[Penguin_ie]

Was going to post this in the parenting forum, but then I thought the answers would likely vary widely from state to state, especially in big cities....

I was wondering what the going rate is for babysitting in Arkansas? We'll be in Rogers, NW AR if it matters, and have boy/ girl twins aged 8 months. I am not talking about fulltime daycare here, as I am hoping to be a SAHM for at least a few years, but I will be doing some freelance work from home so may need the occasional half day babysitting while I attend meetings or do work to deadline, and would also like to be able to go out for dinner with just my husband every now and then! We haven't been out just the two of us since the twins were born...


For the evenings, my husband has two nieces, one in the second last year of highschool and one first year in college who would babysit, so what would the going rate be for 3-5 hours babysitting in our own home by such a (unqualified) person? They would probably drive from their home some 30 minutes away themselves, and could of course eat here and the twins would be in bed for most of the time. For daytime, I am not sure if this is even a possibility, I know here in Ireland a creche/ daycare only takes kids on a regular full/ half time basis, there wouldn't be a comercial daycare who'd take infants for approx two half days a month.