Hiring a babysitter.

[qbm]

What do I need to know?

OH and I are going for a proper night out with friends in a few weeks (what are we thinking?!) and one of the lovely nursery nurses will be babysitting. I said I'd speak to her this week to confirm times etc.

I'm sure she'll tell me how much she charges but, in case she asks me, what would the going rate be?

Any etiquette I should know about? I plan to get her some chocolate and crisps as well as telling her she can have whatever she wants from the cupboards.

I am so nervous. Almost wish I'd said no to the night out except that it sounds amazing.

[mamapup]

We pay a company a monthly fee and then seven or eight quid an hour, can't remember, we go out so bloody infrequently. We leave coffee, tea and biscuits on the side. I usually also say they can help selves to fruit. I don't expect them to go through cupboards.

I show them how to use our TV/computer set up as it's complicated and make them take their shoes off!

Ask her to call if any problems and then have a fab time.

Oh, if we are later than midnight we are expected to pay for a cab or offer to walk home.
Our private non company babysitter costs a tenner an hour for day or night, good for day, expensive for night, I think.

[qbm]

This will be an expensive night out I think... 6pm - 12am, train to Edinburgh, gig tickets, food and drink.

Probably good that we also go out very infrequently!!

[mamapup]

Yup. What's the gig?

[qbm]

Museum Lates at the National Museum of Scotland - Idlewild playing at Edinburgh Chambers Street museum.



If we could engineer it so M went to bed early we could get OH's dad to babysit. She's too wild for him to cope with on his own!

[ches]

Oh for goodness sake, he managed with his own kids. She will whip him into shape!

[qbm]

Oh for goodness sake, he managed with his own kids. She will whip him into shape!

Bet she would.

He's elderly and she's exhausting and, well, two!

[ches]

Slip her some piriton before you leave?