What’s The Difference Between a Babysitter and a Nanny?

If you’ve been thinking about hiring childcare, you’ve probably asked yourself “what’s the difference between a babysitter and a nanny?”

And although there are some clear differences between the two, there are also some grey areas. The most important thing is to create a clear job description so that both you and your prospective caregiver are on the same page.

A babysitter is someone who temporarily cares for your children on an as-needed basis. Most babysitters are part time and paid by the hour. They can be scheduled regularly; perhaps it’s every day after school or every Wednesday evening from 6-9pm. Or it could be that they are only scheduled for special occasions like New Years or an anniversary. Either way, a babysitter’s number one priority is the safety and well-being of your children. They can also responsible for planning activities like crafts and games, getting your kids ready for bed and may even do light housekeeping duties like washing dishes or light meal prep.

Babysitters typically get paid $16-$18/hr.

Nannies on the other hand, is generally someone who will care for your children on a more regular, long-term basis. A nanny’s responsibilities are of course safety, but also to create daily schedules and engaging activities for the kids, provide meals and housekeeping duties, transporting children to and from school and often includes taking them on extra outings like extra curricular practices or play dates.

Nannies typically get paid $14-$16/hr. Many families prefer to set a monthly salary of anywhere in between $2200-$2500.

So, while both babysitters and nannies play a role in supervising and caring for children when parents are away, a nanny is more of a daily fixture in the household dynamic. The biggest difference is that nannies provide more housework duties and are very involved in the children’s lives where as babysitters are short-term caretakers who are hired to watch the children for a short set of time while parents have other commitments.

Deciding whether a sitter or nanny is most suitable for your family’s needs is most important, and with either option, Little Einsteins can help you do the “heavy lifting”. We screen qualified applicants, including background checks and only send you the best options to choose from, saving you tons of time and energy! If you still have more questions about which option is right for you and your family, please reach out to us, we’d love to chat more!