This made me smile because my husband’s cousins refer to our children as “the spawn.”
It all depends on where you are. The going rate for child care varies widely from location to location. When I was a kid, I got $2 an hour to watch two kids in rural Indiana. Ten years later, as a daycare teacher, I’d sometimes babysit on weekends here in Connecticut and make $50 watching one kid for an afternoon.
Does your friend have other friends with kids who use sitters and could tell her what they typically pay? I’d think $8 an hour would be reasonable for a student, but maybe more if she hires someone with more experience. If the sitter will be expected to do light chores, like dishes or cooking, and take the kids to lessons, playgrounds, or playdates, the price should go up a bit. Your friend’s best bet is to start looking for someone, ask each applicant what she charges, and try to get an idea from other parents about what is considered fair in her area.