Hiring a Babysitter

[Jackfrost]

We hired a babysitter (daughter of mum's friend) for the first time last week at $20/h so I could treat the olds to a night out.
Just before everyone was due to arrive at 5pm mum rings and asks what I have left out for the babysitter's dinner. I said I'd bought choccies, chips, biscuits, juice and soft drink but questioned why I would be expected to make dinner for her when the whole point of going out is to avoid making dinner.
Am I missing something here? Is there some kind of etiquette whereby you are to provide meals for the babysitter?

 

[Smoooothy]

this sounds like a problem that is solved by a cheap and nasty $3 pizza

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Babysitter can make her own. In my experience they usually bring it with them, and are also free to help themselves to whatever is here.

 

[Commissioner Gordon]

We hired a babysitter (daughter of mum's friend) for the first time last week at $20/h so I could treat the olds to a night out.
Just before everyone was due to arrive at 5pm mum rings and asks what I have left out for the babysitter's dinner. I said I'd bought choccies, chips, biscuits, juice and soft drink but questioned why I would be expected to make dinner for her when the whole point of going out is to avoid making dinner.
Am I missing something here? Is there some kind of etiquette whereby you are to provide meals for the babysitter?

Surely you have already exceeded your requirements by supplying the bolded? I'd be stoked with 20 bucks an hour to eat all the crap i want and watch a couple kids for a few hours

 

[Quivorir]

Youre already paying for her to look after the kids. How many workplaces pay for lunch/dinner as well?

 

[Poseidon]

$20 an hour and free snacks just to make sure some kids survive a few hours is more than reasonable. No wonder we outsource work to foreign companies when babysitters demand so much.

 

[pantskyle]

No need to feed them. However do not hire Lucille Botzcowski. Worse babysitter I ever got.

 

[Catfish Alley]

You going to a wedding?

 

[Jackfrost]

You going to a wedding?

2 in Nov and Dec… no kids haha.

I have covered all of the above points and can't see why providing a meal is even a subject. Add to that we have the kids fed, bathed, in their PJs and ready for bed at 6 and 7 o'clock.

 

[Catfish Alley]

I'm not sure to be honest. If she was starting at 5pm I guess she would have been there right through dinner time. Should she have to pack a meal? I'd probably leave something simple.

 

[Jackfrost]

I'm not sure to be honest. If she was starting at 5pm I guess she would have been there right through dinner time. Should she have to pack a meal? I'd probably leave something simple.

That was Mum's rationale but I work from 7-4 and I don't ever recall my employer providing me with lunch which is why I am questioning whether there is some unwritten babysitter conditions I don't know about

 

[Run n Spread]

$20 an hour and free snacks just to make sure some kids survive a few hours is more than reasonable. No wonder we outsource work to foreign companies when babysitters demand so much.

If it is a wedding $20 for say 6 hours is less then $3.50 an hour. I'd say that's a pretty bargain basement rate. Especially considering they are looking after your children.

 

[Commissioner Gordon]

If it is a wedding $20 for say 6 hours is less then $3.50 an hour. I'd say that's a pretty bargain basement rate. Especially considering they are looking after your children.

$20 an hour, so $120 for a 6 hour night.

 

[Caesar]

My parents used to leave money for pizza or something, and the babysitter would eat with us.

No idea what happened when we were young enough to be fed before the babysitter arrived.

 

[Run n Spread]

$20 an hour, so $120 for a 6 hour night.

Sh$## cost of living really has gone through the roof in recent years. Thought he meant $20 for the night. At least that was the going rate when I was a kid. For that feed yourself. Surely they can figure out how to use a phone and dial a pizza joint.

 

[Jackfrost]

Yeah we'd only use her for short stints like going out for a meal. Save the oldies for weddings and such

 

[Papa Juggs]

$20 per hour cash in hand is like $35-40 before tax. That's a very generous wage considering you could be serving people flat chat at a fast food joint earning less than 20 per hour and paying tax.

I wouldn't be expecting complaints.

 

[checkraiseulite]

Yeah we'd only use her for short stints like going out for a meal. Save the oldies for weddings and such

you've been more than generous. is she hot?

 

[Dont be a lemon]

How old's your mum's youngest kid?

She may be out of the loop on the contemporary babysitter hiring routine.

I have no idea, I have no kids.

 

[Cruyff14]

Why didn't you just look after whoever needed babysitting if your parents were having a night out?

 

[checkraiseulite]

Why didn't you just look after whoever needed babysitting if your parents were having a night out?

without speaking for OP i believe he was taking his parents out with him and his partner.

 

[Caesar]

$20 per hour cash in hand is like $35-40 before tax.

I don't know where you're finding babysitters who are in the top income tax bracket.

 

[Papa Juggs]

I don't know where you're finding babysitters who are in the top income tax bracket.

If they already worked full time?

I guess that's not really the type though eh.

 

[Catsmaninamerica]

a) make sure babysitter is hot
b) tell her youre cooking her dinner
c) Organise pasta from an expensive italian place
d) take all credit
e) actually have no kids - tell babysitter she is really there to baby sit you
f) have sechs for $20.00 an hour having won her over with your fine cooking skills.
g) profit

 

[Poseidon]

I don't know where you're finding babysitters who are in the top income tax bracket.