if one/two kids $6 an hour
If more $2 per kid per hour.
If dipers are involved $1 more per hour.

It is cash and baby sitting is easy, sit on someones couch and eat their food.

I pay mine $10 an hour for 6 kids, ages 13 to almost 2. He doesn't have to change diapers, my DS12 does that. He's an industrious little dude, and always cleans the kitchen up, tidies the house, etc, and he interacts with the kids alot...board games, etc, so I always leave him a good tip at the end of the night too. Not easy to get a good sitter for a big family. My parents won't even babysit for me. lol

Depends on the children, the "client's" income, how much effort the sitter puts in, and how much fun the kids have. Also how old the sitter is. As an adult (19-early 20's) I had a parent pay about $10-15/hr for her 2 kids. I took the kids to the library, rec center, and a paint-your-own ceramics place. We also baked cookies and watched a movie. A different parent payed a $150/day fee. Both doctors, had the 2 10yr olds for a few days. Got them from school, fed breakfast and dinner, packed lunches, did homework, drove to gymnastics, put to bed at night, up in the morning... basically a substitute parent for a few days. In my case I let the parents decide what to pay, and I gladly accepted whatever it was. I believe Ommy's rate breakdown is pretty average. However, if the kids being watched are anything like some skids I've read about, or mine on a bad day, I'd definitely ask for more

Um I've never even thought of this, because I just pay a flat rate. If it's for all 4 of my kids my one babysitter told me 20-30 dollars was good enough for a few hours but that's because the only ones that really need the attention and care are my two youngest, my older two are often off at friends houses hanging out and such, plus when I do go out it's usually at night time after the kids go to bed so basically she's paid to just sit there and be the adult in the house. If I need a babysitter for a full 24 hours it's a flat rate of 100.00 a day, if it's 12 hours it's 50.00 and if it's in between 12 and 24 like say 18 hours it's 75.00. I never really have an idea of what to pay so I always ask the sitter (I have 3 main sitters) what is fair and go from there. However my one sitter has a requirement of an additional 20 dollars if skids are involved because they are out of control basically all the time and she has a hard time handling them, which is fine by me and I make SO pay that out of his pocket. She's only had to do that once or twice though.

With teenage babysitters who aren't that experienced, I usually go with minimum wage in my state (as silly as that is) and it depends on the ages of the kids and how much work is involved. If the babysitter just watches them for a couple hours, puts them to bed and just hangs out while they sleep, they would obviously get less than a babysitter who is watching an infant or a toddler, because babies and toddlers are so much more work...If it's longer than three hours or so and your babysitter has to do a lot with and/or for your kids, I would recommend $10.00 per hr. and as a courtesy I always have food for the sitter in the house and try to leave the place clean and in good shape and never expect them to clean up messes that were there when they arrived. I have worked with kids extensively, babysat from age 13 up and actually still watch my friends kids when they need a break or a date night. Some of my friends pay me (usually 15-20 bucks per hr-but I play with the kids, take them places, make dinner, clean up, get them ready and in bed, etc..and it's pretty work intensive) and with other friends I come over after they've put their kids to bed and I just chill on the couch and watch movies just so there's an adult there to keep them safe and keep an eye on them. For the low-key babysitting, I never charge anything and just have reciprocal deals with friends (for example, I have a hair stylist friend who gives me mani-pedi's and hair cuts in exchange for staying with her kids on her weekly date night with her hubby).

It just really depends on how old the kids are, how much work is involved and how mature and experienced the babysitter is...10 bucks is a good wage and when it comes to making sure your kids are safe and well taken care of, it's not the place to scrimp and pinch!

My dd is 14. Her "clients" usually pay her per evening or afternoon-she's made anywhere from 15-30. She has one family of 4 that she watches for usually a 3 or 4 hours at a time and she usually gets about 25.00. She's watched kids for a couple of hours and gotten 15.00.