I am a 20 year old college student. I have been babysitting for 8 years and have lots of experience. The family I have been working for about 2 weeks pay much less than I am used to and I feel bad about bringing it up. We live in a suburb outside of new york city and the going rate is definitely a few dollars more an hour than they give me. i hate asking for more but i am not some young girl looking for pocket money- to me this is a real job helping me through college, etc.Do you think it's bad to tell the family you need to ask for more money or you can't work for them? Is it rude?

no its not rude but you should wait at least a lil bit. Show them that you have exprience. they should understand and if not then look elsewhere

It is rude if you suddenly change it for them after a long period of a set payment. I mean didn't you negotiate payments before hand? That makes it hard to change.

no, just tell them the truth. if they can't afford to pay you more then they need to find another sitter. i always try to establish an agreed upon rate before i have someone baby sit my children. as an adult what you doing is called being a nanny.

It isn't rude. It's business. And business relationships flourish on direct and honest communication. If you tell them up front that you have been getting a higher rate, and that your experience warrants that rate, plus the local going rate is more than they are paying, they can either up the ante or find another sitter. Sometimes the problem is just that they once baby sat too, but it was a few years ago, and they likely just never considered that the price of baby sitting, like the price of everything else, has gone up.

It is not rude. When they next call you to sit for them try explaining that you have researched and tell them what the normal going rate is in your area. Explain that while you enjoy sitting for them that you are trying to pay for school and that you need to negotiate a more reasonable rate or you will be unable to sit for them in the future. It isn't personal, it is business.