How to Find a Great Babysitter (and What to Pay Them)

Finding a great babysitter can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. With all of the options out there—online and in person—it can be difficult to know where to even start. “Finding a babysitter these days is a serious time commitment and struggle for parents,” says Maressa Brown, senior editor at Care. “Parents will want to make a game plan before entering the current babysitting landscape—one that’s ripe with stiff competition and even sitter stealing.” Luckily, there are a few resources you can turn to for help with finding a good babysitter—whether you’re looking for a sitter to pick up your kiddos after school, offer help with your infant or watch your children during date night. Here, check out top tips from experts, from where to look and what to prep before the first session to how much babysitters cost.

Key Takeaways

• Most parents find their babysitters through recommendations from close friends and family, organizations they trust, babysitting apps and websites.
• Once you’ve found a few candidates, interview them and ask lots of questions about their experience and comfort levels taking care of babies, toddlers and older kids. You might also conduct a “test run,” in which the sitter comes over to watch your child while you’re also at home.
• How much a babysitter charges will depend on location, number of kids, experience level and more. The national average for an hourly babysitting rate is $25, while the average for a weekly rate is $167.
• Once you’ve hired a babysitter do some prep work to ensure their transition is seamless, including setting ground rules, giving a house tour, clearly communicating pay and role expectations and listing out emergency information.

How to Find a Babysitter

It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed at the prospect of finding a babysitter for your family. But don’t worry, there are several places to start—most commonly with your village. “Ask friends, your mom group or that neighbor who always seems to know someone,” advises Lynn Perkins, CEO and co-founder of UrbanSitter. “If your circle doesn’t turn up any leads, babysitter-finding apps can help.” Below, check out expert tips to bring you one step closer to finding the best caregiver for your little one.

Personal recommendations

While parents can begin their babysitter search in a variety of ways, it’s most common for them to turn to their inner circle (think: family, friends and neighbors) for referrals, says Brown. Ask loved ones and pals which sitters they’ve used and liked to narrow down who would (and wouldn’t) work. Brown also mentions that social media networks and online groups—like Facebook—could also offer great local sitter recommendations.

Of course, just because a sitter was recommended to you doesn’t mean they’ll be the right one for your family. For example, you might feel nervous about a 14-year-old caring for your preemie, even if you know their family well. With that in mind, ask lots of questions about the potential babysitter before you call to scope them out. Plus, don’t feel pressured to hire a sitter just because they were recommended by someone you know.

Organizations you trust

Moms on The Bump message boards say they often hire their babies’ daycare teachers or the people who care for the kids during services at their places of worship or other community centers. “One of our babysitters was one of my son’s daycare teachers, and the other was a Sunday school teacher from our synagogue,” says MrsAJL, a community member on The Bump.

Brown says these organizations are a great place to start because oftentimes they do background checks and require specific training, such as infant CPR. (Of course, you’ll still want to double-check to be sure and ask for references, Perkins adds.) Another bonus: Your child already knows those people, so they’ll probably feel more comfortable with them from the get-go.

Babysitting apps and websites

Parents may turn to apps or websites to find a standout sitter. These online platforms have come a long way over the years—there are a number of services that not only connect parents to sitters, but also provide background checks and testimonials from other families, Perkins says.

How Much Do Babysitters Charge?

So how much does a babysitter cost? Unfortunately, there’s no clear answer here, as rates will vary based on a number of factors, Perkins notes. These include:

• Where you live
• How many kids you need care for
• The sitter’s experience level
• The time of day and duration for the care required
• Specific duties needed (like transportation and meal prep)

Depending on the above factors, most parents living in major cities pay between $16 and $28 an hour, “with $25 per hour being the average nationwide,” Perkins says. Usually, sitters are paid at an hourly rate for occasional and part-time help. “If you have a recurring schedule—like every Monday and Wednesday—you might agree on a weekly rate, but it’s still usually based on hours worked,” she adds. According to Care’s 12th Annual Cost of Care Report the national average cost of a weekly babysitter is currently $167 (which is down 13 percent from $192 in 2023). Brown advises parents to “be conscious of their budget and the going rates for sitters before starting their search.”

The key here is to make sure rate expectations are clear for all involved parties, as well as method of payment. To get a better idea of what parents nationwide are paying for their caregivers, we asked real moms and dads to share their experiences:

Interview Tips for Parents

Found a few potential babysitters? Next, you’ll want to interview them to see who’s the best fit for your family’s needs. “Interviews give parents the opportunity to not only gauge if the sitter will be a good fit personality-wise with the family, but also to confirm that the sitter’s skills match the job at hand so parents can make a confident decision about the person they choose to care for their children,” explains Brown. She advises parents to thoughtfully prepare questions ahead of time, ranging from basics on childcare experience to more in-depth ones related to the job’s duties.

To take interview questions a step further, get into specifics. Brown suggests creating scenario-based questions. “For example,” she says, “what would you do if my kid fell off the swings on the playground?” Based on the answer, you’ll have a clearer idea of how the sitter would handle situations while they’re on the job.

Perkins says some questions to ask for new parents include the sitter’s:

• Experience level with newborns and babies
• Comfort level with feeding, changing diapers and putting baby down to sleep
• Ability to handle a situation in which baby is crying and hard to soothe
• Training and certifications for first-aid and infant CPR

For older kids, parents might ask for:

• Examples of favorite, non-screen time activities for kids
• Comfort level with driving them around and taking them to the park
• Their approach to disciplining toddlers, preschoolers and grade-school kids

“You can wrap up your interview by asking the sitter for their references or previous families they’ve worked for,” Perkins adds.

What to Look for in a Good Babysitter

There are plenty of things you’ll want to look for in a good babysitter, but Brown says her best advice is to go with your gut. “Above all else, my best advice for parents while interviewing babysitters is to follow their instincts,” she says. “Don’t ignore any red flags you sense during the conversation.” To help you identify positive (and negative) qualities in babysitters, Brown offers the following signs to figure out whether a candidate would be a good hire.

• They have good references. Wondering whether or not you should ask a sitter for references? Brown says: “Absolutely. Just like any other hiring process, it’s fair and encouraged to ask for a babysitter’s references.” Once they provide them, actually call the references to see what feedback they have about the person and ask about past performance, professionalism and skill sets for added verification. Brown adds that “a sitter who’s unable or hesitant to share references should be a red flag to parents.”

• They have training. According to Brown, while not required, training is definitely an advantage when it comes to choosing a babysitter. “Learning about if a sitter has completed any trainings or courses in CPR, water safety or infant and childcare will give peace of mind to parents that a sitter is ready to handle emergency situations,” she explains. After all, you want baby to be in the safest hands possible. If they don’t know anything about CPR or first aid, you might want to suggest the sitter take a class or two. Even better, pay for the classes yourself and, if you can, offer a slightly higher hourly rate if they complete them—it’s a win-win for you both!

• They interact well with your child. Some parents hire a babysitter after a short interview and maybe a brief meet and greet with baby. However, if you have even a teeny bit of uncertainty, it’s worth the peace of mind to do a “sitter trial.” During this session, the babysitter and your child can spend time together while you’re still at home. “Doing this will give parents a chance to see the sitter’s style, like how the sitter follows instructions, handles situations and, most importantly, interacts with the child,” notes Brown. This is where parental intuition comes in—trust your instincts. (And, yes, the sitter should be compensated for this, whether or not you plan to hire them afterward.)

• Your child likes them. Another tip: If your child is verbal, get them involved in this process. After the trial, Brown suggests asking your kiddo about their time spent with the babysitter and if they’d like to see them again. This way, you’ll have insight into how comfortable your child feels in their care.

What to Prep Before Your Babysitter Arrives

Once you’ve hired a babysitter, you’ll need to do a bit of prep work to set you both up for success. Here’s what to do before they arrive for their first sitting session:

• Set ground rules. Before your babysitter starts, be sure they know your expectations, so everyone’s on the same page from the start. Brown recommends that parents prepare a list of key house rules ahead of the first session. Some examples could be your child’s screen time limits, or letting your babysitter know that no visitors are allowed to the house while you’re not there. The rules are entirely up to you but need to be clearly communicated.

• List emergency contact information. You’ll want to provide emergency contact information, just in case. Fill out an emergency information checklist and set it out so they have access to all the important contacts all in one place. This includes your number, your partner’s, your pediatrician’s, your dentist’s, your local police station and fire department and any other important contacts. You’ll also want to list your medical insurance information, home address and preferred hospital address. It may seem like overkill, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

• Have a routine. Brown suggests creating a rough schedule that details your child’s daily routines—like meal and bed times—for the sitter’s first visit. This way, they’ll have a clear idea of what’s expected of them to do and when.

• Give a house tour. If your sitter isn’t familiar with your home, Brown recommends setting aside time at the beginning of the job so they know where everything is. For example, if you have an infant or toddler, it’s important that they know where the diapers and clothes are kept. What’s more, they might need help figuring out how to work any babyproofing items, the TV, oven or other essential appliances in your home.

• Take the legwork out of meal prep. If the job falls during a meal time, Brown suggests that parents prep instructions ahead of time. You could provide your sitter the ingredients and a recipe to cook something for your child, leave pre-made or frozen food with heating instructions or provide money for take-out.

• Be specific. One more way to set your sitter up for success is to provide specific tips. These could include what TV shows and movies your kiddo likes, or their favorite activities, books, toys and stuffed animals, Brown says.

“If you’re a new parent, hiring a sitter might feel like a big step. That’s completely normal. Building trust takes time,” Perkins says. “But carving out a little space for yourself—to nap, breathe or just have an uninterrupted conversation—isn’t selfish. It’s essential. You don’t have to do this alone.”