ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Amid the rising cost of just about everything, you can also expect to pay more for childcare. Twenty years ago, kid caretakers made single digits. Now teenagers are raking it in. According to The Wall Street Journal, babysitters make double the minimum wage.
Parents say finding a babysitter the old-fashioned way, through friends, family, or your church, is almost impossible. Also, parents are now expected to pay up to 30 dollars an hour for a good sitter.
Parents are turning to tech to help find the right fit for their young families. The app Bambino connects families and sitters through their own Facebook networks, so whoever you hire, someone you know, knows them.
On UrbanSitter, you can 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 is designed for quick searches and messaging between parents and potential sitters.
Helpr lets you request a childcare provider with as little as three hours notice. Helpr professionals are required to pass an in-person screening, professional reference check, and background check.
However, before deciding which way to go, research each site. The time spent will pay off when you know your little one is in good hands.
Care.com reports August is the most popular month for hiring babysitters. They also say parents’ biggest mistakes are ignoring references, not conducting their own background checks, offering low wages, and combining housework with babysitting duties.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Roque Correa, Videographer and Editor.
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