New Year's Eve is always a difficult time to find a babysitter -- but with the end of the Millennium looming, this year's closeout party scene is making sitters even more scarce than usual.

And many rumours are flying about sky-high babysitting fees for the big night -- including one suggestion that some services were charging $1,000 per child.

However, The Royal Gazette found at least two sitters who weren't charging an arm and a leg for service on New Year's -- simply because they like children.

Gina Payne-Scott is the mother of a 17-month-old and a nine-year-old. Mrs.

Payne-Scott considered going to the New Year's celebration in Dockyard, but was worried about having her own children in such a large crowd.

So she decided instead to give other parents a break, and stay home to babysit in a "Kids Millennium Bash''.

"I normally don't go out anyway on New Year's unless it's a friend's house, and I wanted other parents to have peace of mind knowing their kids would be safe,'' Mrs. Payne-Scott said.

She is charging $10 per hour per child from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Y2K babysitting big business And after 1 a.m. she charges $13 per hour. For parents with more than two children, the charge for third and fourth siblings is half-price.

Mrs. Payne-Scott, who is located in Warwick, said she is planning an evening of movies and arts and crafts for the children.

So far, response has been "good but tentative'' -- Mrs. Payne-Scott said many people haven't yet made up their minds.

"Many middle-aged couples who usually rely on older relatives to watch their children are waiting to see if their parents or grandparents are going out themselves, so I expect a last-minute rush,'' she said.

Mrs. Payne-Scott is limiting the service to a maximum of 20 children. If there are less than 20, there will be two supervising adults and if there are 20 children there will be three supervising adults.

Children from infant age to 13 or 14 will be accepted, although Mrs.

Payne-Scott is only accepting one baby "because they require a lot of attention''.

And parents must collect their children by 11 a.m. the next morning, and are asked to leave a deposit for the estimated number of hours they expect to be out.

Mother Rochee Douglas is teaming up with nursery teacher Rosha Gibbons to babysit so other parents can celebrate the new Millennium `children-free'.

They are accepting children ages three and up from 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve until noon the following day.

Ms Douglas and Ms Gibbons are charging $100 per child, or $150 for two, and the price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ms Douglas, who is located on Abbots Cliff Drive across from Francis Patton, said she decided to offer the service as a reasonable alternative for parents wanting to party into the new Millennium.

"I'm the mother of a five-month-old child, and I wasn't comfortable with anyone else watching her because she's so young,'' said Ms Douglas.

"I figured I wasn't going to be able to go out anyway, so I'm trying to make some extra money on the side,'' she added.

Ms Douglas said she decided to charge reasonable rates because she realised that many people in Bermuda can't afford to pay exorbitant fees.

"It's gone crazy -- people are charging these outrageous prices, but I'm a mother myself, and I know how expensive Bermuda can be,'' she said.

She said she would serve the children spaghetti for dinner, pancakes for breakfast, and assorted sandwiches for lunch.

For more information, contact Ms Douglas on 234-3473 or Mrs. Payne-Scott on 799-8515.