She Charges $35 an Hour To Babysit Her Cousin’s Kids, Is She Right?
This Reddit user does freelance software development and typically charges a premium per hour. And, while on a family vacation, her cousin asked if she could watch her kids and would be willing to pay her freelance rates. Her cousin went “crazy” when she heard $35 an hour.
Time Is Money
The original poster (OP) is a software engineer who does freelance software development on the side. OP says her hourly rate at her full-time job is $40 an hour, while her freelance hourly rate is $60.
She’s never been the type to sit idly in her free time, or else she’d get bored. So, her freelance hourly rate reflects how much she values her time.
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Her Cousin Hired A Software Engineer To Babysit Her Kids
While visiting her parents for the new year, her cousin and family stayed over. On days when her parents didn’t have any plans, OP was planning on working on her freelance projects in her free time.
Later, OP’s cousin and her husband wanted to visit some friends and asked OP if she could babysit her three kids for three days. OP told her that she had plans to work. So, OP’s cousin offered to pay her to babysit and asked her babysitting rate.
OP told her cousin that if she could afford to get close to her hourly rate, then she would be willing to do it. However, OP said babysitting three kids would be much more challenging than her regular freelance software projects.
In addition, OP admits not knowing much about kids and feels it would be stressful. So, she thought $35 an hour was a fair price for her time.
They Called Her Childish
OP’s cousin and her husband were furious. They said OP was only 24 years old, and her time wasn’t worth that much.
They called her childish for making such an offer and stupid for not knowing babysitting typically costs $15 an hour.
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The Community Weighs In
Many Reddit users say OP’s rate was fair because they wanted her to watch three kids for three days. According to the users, typically, babysitters charge per child. The cousin and her husband were expecting a favor but were upset when OP treated it like a real job.
Another Reddit user says OP’s cousin should have made babysitting plans before staying at OP’s parent’s house. Plus, OP was upfront with them that she would only do it if they could match her rate.
Is OP wrong for charging her cousin $35 an hour to watch her three kids for three days? Is OP’s cousin taking advantage of her? Should have OP’s cousin made plans ahead of time versus assuming OP can do it for her?
