Am I Paying My Sitter Too Little?
Dear Mouthy Housewives,
When I pay my babysitter, I always give her the exact amount. If I owe her $36, then I pay her $36. But my friend says I’m cheap and I should just round up. What do you ladies think?
Signed,
My Babysitter Makes More Than I Do
______________________________________
Dear My Babysitter Makes More Than I Do,
Don’t you wish you could just forget the cash and pay your babysitter in Pirate’s Booty? It would be so much simpler and economical. Sometimes it can hurt to shell out all that dinero when all your sitter does is watch “Dance Your Ass Off” while the kids are asleep.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with paying the exact amount. I mean, when I receive a paycheck, no one is rounding up for me. In fact, a lot of taxes are taken out. So there is no reason to feel cheap if you pay your sitter exactly what you owe her.
There can be times to give a little extra. If your sitter goes the extra mile by washing the dishes, cleaning up the playroom, folding laundry or building you a new deck, then go ahead and throw a few additional dollars her way. If however, she cleans out your food cabinet, does her own laundry at your house or shamelessly flirts with your husband, then a tip is unnecessary.
If you don’t want to tip your sitter each time she comes but want to show your appreciation, then buy her something nice (a bottle of wine or a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 if that’s more her style) for her birthday and the holidays. And don’t forget to tell her what a great job she does. Sometimes a compliment means more than money. And by sometimes, I mean, never.
Signed,
Kelcey, TMH
9 Responses to “Am I Paying My Sitter Too Little?”
Comment by Karin.
I assumed that the poster was talking about a teen sitter. I know I never got a tip from a job when I was babysitting – well, occasionally when they owed me $39, they’d give me $40. Now it’s pretty well expected or the sitter won’t come back. There are so few teen babysitters in my area that I don’t question the practice – they can be really picky since they are in such demand.
[Reply]
Comment by Wendi.
How come I’ve never found a sitter I can pay in Booty & Mad Dog 20/20? I mean, I live in TEXAS.
[Reply]
Comment by dusty earth mother.
I like to pay my babysitters in love and affection. But then I only go out once or twice a decade.
[Reply]
Comment by marathonmom.
Yeah, I have a hard time keeping a solid babysitter that wants to sit for a regular gig. It’s like they’d rather work at the mall for minimum wage and be with their friends than sit in the palace that is my home with all the diet coke, cheetos and Little Debbies they can handle while my kids do their own thing. They’re really just here to call 911 and get the address right if needed. Sheesh.
[Reply]
Comment by writingmama04.
I pay a king’s ransom because that’s the only way I can get someone to come watch my children. Especially once they have already been here. It’s like hazard pay. Great advice, nonethless, since I am bidding up all the sitters in the hood and my neighbors already have enough reasons to hate me.
[Reply]
Comment by Heather, TMH.
I have the best babysitter ever. I ran over my time one time and didn’t have enough cash to cover it. She told me NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. And she sincerely meant it.
Then again, she knows I’ll make it up to her next time.
[Reply]
RSS Feed
Plano Mom Reply:
July 14th, 2010 at 8:43 am
That’s because in Texas those babysitters have a strange resemblance to Leatherface.
[Reply]