If you’re an aunt or uncle, you might love spending time with your niblings. You can spend the entire day building spectacular Lego creations, eating ice cream and running around the playground pretending to be a monkey. But it’s no secret that hanging out with kids is exhausting. And unless you've volunteered to babysit free of charge, it’s certainly a job that deserves compensation.
One sitter reached out to Reddit for advice after being asked to work an overnight shift while only getting paid for the hours when the child was awake. Below, you’ll find all of the details, as well as some of the replies invested readers shared.
Babysitting may be fun, but it's still a job that deserves proper compensation
Image credits: EyeEm / freepik (not the actual photo)
So when a mother offered to pay this sitter for less than half of the hours that they would be working, they immediately wondered if that was normal
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: olganosova / freepik (not the actual photo
Later, the babysitter shared additional details about their situation
Image credits: hexia777
Childcare workers should be fairly compensated for their labor
Working in childcare is often taken less seriously than it should be. Because parents are obligated to take care of their children for free, they often assume that others should be willing to do the same without proper compensation. But considering that a parent’s life revolves around their little ones, one would think that they would be willing to do everything in their power to ensure that they’re in capable, qualified hands for every moment of every day.
According to Parents.com, the average hourly rate for a babysitter in the United States in 2024 was $23.61 for one kid and $26.57 for two children. However, there are various factors that determine exactly how much a sitter will cost, including where the family lives, the babysitter’s level of experience and what exactly they’ll be responsible for while babysitting.
For example, if the child has special needs or the babysitter will need to take them out on excursions, the hourly rate may be higher than usual. And, of course, if the parents want their sitter to stay overnight, that might rack up the price as well.
Before hiring an overnight sitter, Smart Sitting recommends considering several factors. First, parents should look for an experienced babysitter who is qualified to administer CPR in an emergency and who has first aid training. It’s a good idea to make sure the children are comfortable with the sitter before committing to an overnight shift as well.
Parents must also be clear about precisely what will be expected of the sitter while they’re watching the kiddos. Will they have to make dinner? Will they need to help with homework? Do they have to give the kids baths? Let them know exactly what their duties will be, as well as when you’ll be home.
Image credits: senivpetro / freepik (not the actual photo)
Parents and sitters can work together to find an appropriate rate that satisfies everyone
Now, when it comes to the rate for an overnight sitter, it’s really up to the parents and babysitter to agree on an appropriate price. Smart Sitting notes that some families may agree to pay the hourly rate for some hours and a lower rate while the sitter and children are asleep. Meanwhile, others may agree on a blanket overnight rate that will compensate for any time the children or sitter may be awake during the night.
However, rates can vary widely depending on the age of the children, exactly how many hours the sitter will be with them and more. SideHustles.com notes that hourly rates for overnight babysitting may range from $5-$45, with an additional $1-$5 being tacked on per each additional child. And an overnight flat fee may range from $80-$300.
It’s also important for parents to consider additional fees that the babysitter may incur during the night. These might include transportation costs, the cost of dinner and/or breakfast and any entertainment that they’ll be expected to provide for the children.
At the end of the day, everyone deserves to be paid fairly for their labor, including those working in childcare. Kids are precious and deserve the absolute best care in the world, so parents should be willing to pay for qualified, reliable sitters.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Do you think this babysitter made the right choice by declining to take this job? Feel free to weigh in, and then, you can find another Bored Panda article discussing similar themes right here.
Readers were appalled by the mother's suggestion, and many encouraged the sitter to only accept jobs where they're paid well
