Need a babysitter? Get ready to pay — if you can find one

The cost of just about everything has gone up, and parents can expect to pay more for a babysitter too. 

National reports show the average rate for a babysitter is $20 an hour. 

According to The Wall Street Journal, the tight labor market and inflation have driven rates for teen babysitters upward of $35 an hour in some cities, and parents are paying it. 

Obviously, the amount fluctuates based on the city, the sitter’s experience and the number of children. 

Local mom Renee Zajicek said her daughter Breanna babysits on the side as a 20-year-old college student. 

“She gets between $15 to $25 an hour, and she does not set a price,” Zajicek said. 

“I am always shocked at how much she makes,” she added. “I would not be able to afford babysitting if my kids were younger. Thirty-three years ago, when I used to babysit, I made $3 an hour.”

If you need help determining rates for your caregiver or next babysitting job, check out this calculator.

These days, technology is helping connect families to babysitters in their area.

Many local parents turn to technology like apps or online marketplaces in search of sitters or where sitters can find jobs.

Bambino connects families and sitters through their own Facebook networks, so whoever you hire, someone you know knows them. UrbanSitter allows you to interview, book and pay for a sitter all in one place. All sitters get a background check and are reviewed by the UrbanSitter team.

Care.com, an online marketplace for finding care, reports that the fall season is the busiest time to find a sitter. 

Additionally, reports show that some of the biggest mistakes parents make is ignoring references, not doing their own background check and offering too low of wages. 

Some local parents have mixed feelings about using technology to search for sitters. 

“I would never trust someone I didn’t personally know with my kid outside of a day care center,” Ashley Lawrence said. “I’ve had a teacher from my daughter’s school come once and paid her $15 an hour.”

Lawrence said she also does “babysitting swaps” with her friends where one parent watches a friend’s kids and the favor is returned another time with no money exchanged. 

“We’re lucky we have friends with older kiddos, a great relationship with caregivers at day care who love to babysit and kiddos that I used to babysit that are returning the favor,” Emily Pogue said. 

Others don’t have that choice, especially if they’re new to the area. 

“Finding a sitter is always difficult,” Lucinda Noronha said. “I used a local Facebook page to begin with, chatted with a few online and interviewed a couple in person.”

“It’s a struggle because you have no village, so you have to build your own.”

A babysitting camp at EmBe is helping alleviate the demand and make more qualified babysitters available in the community by offering training for pre-teens and young adults.

“We want them to know how to engage with kids of all ages, not just the young ones,” camp organizer Jasmina Nelson said. “We like to inform them of the basic safety skills, teach them the Heimlich maneuver and CPR because as a parent, you’re entrusting these sitters with your kids, and we want them to be prepared.”

Nowadays, believe it or not, some of those basic safety skills they learn in camp include sitters’ use of their cellphone. 

“One big way to prevent serious injury or accident is you as the babysitter staying off your phone,” Nelson added. 

The camp is offered primarily in the summer months, with additional sessions in the fall and spring. 

“I love kids and feel like I’d be a really good babysitter,” camper Sarah Barr said. “I learned it’s important that you never leave the kid unattended, make sure they’re happy, be kind to them and pay attention at all times.”

“I want to be a pediatrician when I’m older, so I want to learn how to take care of kids and help in case of emergency,” camper Elyce Rothrock said. 

Camper mom Jessie Brower said the camp provided a strong foundation for her pre-teen to start her job as a responsible caregiver. 

“I appreciated the emphasis on marketing the babysitter’s skills to others,” Brower said. “Our daughter had three babysitting opportunities soon after she attended the camp, and she was well prepared for each opportunity.”

“The class … and hearing about safety from an instructor … increased her confidence and reinforced what she knew about food and toy safety.”

Nelson is happy to contribute to the local supply. 

“Helping them learn how to be safe with those kids is a big responsibility but also reminding them that their time is valuable,” Nelson said. 

“I want them to be confident in what they want to charge, how to negotiate and make sure they are comfortable with every job and family but also make sure the families are comfortable with their sitters because it’s a two-way street.”