Babysitters are often looking for creative ways to make extra money, and it’s rare that busy parents would turn down extra help around the house. So, what if there was a smart way to combine these two needs? Some babysitters already take on house cleaning or organizing roles as a way to bring in additional income and expand their businesses. But, for babysitters and parents who haven’t tried this yet — or who aren’t sure how to bring it up — one mom’s innovative babysitter chore list might be a brilliant solution.
Katrina Ivan, a busy teacher and mom from Kansas City, is going viral on TikTok after sharing the optional chore list she offers her babysitter as a way to make extra money. The innovative idea has inspired parents and babysitters alike to look for new and creative ways to increase babysitter pay and get the most out of their working relationship.
What chores can a babysitter do?
“You are totally free to hang out and watch TV all night, but if you want to make some extra money, these jobs are up for grabs,” Ivan’s note to the babysitter says. Included is a list of quick, easy household tasks with dollar amounts clearly assigned to each one. The list includes chores like sweeping and mopping the kitchen floor, organizing toys and cleaning the silverware drawer — small, necessary tasks that are often hard for busy families to fit into their schedules.
“I’m a working mom, and some things have been let go too long in the past few weeks,” Ivan explains in her post. “The clutter is making all of us feel stressed. I was going to stay home to clean, but I could use a date night. [This] seems like a good compromise.”
Parents and experienced babysitters alike are impressed by the mom’s ingenuity. “This is a great idea! Sometimes it’s boring to just sit and watch TV,” one person writes. “This makes the time go by quicker and sometimes it’s things I would definitely do to help.”
“I think this is a great opportunity for your babysitter,” another person adds. “You’re giving her a choice and I love that!” Ivan’s babysitter was just as excited as her followers on TikTok. In a follow-up video, the babysitter is shown reading a similar list and gives the camera a big smile.
How much should a babysitter get paid for extra chores?
While plenty of people were enthusiastic about the idea of an optional babysitter chore list, some mentioned that they think Ivan’s pay rates should be higher. For example, the mom is offering $15 to clean out the refrigerator, but based on the photos included in her post, some think she should offer more like $25-30 for the job.
“Personally, I think a little bit more pay would be nice,” one person says. “The work that needs to be done doesn’t match the pay. But, it’s a nice option to give a sitter.”
It’s essential to pay babysitters a fair rate for their child care work and to compensate them fully for any additional housework or other tasks they take on. One easy way to do that is to add up the time spent on chores, and then use a Cost of Care Calculator to determine a fair hourly house cleaning rate that is separate from the babysitter’s usual pay rate.
If families have a lot of extra housework or sitters don’t want to add housekeeping to their already busy roles, it may also be beneficial to hire a house cleaner separately or book time with a professional home organizer.
Ivan was grateful for the feedback about her sitter’s pay and agreed to up the rates for chores next time the babysitter comes over. A few questioned why she’s paying her sitter extra money at all, since they think light housecleaning should be standard. But Ivan rightly pointed out that babysitter job duties don’t necessarily include tasks beyond child care, unless the sitter has agreed to more and is being paid for it. “If I expect more, then I should pay more,” she writes.
How to discuss additional work for babysitters
For parents and babysitters who want to add light housework into their existing work arrangement, it’s a good idea to discuss the additional tasks beforehand. This way, you can clearly outline:
- What household tasks the sitter is responsible for.
- When tasks should be completed (such as while kids are napping).
- How much the sitter will be paid per task or per hour.
Some TikTok commenters also caution that Ivan’s note, while friendly, may not be the best approach for a brand new babysitter. “I would feel obligated,” one person explains. Instead, they recommend talking with the babysitter prior to the day they’re scheduled to work and stressing that the request is optional.
If you find an agreement that works for you both, then the babysitter gets extra cash and busy parents get a helping hand. It’s a win-win all around!
The bottom line
Babysitting jobs come with flexibility, and that creates room for some sitters to take on additional work if it’s a good fit for them and the families they work for. By offering her babysitter an optional chore list, Ivan provided an innovative way for her sitter to make extra money and created a helpful opportunity for her family to catch up on some essential housework.
Adding optional, paid chores to a standard babysitting job is one of many creative ways that parents and sitters can work together to craft a working relationship that has great benefits for everyone involved.
