When parents are on the hunt for a babysitter, the initial question they often pose is: what’s your rate? Yet, many new babysitters hesitate to provide a clear answer. They might reply with something like, “You can decide,” or “Whatever works for you is fine.” While this might seem convenient for parents, as it allows them to set their own rates, it also robs young sitters of a valuable lesson about recognizing their worth.
A North Carolina mom, Sarah Mitchell, recently shared her thoughts on this topic in a compelling Facebook post while searching for a summer babysitter. She discussed her frustration with the salary conversation. “During our chat, I told my husband that I prefer to ask sitters what they charge per hour,” she noted. “Typically, the responses I get are along the lines of, ‘You can pay me whatever.’ This is NOT okay.
Sarah passionately argued that every babysitter should be prepared to state their price confidently, and that parents have a role in fostering this skill. “Parents, it’s essential to teach your children, especially your daughters, to declare their worth and stand firm in it,” she emphasized. “Simply say, ‘I would love to babysit your kids and my rate is X per hour.’ Just one sentence. Practice it with her.”
She continued, “It may sound trivial, but as young girls, we’re often not encouraged to advocate for ourselves. Babysitting frequently serves as a first job for many girls, and we should equip them for success in future roles by instilling the confidence to ask for what they deserve.” Can I get an amen?
Negotiating pay and asserting your worth can be daunting, even for adults. At 30, I still grapple with being straightforward about my desired compensation. As a teenager, I definitely lacked the confidence to state my rate. But Sarah is right: this needs to change.
According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, women earn, on average, just 79 cents for every dollar a man makes—an issue that spans all industries and affects women at every professional level. The gap is even wider for women of color. While learning to negotiate pay may not resolve the overall disparity, it’s a crucial step for many girls and women.
Babysitting not only provides teens with a chance to earn extra income, but it also marks their initial experience in the workforce and managing finances. As Sarah pointed out, we must prepare these young sitters for success—not just so they earn a fair wage for caring for children but also so they learn to claim what they deserve in the broader world, where the stakes are much higher.
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In summary, it’s crucial for babysitters to confidently declare their rates and for parents to support them in this endeavor. By doing so, we not only empower young sitters but also contribute to narrowing the wage gap in the long run.
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