozen meal is probably good, or you can just say "help yourself to a sandwich) or something. I told the sitter she was welcome to whatever was in our fridge/pantry.

[belovedgandp]

Over a meal time like that I'd just point out some options that we would have for lunch - any left overs or sandwich makings and if there was anything that you were saving for something specific and didn't want to be eaten mention it.

Give her a run down of the house where things are - diapers, toys - and basic routine ideas. In the middle of the day like that, don't forget anything you have that is outside. Stroller if comfortable with them going for a walk.

I have a printed up page with our full names, address, all phone numbers, kids names and birthdates. Just because when flustered or in an emergency those things are not going to be at the front of their minds. I stick it on the side of the fridge for all sitters.

[vonfirmath]

I'm in Austin and we paid drop-in childcare $7.50/hr. For under 18 months it is $9/hr

For someone coming to my house I'd do $8/hr, min $30 and round up. (1 kid)

My sister lives in rural outside Bryan/College Station and paid $5/hr with one kid. Maybe up to $10/hr for 3 kids? She mostly traded babysitting by that time.

[Jen841]

I make sure I have a snack and something they could like in the frig to drink.

We have our WiFi password on the frig and our address and child name/DOB. I had an ENT for a sitter once and she told me that was so important just in case there would be an emergency.

[nfowife]

I have a word document with basic info- our cell #'s, where we'll be and that place's phone number, a neighbor's number, our address in case 911 is called and they need to know it, drs. names and insurance info.

Then I have a schedule for the sitter to follow- not super specific but it does have meal and nap times and routines that would be helpful for the sitter.

I don't leave meals for my sitters ever, but I always tell them to help themselves to anything in the house. For a kid meal I have as much as possible prepared/out/ready, and whatever needs to be heated up ready in the fridge in the proper container, etc.

I'm sure it will be fine! She already knows your DD and has childcare experience. Try to relax!

I live in OKC and I pay $10 for one kid, and I think that's generous around here.