Babysitting Rates in the NEK?
There was an interesting article from the Huffington Post yesterday which showed the average hourly rate paid to babysitters in various places across the country. They focused on large cities like Seattle ($11.75/hr.), Boston ($12.50/hr.) and New York City ($15.50/hr.) but it did make me wonder what the average sitter is getting paid in our area. (It also got me thinking about the differences in what we pay sitters per hour vs. what we pay cay care providers per day – what a difference!)
Sweet Pea is just over ten months old now and we’ve been home for seven of those months without a single date night; my husband and I are beyond ready to get out of the house! So, where are you finding your sitters (high school girls? care.com? relatives?) and how much (per child) are you paying them each hour?
Naptime means playtime for NEK mom Aimee Alexander, whose creative outlet is writing about all things mom-related over at Mama’s Recess including children’s health advocacy, education, raising kids in rural America, and the occasional project or recipe. You can also find her on Facebook and Pinterest!
2 Comments
Honi
Great question.
There are so many variables…. the age of your kids, the age of the sitter. The experience. What is included in the car (driving, housework, etc).
In the Montpelier area I think the “going rate” is $10-$15 per hour for 1-2 kids. That seems fair and appropriate.
One more note…. I am a child care provider and it makes me sad to see how much I make hourly (I have a flat charge per day). I provide excellent care, outings, and healthy meals. I make a lot less than a high school babysitter but am sure I provide better care!
julie
I recall paying $15-17/hr. for a college-age sitter in the DC area a couple of years ago and I was told by other moms that I was getting a bargain. Crazy! With that price tag, date nights didn’t happen much! In VT, I find pay rates & expectations are all over the map. I have paid $5-17/hr or a flat rate, depending on the sitter’s age/experience (middle school vs. high schooler vs. college/beyond) and the situation (e.g., mother’s helper, day or evening sitter, urgent/last minute). I usually just ask what the sitter usually gets and ask if “X amount” sounds reasonable. Might be worth contacting Lyndon State College – and seeing if any of their child/early education majors need work, swapping childcare with a friend (usually free, but requires that you take on an extra child or two later on) or “sharing” nannies with another family to reduce costs. Hope this helps and hope you get a date night soon.