Pay babysitter when you don’t send?

amother

Firebrick

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:01 am

Do people pay their child’s babysitter for days that they don’t send? For example baby had an appointment so you kept her home or you take her with you on vacation for a week. Do you still pay her babysitter?

Chayalle

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:04 am

It depends on your arrangement with the babysitter. When I sent my daughter (she's 10 now, so it's been awhile) to the babysitter, she had a weekly minimum. Let's say that was $100 - If I didn't send, I paid at least the minimum. If I did send, sometimes I paid more than that, depending on the number of hours I sent.

I considered that a fair arrangement. The babysitter needs to make a Parnassa even when I go on vacation....

IIRC she did not charge the minimum if my child was ill or if she took off for some reason. The minimum applied if I was voluntarily not bringing my child.

amother

Firebrick

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:06 am

She never said anything about missing days. I feel we should pay for the week we take off but my dh doesn’t think it’s necessary so I’m trying to get a feel for what’s right.

chatz

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:07 am

I've used various babysitters and they've each had their own policy. Sometimes I paid a flat weekly fee. Sometimes I paid only the hours my child was there.

amother

Coffee

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:09 am

amother wrote:

She never said anything about missing days. I feel we should pay for the week we take off but my dh doesn’t think it’s necessary so I’m trying to get a feel for what’s right.

I do.
I feel the same way as you and my dh feels the same way as your dh but I pay her.

amother

Sapphire

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:09 am

Most babysitters have a policy. My babysitter did not promise to keep the slot open if you did not send for a week, unless you pay for said week.

precious

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:10 am

Generally playgroups that charge by the month, you pay the monthly charge regardless of how many days you miss. Babysitters that you pay by the hour, you pay for the hours that you send.

If you usually send 9-3 but one day you drop off at 10, how do you calculate? In all of my experiences we would calculate based on actual hours.

amother

Firebrick

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:11 am

precious wrote:

An hour later is one thing. I’m talking about missing a day or week.

married2020

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:12 am

amother wrote:

Most babysitters have a policy. My babysitter did not promise to keep the slot open if you did not send for a week, unless you pay for said week.

I would never send to such a sitter she sounds cold. My daughters babysitter loved her she would never tell me she can’t come anymore just bec she didn’t come for a week. It’s a relationship, your child is there daily.

precious

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:14 am

amother wrote:

An hour later is one thing. I’m talking about missing a day or week.

Same thing. Babysitters that charge by the hour are paid by the hour.

amother

Oak

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:15 am

I'm a babysitter.
My policy is if you let me know 96 hours in advance (4 days) then you don't pay. My reasoning is it gives me the time to find a drop-in if I choose.
So all planned vacations you don't pay for, but kid wakes up sick, you pay.

I rely on this parnassa. I dragged myself out of bed, etc. You would not appreciate getting up, dressed, out of the house to be told by your boss- the copy machine is not working so for today's work, you'll make 25% less because 25% of your job is making copies. (I babysit a group of 4 kids, hence the 25% of my counted on salary.)

And if you choose to keep out during the year (non yom tov) for more than 3 weeks (vacations, mother on maternity) I cannot promise the slot for when you return. Let's just say I've been burned. Mom pulls 17 month old for 6 weeks when she's on maternity for newborn and not drawing g a salary. Maternity stretches on and by 4 months, Mom is still saying "next week I'll start".

amother

Sapphire

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:15 am

Momsrus, this is not the same as not getting paid when you take off from work. The babysitter is not taking off, she is choosing not to send those days.

Chayalle

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:15 am

married2020 wrote:

I totally disagree with this. I've had warm, wonderful caregivers for my children, but you know what, they also have to make a living. They have rent or mortgage, tuitions, and families to feed. Often babysitters are people on the lower end of the pay scale. It's not cold if they wouldn't keep a slot for someone who doesn't show and doesn't pay.

I consider my child's babysitter to be in a relationship with me, too, and that means I care about her and her family. I've always tried to be generous with my babysitters, as they are caring for that which is most precious to me - my kids. It has always paid off.

amother

Sapphire

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:18 am

Married2020, shes a wonderful babysitter and this is her parnassa. I really understand and support this policy. Babysitters cant just be played around with. If I want her to keep my slot I pay for that week.

married2020

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:25 am

Chayalle wrote:

If I’m sending for extra hours she would charge me. It’s a pay by hour kind of job. I treated my sitter very well! Always gave nice gifts Chanukah Purim etc. I just don’t think they should charge when the child doesn’t come. A week isn’t that long, it’s a normal amount of time to go away for. Longer then that I can understand.

amother

Sapphire

Tue, Jan 22 2019, 10:26 am

So if your kids miss school or playgroup for a week you also deduct that week from tuition???? Its the same thing. You can't take advantage of babysitters.