My mom charges my brother for babysitting. It's her way of making sure she isnt' taken advantage of in this situation. She set that ground rule many, many years ago before any of us had kids.

This is a personal choice.

When I have people babysit I often leave "goodies" rather than give cash. Items like wine, cake, nibbles, a movie to watch, etc

If you treat people right they will want to babysit again for you in the future, this doesn't matter whether it's immediate family or friends.

Yes, you should. After all your time is worth something too, even if you're enjoying the time.

My mother charges me, my sister and my brother for daycare. Granted it's far less then a regular daycare and if we miss the payment she isn't going to kick out the kids. We understand it though, because it's my mom and dad's home, time and food. They've raised their kids and shouldn't have to raise ours too. This was before the kids were in school so it was full time. If we just dropped the kids to visit once or twice a month I don't think they'd charge us though. If it's regular daycare type babysitting, you should charge something, even if it's a small amount.

I don't think it would actually be a bad idea. It's often too easy for parents to take advantage of mom and dad (grandpa and grandpa) when the service is free. Besides, there will be actual costs like food. As mentioned above, the more time per week it is, the more it makes sense not to do it for free. Unfortunately, I can see at least some people being offended at this idea, but hopefully something can be done to win them over.

Yes, a little bit. She will appreciate and feel like she is not abusing your relationship and you have a little something for what you have done. Every once in a while you could refuse to take the money and it would be a nice surprise. Just an idea!

I don't think you should. My parents are happy to watch the kids when they're in town. Now, if it's something that they want on a regular basis and daily type of thing...maybe so. But, if it's on Sundays, or whatever then I don't think so. Being able to spend time with your family should be worth it and being able to help out. I know for myself, my family and I can barely afford to keep food in our mouths right now...there would be no way I could pay my own mother to watch her grandkids.

SHOULD I LET MY 22 YEAR OLD SON AND HIS GIRLFRIEND COME AND LIVE WITH ME UNTILL THEY GET THEIR OWN PLACE.

No my mom would be appuled and she has said such! She watches my children while I am at work, but I guess it is a family choice. My brother has to pay his mother-in-law or she will not watch them I just can't imagine taking money from my kids someday to get to be a grandparent!

I think that it is a blessing that you have a beautiful grandaughter and I personally don't think its appropriate for you to charge your daughter to babysit. I would probably even shy away from calling it babysitting. It should be more like - "I get to have my grandaughter come visit me". My mother constantly calls and asks to have my daughter overnight to help her do baking etc. since my daughter was one year old, she is seven now and it still never ceases. Sometimes I have plans and I am the initiator, but my mom sometimes accepts those invites to spend even more time with Sophia as well. It is these moments that will stand out when your grandaughter remembers back about growing up with Grandma and you are the only one who can give her precious memories like that. I know that I will do the same thing for my daughter when she has children. I hope this helps.

I am sorry no disrespect but if you are a well knit family that there is no reason for u to be asking this question, but by u asking this question u obviously have some sort of issue with ur daughter it does not have to be a major issue, it might just be that you guys arent close enough that is my opinion so dont take offense to it but when someone begins to question if they should charge a family member for something especially an immediate family member then this means that the family is not as close as it should be and there is some sort of imbalance in the family.

I frequently watch my grandchildren and I'd never, ever expect to be paid to be with them. Time spent with them is some of the happiest hours of my life, and not some sort of work chore that requires compensation. I watch the kids about once or twice a week on average, while their parents go out for an evening, or in the afternoon when they might have a doctor's appointment or occasional work conflict.

That said, my son and his wife are always kind to me, and never impose unfairly. They ask ahead of time, send along rented movies and snacks sometimes, call to check during the visit and don't stay out extremely late. They know that I'm struggling financially, so many times they'll provide a pizza or take-out food if the kids are coming over at dinnertime, as a kind, but unspoken way to save me the expense and labor of cooking. I appreciate their efforts to make sure the visit never becomes a burden, but I would be embarrassed and actually hurt by a cash payment.

If I babysat full time for the whole work week, I think they would offer to provide supplemental groceries or something of that nature, and I'd accept that kind of help. As it is, my son does a lot for me, little home repairs, takes me to doctor's visits, cuts my grass, shovels the snow and so on. He lives close by, and we all believe "family does for family" and try to be supportive and helpful.

Well now if my only daughter was never able to save a penny because I kept asking her for $150 per week for 12 years for babysitting, and I was well off and owned my own home, and really was not needing the money except to feed my sick sense of having never ending control over my daughter, I don’t think it is justifiable to charge my daughter for babysitting. I would rather help my children if I owned my own home, I would not charge them so that they can save their own money and be happy instead of constantly feeling financially inferior to me all the time because I have all the good stuff and they have all the stuff that is picked up off the street like furniture and stuff like that. I like to sit in my high throne and belittle my poor daughter every chance I can get.