Babysitting – Hiring A Professional or An Amateur?

Last updated: June 21, 2012 by Susan

Did you know that the average hourly rate to babysit one child is $10 in Denver? If you think that’s expensive, then you definitely don’t live in New York City. The average hourly pay for a baby sitter hovers around $15! So you could just imagine having to shell out about $60 to a professional nanny just to have four measly hours to yourself or your date.

This is why it is not surprising to go browsing for babysitters among the ranks of college students and unemployed graduates.

These folks have no formal education when it comes to babysitting, but babysitting doesn’t really require a bachelor’s degree. If you know someone who you know you can trust as a babysitter, then they can do a decent job of watching over the children while you attend to business of your own.

The real clincher, however, is the difference in the hourly rates of an amateur and a professional babysitter.

Park Slope Parents founder Susan Fox conducted a survey to find out more about babysitting statistics.

Out of 4,600 families living in Brooklyn, New York, 53% of parents refuse to go out more simply because they can’t afford a sitter. The survey pegged the average pay for a date and a sitter hitting the $158 mark. That’s for a modest night out, never mind the frills that really make mommy and daddy time more romantic and passionate.

Some parents, however, are more than willing to pay for quality upfront.

Take for example the case of Nina Balan. She lives in Massachusetts, California and is willing to pay a premium for skilled sitters because she demands more from them. She is even willing to pay sitters to undergo first aid training complete with CPR.

“I know it’s a bit nuts but that’s what I do,” she says.

And what mother would not do the same for her child if they had the resources? But the problem here is that some moms just don’t have that cash to spare, so they either look for friends and family to watch over their kids or grab the nearest college student they can get to watch over their kids.