How much does it cost to bring a babysitter/nanny for a HOLIDAY

Visas, Permits, Passports and Naturalization
21
500 CHF per day isn't unreasonable, in my opinion, especially given all the extra work they're asking for and the 15 hour days (and I have two children, ages 5 and 3). They've changed the job description, and it's a lot more involved than simply increasing the number of tables or students-it's cooking, laundry and five (potentially young) children. Certainly at my daughter's Kinderkrippe, they don't accept additional children for no extra charge!

Having said that, if some children are old enough to bathe, dress, and feed themselves (say, ages 6 or higher), then there could be an argument for a lower rate. This might also apply if they have ski school (full day ski school usually includes lunch, for instance). It also depends on whether you're actually cooking and cleaning for the adults as well (that wasn't clear to me based on your post).

I do agree with Susan57 that you should have a clear idea of your minimum fair payment and negotiate. Also, I agree that you shouldn't be confrontational. However, a good employer will understand that an unusual situation won't always work out for you and won't hold that against you. Good luck!

22
that would give you an annualized salary of 120k - based on 200 working days per year.

Not bad for a baby sit.

23
everybody on the EF earns 120K....... didn't you know?

24

And there we have it in a nutshell. A baby sitter. Easiest and least responsible job in the world eh!

25
This apparently young woman has asked our advice about her wages, for babysitting. Her usual rate is 25 per hour. We don't know her usual work day, but we can assume it is not over 8 hours. The location is irrelevant, unless she plans to go shopping, or provide her own food. Additionally, whether her employers can afford a holiday is also irrelevant.

Granted, she will have more responsibility, which should equate to more compensation.

However, Is it responsible of us to encourage her to be unreasonable? If she accepts a job for 25 Swiss Francs per hour, she may need to keep this job long term.

Even if the families can afford to go skiing, one shouldn't assume an extra 600 is acceptable. I simply think one should look at the situation, from both sides. The families may need to do their own laundry and cleaning, as it would be too much work, at any price!

Compromise?

26
This would be the sort of reasonable discussion such a proposal would lead to.

Yes, if the sitter puts her case forward and can justify the request, then the counter proposal would argue something like the benefits of a long term contract, or at least try to take some of the responsibility from her such as washing or cooking etc.

This would naturally bring the price back.

Conpromise / Negotiation ......... call it what you want.

"Fair" as you so rightly put it, should be the final result.

The family(s) will have to either share the increased workload, or the cost, or the 'time' she spends working (to balance with the "holiday" argument - i.e. throw in a ski pass or something).

I don't think we are being unreasonable by helping a fellow member with a request.

She provided her current rate and how many children she looks after, and explained the new conditions.

She should put her strongest 'reasonable' argument forward first, and then argue the result backwards to somewhere in the middle.

a flat 500chf a day split between two families doesn't sound unreasonable given the level of responsibility and time involved.

27
To be fair, we can't afford this price...so we don't hire a babysitter for 15 hour days and expect her to wake, feed, bathe, put to bed and entertain our kids for a week. We do that ourselves. Whether the parents can afford a service should dictate whether or not they use that service, not (outside of a reasonable and fair range) what that service costs.

28
chf 2500 is way too much if you ask me as the as the OP is already employed by the same people

29
Collectively it seems a lot.

What if it you think of it as a "split" on a per child basis between the two families:

Family 1: 1,000chf (or 200chf a day)

Family 2: 1,500chf (or 300chf a day)

From here you can capture:

- time (10 to 15hrs a day aparently)

- workload (wake, wash, feed, entertain, etc.)

If someone was to do all this work by themself, then yes, that's a lot to do. Although, as Swiss in training said, not everyone wants to pay for all of this.

The employer could then pull the "Holiday" card, provide a ski pass for one day, and a night off here and there and they hold the responsibility themselves pulling the hours back to "where they need them the most".

You could 'halve' the total amount of work....... and the price, and therefore it becomes reasonable in both price and workload.

Once all the kids are in bed, it could be a flat 'baby sitting' rate as she'd just be sitting at home watching TV while the parents are out on the lash somewhere.

There are lot of ways to skin the cat, but simply saying it's too expensive without providing any basis whatsoever shows a lack of imagination and credibility.

If the OP has a lot of competition from other baby sitters who would happily work 15hrs a day for 5 days as a 'holiday', then supply and demand would suggest this is a "Take it or leave it" situation, and she should simply deal with it as this is her long term available job.

I wouldn't want to pay 500chf a day, but I also wouldn't want to work my arse off for 15hrs cleaning up after screaming kids either.

I think this offers a pretty fair cost balance.

30
To me, it sounds like simply too much for one person, although that depends whether the kids will do ski-school, and whether you are really going to work your guts out for the whole time...

Are they also offering accommodation, food and transport costs? Just a hostel room and board would easily be 100ch per day in a ski area at this time of year.

Actually, unless the kids are completely self-reliant, and doing ski school every day, I would say that it is unreasonable for one person, regardless of how much you are going to be paid, and they should think about getting two helpers or lowering their expectations.

Babysitting normally does not include housework.

Childcare in Zurich area costs around 12-15 an hour, per child, and that is simply childcare, no cooking, no housework, no cleaning....and clear work hours...

31
Swiss laws are: maximum number of hours for a working day including your rest breaks ( lunch etc) must not extend more than 12 hours!So if you start at 06.30 for example then you must finish at 18.30.( this time includes your lunch break etc which should be around 3.5 hours or so if you have an 8 hour day. These are laws laid down by decree. Dont get exploited! 5 children-forget it. That makes me angry that some people simply pay others off to do the dirty work and take as little responsibility as possible and when something happens then they blame you.

32
You said you love your job, so I assume you must have a decent relationship with your employer. So you need to tread carefully here. I am not suggesting you should be taken advantage of either.

Some employers pay the same rate even if the venue changes. They have this absurd notion that their employer is getting a holiday. This is rarely the case. The work might be different (no kids at home all day as they are all skiing), but it is still work. So I am wondering why they asked how much they need to pay you unless your employer was really asking how much you wanted for looking after the additional children.

Suppose you had a friend (also a nanny/babysitter) who had the week off as their host employer was going on vacation and not taking their employee on vacation. If you said that person was available to the other family, then this other family would be responsible for paying for their own helper for the entire week. The work would be shared between the two of you.

There is no reason for you to do the work of two. Your employer asked. They cannot force you. Looking after 2 children is not the same as looking after 5. It is not only about money. Are you up for the challenge?

If you think you can do it, then go back to your employer and be honest. Ask for what you feel is fair.

Many ski resorts have lists of babysitters who are available for evenings. It is to your employer's advantage to have their own babysitter take care of their kids. But when will you have time for yourself?

If the accommodation is remote from the village centre, even time off may mean you are not going to be able to do much.

I also wonder if there are enough bedrooms or will you be sharing a room with kids.

You know your employer so I think it is best to have an open discussion. I know a nanny who told me that when her employer took her on vacation it made her feel like part of the family.

If you have never been to the mountains, be sure you have warm clothing and proper footwear.

I hope you can find a good solution. I was also wondering, do you happen to know the other family? Have their children even been to your employer's home?

33
I suspect the OP should ask for 30 CHF an hour, babysitting will be available in the resort for that price so it's just a matter of if she wants the work or not.

34
The Swiss have a word for this sort of service-its called " Gango "

http://www.pauker.at/pauker/DE_DE/SC/wb/?s=Gango

Basically translated as servant that is expected to do everything.

"Ich bin doch nicht dein Laufbursche! Hol dir doch deine Schuhe selbst!"

35
You call that fair! I call it exploitation! The OP is probably, as a Phillipino, in the situation where if she says no then she maybe risks losing her job.

36

from my boss one is 8 and the other is 6.... from the other family one is 13, second 6 and the third is 3 years old.

37

yes it is a 15 hours because they want me to cook for them so can kids eat by 7:00 in the morning because the kids are going to ski... then as what they said they will go back in the afternoon for lunch so it means i need to cook again for them... the other woman a friend of my boss said that i need to wash there clothes because they dont want to bring much more clothes in the mountain... then around 4 in the afternoon two kids will be home so i need to stay with them... then at night they will stay in the hostel to eat so i need to cook with them again then both mothers are going away so i stay with the kids until 9 in the evening.

38
yes, with my regular family i cleaned, washed, iron and stay with the kids

39

it sound true that i will stay whole day in the hostel doing nothing while the kids are in ski school... but in the morning i will be the one to prepare foods for 7 persons... (breakfast, lunch and dinner) plus they want me to washed there clothes while they are away... then by 4pm 2 kids will be home so i must look after them... at night both mothers will go out (night out) so i must stay with the kids until 9 in the evening.

40

a person should not be treated like a SERVANT... and even if you are a servant the employer MUST pay the RIGHT for what HE/SHE have done for them because without a servant there life wont be that easy...that is why i am here in this forum because my boss asked me if how much does they need to pay me but since i dont know the policy about babysitter traveling with the employer i'd rather asked your opinion because for me each opinion would be a great help.