Does My Family Need a Nanny or a Babysitter?

Oftentimes, you’ll hear the terms “nanny” and “babysitter” used interchangeably, and while there usually is no ill intent behind this mix-up, I can say from firsthand experience as a professional nanny that there is a BIG difference here. We do a huge disservice both to nannies and to families when we fail to acknowledge these differences and what they look like in practice.

Now, let me begin by saying that both nannies and babysitters are essential resources for families in need of childcare.

Both nannies and babysitters can provide compassionate and trustworthy care that prioritizes the well-being of your child(ren), but the scope and duration of their roles, as well as the depth of their care, differ in several significant ways.

___________________________

So, what are the key differences between a nanny and a babysitter?

Let’s break this down into some simple categories:

01 — Duration of the role

Professional nannies often work on a long-term basis, providing consistent care and support for the children they look after. Typically, the duration of the role will be laid out in the form of a contract or employment agreement between the nanny and the family. While there is not a set definition of “long term,” the agreement will specify whether that employment relationship will last several weeks, several months, or 1+ year. For many career nannies, they are looking for the opportunity to grow with a family over the course of years, if it works out for both parties. In contrast, babysitters are typically hired for shorter-term, occasional engagements.

02 — Schedules

While nannies may provide part-time or full-time care, their hours and weekly baseline schedule are usually set and agreed upon in their employment agreement. There is definitely room for a bit of flexibility with this baseline schedule (i.e. if a parent is traveling for work and the family needs some extra coverage that week), but career nanny candidates will be looking for stability and consistency with their weekly schedule. In the case of babysitters, the schedule can vary, and it is rare for guaranteed weekly hours to be offered. Whether this is casual date-night sitting, after-school care from time to time, or more temporary back-up care, babysitters tend to work on a varying, as-needed basis.

03 — Duties & Expectations

Nannies are professional, experienced caregivers who—aside from providing a safe, secure, developmentally-stimulating environment—are also generally in charge of light household tasks, organization, meal preparation, children’s laundry, homework assistance, and/or maintaining a weekly schedule. Nannies often become an integral part of the family, establishing strong and nurturing relationships with the little ones in their care and having the opportunity to grow alongside the family.

They play a key role in the development of the child(ren) and are well-versed in milestones, appropriate activities and engagement, emotional regulation strategies, and establishing routines for sleeping and feeding. Babysitters, on the other hand, are more focused on the immediate care of the children during their time of employment. They are still responsible for providing a safe, secure environment for little ones, but are not typically responsible for household duties or added responsibilities.

04 — Level of Training

When it comes to hiring a professional nanny, a certain level of experience, background, and certification is often expected. Professional nannies are likely to have their CPR/First Aid certification (It’s a requirement for working with our agency). Many have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, whether that is in child development, early childhood education, child and adolescent psychology, or another related field. Many nannies are active members within their local (or national) nanny community and take their professional development very seriously. This might look like attending conferences or networking events, brushing up on their skills in training courses and certification classes, or consistently reading research and articles to remain up-to-date on the field.

With all of this background and investment, many nannies are then able to incorporate educational games, play-based learning, age-appropriate developmental activities, fun crafts, and more into their everyday routine with their nanny kids. Many professional nannies have chosen nannying as their long-term career, and with that often comes a deeper level of investment in one’s professional growth. The experience level and background of a babysitter can vary greatly, and the same amount of professional development is not a necessity.

05 — Pay Rate & Benefits

A professional nanny will be looking for guaranteed weekly pay, based on the number of hours/set schedule agreed upon in your employment contract, 52 weeks a year. Along with this set weekly pay, other nanny industry standards include paid time off, paid sick days, paid holidays, overtime pay, and sometimes a healthcare stipend. Nannies are to be compensated legally, as W-2 household employees, and they are compensated on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

In contrast, babysitters are often paid in cash at the end of their shift (as long as they do not reach the IRS tax threshold, which is $2600 in 2023). It is not often expected that they will receive set weekly income, as their schedules usually vary, and benefits are also uncommon. Hourly pay rates tend to be higher for nannies as well, with the market rate in Chicago currently situated around $27-35/hour for professional nannies (read more about this in our blog post Nannies Are a Luxury: Updated Pay Ranges & Expectations). This rate is affected by the experience of the candidate, expected job duties, location, schedule, number of kids, etc.

Here’s the short of it:

You will need to take the time to assess your family’s needs and priorities when it comes to deciding if you’re seeking a nanny or a babysitter.

Ask yourself these important questions:

Do we need a lot of flexibility week to week? Do we expect to compensate this person a (different) weekly rate depending on their hours worked?

…Sounds like you’re looking for a babysitter!

Do we hope for this person to grow with our family, long term? Due to the nature of our jobs, would we rather offer a higher rate (based on greater experience) if it meant that in the long run we wouldn't have to go through the interviewing/hiring process with numerous caregivers per year? Is a lower turnover rate valuable to us?

...Hiring a long-term nanny sounds like it would be incredibly valuable for you!

Are our needs a bit up in the air? Do we have the time (and willingness) to click around resources (i.e. Care, Sittercity, FB groups) to gain experience with caregivers? Are reliability/experience lower priorities (due to working from home, lower hours needed, family nearby as back-up care, etc)?

…A babysitter would probably be best for now!

All in all, childcare is expensive, and while a nanny might seem out of reach, it's important to weigh the value of hiring *one* long-term nanny and to look at this time/money as an investment.

In that case, if you are willing to pay a few dollars more per hour to have a highly-reliable, committed, experienced nanny who goes above and beyond, you will benefit from a lot less time spent sourcing new babysitters over the years. If you have the capacity and funds to hire a service, you will feel the weight lifted off your shoulders (and save sooo many hours) by working with an agency like Nanny Harmony.

We’d love to guide you through this process! If you’re interested in starting the hiring process through our agency, simply click the button below to learn more:

P.S. If you do find that you are in need of temporary care or back-up babysitting, we’d love to recommend our trusted partners over at Jovie Sitters.

___________________________

Nanny Harmony is a well-established, premier nanny placement agency, based in Chicago and offering services nationwide. We take immense pride in our extensive community network and in our proven ability to find extraordinary matches between families and passionate, experienced nannies, household managers, and Newborn Care Specialists. To begin the process, fill out a family application here.