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A babysitter is just one of many in-home child care options available to families — and job options available to caregivers looking for work in child care. So when you’re looking at all the options, including sitters, nannies, mother’s helpers and more, it’s important to understand a babysitter’s role. What is a babysitter exactly?
Here, we break down what babysitters do, the tasks and duties they handle and what families can expect to pay for a sitter.
What is a babysitter?
A babysitter provides temporary child care on behalf of the child’s parents or guardians, offering families flexibility and support when needed. A babysitter may also be referred to as a “sitter,” and they generally take care of children of all ages who are in need of supervision.
What do babysitters do?
Sitters are generally responsible for planning activities for your children (e.g., games, sports, arts and crafts, etc.) or supervising playdates. However, for extra money, some sitters may be willing to take on additional responsibilities (e.g., cooking, light housekeeping, driving children to and from scheduled activities and helping with homework).
Above all else, though, a babysitter is responsible for the safety and well-being of the children in their care.
Read more: What Is the difference between a babysitter and a nanny?
How long do babysitters work?
Most babysitting jobs are considered part-time jobs that are paid by the hour and are either scheduled regularly (e.g., every day after school from 3-6 p.m. or every Saturday night) or for special occasions (e.g., occasional date nights, New Year’s Eve).
How much do babysitters cost?
Since babysitters are paid by the hour, jobs are paid by the going hourly rate in the area where you live. According to Care.com’s 2025 Cost of Care Report, parents posted rates for babysitters at an average of $167 per week, or about $21 per hour.
The cost of a babysitter varies from city to city and depend on a number of different factors. To find out what the posted babysitter rate is in your area, try using our Cost of Care Calculator.
Do you have to pay taxes for babysitters?
If a babysitter has a significant amount of child care experience and/or has any skills or certifications that parents find particularly valuable (e.g., first aid/CPR, multilingual, special needs), you may want to consider paying them a little more than the going rate.
Another important cost consideration is what’s referred to as “nanny taxes.” (Yes, they still apply if you’re hiring a babysitter instead of a nanny.) If you end up paying a babysitter $2,800 or more during the year, you are expected to pay taxes on that money.
According to Tom Breedlove, Sr. Director of Care.com HomePay: “Not only is it illegal if you don’t, but it may also do your babysitter a huge disservice — setting them up for a future without retirement benefits and leaving them to apply for a mortgage or a car loan without proof of income.”
Make sure to visit your state’s website or IRS.gov to learn more about babysitting taxes.
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