Why are Babysitters often paid less than min. wage? Is this acceptable?

It depends on your age and relation to the person you are babysitting for. The younger you are or the better you know the person, the less you get paid.

And yes, this can and often does mean below minimum wage.

To be honest, I’m surprised she asked for such a low price. In my experiences in childcare, both at daycares and in babysitting jobs, 10$ an hour has become the go-to minimum (then again it entirely depends on where you live, how old the sitter is, how many children she’s watching, how much experience s/he has, etc.). Is s/he providing food, diapers, mattress for your child? These are all factors you have to consider.

Here are some helpful answers from people about the same issue.

@omfgTALIjustIMDu She isn’t providing anything except supervision- I am providing the playard, food, diapers, etc. She is in her early 40’s and a stay at home mom who will be watching my child only.

@BBSDTfamily, I’d say 8$/hour is pretty fair for an experienced, 40-year old woman whom you trust for basic childcare. I can’t imagine she would settle for less (I wouldn’t), and I think any more would be a little excessive, considering you’re providing everything.

Just a side note, when you say she “isn’t providing anything except supervision”...I have to disagree. Aside from supervision, she is providing extremely necessary love and attention for your child while you cannot. That’s worth a lot.

I would say even up to 10 dollars/hr would be fair… I’d say you’re not over paying. After all, she is 40 years old and has a lot of experience. Even if it is just supervision she’s giving, and not all those things like food, diapers, etc. I mean, if she had to supply those things, she’d probably come close to breaking even at that point.

I think $8 is more than fair, and to agree with @omfgTALIjustIMDu , I’m also surprised she asked for so little. I receive $10/hr when I babysit for my cousins, and I’m told that’s actually on the low side of what babysitters in their area usually charge.

I think babysitters are sometimes paid less than minimum wage for several reasons:
1. They are often teenagers who are excited to have a job at all and will settle for that rate
2. Babysitters are usually paid in cash
3. Sometimes the sitter is provided with meals, entertainment, etc. while at the house of the client (I know I was often provided with dinner when I babysat as a teenager, or the family would let us rent a movie or whatever).

My 15 year old makes $10/hour watching two elementary school age children, even if it’s all day long. I’d say $8/hour for an infant (who will require far more hands-on care) is a steal. Have you checked the price against day-care moms and centers? That should give you a comparison for your area.

@augustlan Yes, compared to the top daycares here I would be paying my friend far more. Daycare is for 11 hours a day, 5 days a week and costs $135/wk for an infant. If I actually put my child in daycare the entire time it would be roughly $2.45/hr. and includes meals. I think I will feel a lot better having my child stay with this friend though, so it’s definitely worth the extra money. She’ll keep him three days a week, and he’ll go to our church’s daycare for a few hours twice a week (an extra $100/mth)

My daughters pay $10.00 per hour. I can’t believe all the years I babysat for 50 cents per hour!!

@BBSDTfamily ; WOW! $135 a week is what I paid for my kids 20 years ago. Are you sure its not $135 a day?

To me, you can’t pay someone enough to watch your children. They’re priceless! So, if she wants $8 and you feel comfortable, then you can’t really put a price on that.

And you said it yourself – it will be for your own peace of mind.

A friend of mine was getting paid $15/hour to babysit at the family’s house while the mother was working, napping, or running errands. $8 sounds like you’re getting a deal.

to the people who compared the price of the babysitter to a daycare, that is like comparing apples to oranges. there are several disadvantages to each type. the daycare center is a tax deduction, the off the books babysitter is not. therefore, a center might charge more, but it will come off somewhat on your taxes. a day care center, however, might charge the same if your child goes or not, like if the child is out sick a day or two, the center might charge the same rate, because they have to keep the staff available. the babysitter probably won’t charge if the child is out sick. a day care center will have song time, whatever, for toddlers. a babysitter probably won’t. a babysitter will give one on one attention, a center won’t.

i have a babysitter, also in her early forties, and i pay her $60 a day. she babysits for my toddler from about 8 or 8:30 to about 6 pm. i live in the NY metro area, and if you break it down, she is getting less than minimum wage. she is off the books, so i can’t take it off on my taxes. she is very good and she loves my daughter. if my daughter messes up her clothes, sometimes the babysitter washes them. she watches other kids, about three others. it’s a good deal for her, a good deal for me. i looked into a center when i was ready to return to work when my daughter was 7 months old – the center was $650 every two weeks, which is more than the babysitter. it would be a tax deduction, but also if i were off on a holiday or baby was out sick, i’d still be paying the $650. so there are clear disadvantages and advantages to each type.

i think if someone watches your baby every day they might charge a little less than they would if it were a one time deal, because they’re kind of guaranteed the regular income as opposed to just a saturday night or something. advantages and disadvantages to each.

$8 an hour sounds reasonable to me, especially since you say you trust this person. My daughter gets between $5 and $10 an hour to babysit, but she is a teenager with little experience and only sits for a few hours at a time.

$8.00 an hour is too cheap—she’s under charging ;) So if she’s trustworthy, take her up on it and tip her well so you can keep her!

I started at the age of 10 @$1.00 an hour and made $10–15 an hour when I did it as a side job…or made $80—$100 per day for a few hours with 2–4 kids to lunch, dinner or put to bed (depending on what hours the families needed me).

Woah… you’re asking if $8 an hour is excessive?
If she does a good job, this person will be keeping your child safe, comforting him (her?) when he cries, feeding him, getting spit up on, changing countless diapers, exposing him to all sorts of good stuff, playing with and engaging him… and what about when the baby is a little older? She’ll hopefully be reading to him, taking him child-oriented places, being exposed to every cold and bug… Having a child of any age in your care puts a serious crimp in your normal life. This woman will not be able to run errands and stuff as she usually does.

I can’t put an exact dollar amount on how much good child care of any variety is worth. There are so many factors involved including your location and own income.
Pay your child care provider as much as you can, and thank her every single day.

Everybody has great answers! I don’t mind paying $8/hr. but I just wanted to make sure that was fair for both of us. I haven’t been in the babysitting ring in a few years and wasn’t sure. Thank you everybody!!!!

Yes, it’s what the market will bear, besides how many babysitters are paying tax on that money?

It is minimum wage laws that are unacceptable.

because paying someone qualified enough for 10 dollars to watch your children really just isn’t worth it ;)