hey C.,
gosh, i understand your frustration. I am always racking my brain as to what to pay my sitter. We have a wonderful sitter who watches just my 1 child who is 3 all day on wednesdays and about 3 hrs on saturdays. We pay her $7 an hr. The way we figured it is that she is 20 and can go anywhere to get a job that pays at least min. wage. If we pay her cash thats more than what she would get at a regular job and so that way we can ensure ourselves that it's worth her time and she wont go anywere. Now my husband and I are planning for a second child. we'll probably up it to about $9 an hr. after that. Now if she was watching my 2 children every day for $9 an hr. Evan that much, if she were watching your 2 kids 8 hrs a day 5 days a week thats $360. That's good $$$ for being paid under the table. My neighbor had a nanny who watched their 1 daughter full time and they only paid her $250 a week.
I know it gets complicated, but i guess if you like her enough $380 isn't a whole lot of $$. It's saves you the trouble of having to find another nanny and have the kids get used to her and you get used to her and she get used to your family. Uggg what a headache!!!
I hope this helps
nancy