Minimum wage in Alberta is $9.40 an hour. We have a live-in nanny that makes $9.61, when we have a babysitter, she charges us $10 an hour.
Our nanny picks up our son from school, entertains both our boys all day and does some light housework. We also make deductions for room, board and taxes, so her actual take home money is closer to $7 or $8 an hour. We don't do any of that for our 16-year-old-soccer player from around the corner, it's all cash under the table for her.
I did a quick survey on Twitter and found most parents are paying $8-$10 an hour. One is paying $12 an hour, but she hires sitters in their 20s, as opposed to neighbourhood teens.
Still, that's a good deal, the people behind me at the hockey game last night were debating staying until the final horn because they pay their babysitter $13 an hour.
The dad in group had a good solution to babysitting rates. "Babysitters should get less money when the kids are asleep," he said.
Of course. After the kids are asleep the teen is just getting paid $13 an hour to tweet, text and watch MTV.
How much do you pay babysitters?
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