A mom went viral after she posted a video complaining about cost of babysitters. It didn’t go as planned.
TikToker Kourtnie (@kmwoods_) posted the video, which was viewed 261,000 times.
In the video, Kourtnie speaks candidly to the camera. “Since when are babysitters charging $100 a day? One kid, 8 hours a day, for $100.”
“And don’t get me started on the whole, ‘You should pay your child care workers more,’ I pay my daycare plenty,” she continues. “[I’m] talking about a backup sitter for when I need one. Maybe a convenience thing, but where I’m from you pay $50, and that’s like on the high end.”
She finishes her argument with, “Boy, let me tell you I’m about to quit and become a babysitter.”
@kmwoods_ What do yall pay for care where you are? #childcare #MomsOfTikTok #fyp ♬ original sound – Kourtnie
Users did not take her side in the comments. Many pointed out that $100 for 8 hours was less than minimum wage in some states.
“I charge $15-$20 an hour! typically daycares are a lot cheaper but nannies and babysitters are more expensive,” one self-described babysitter said.
“$100 for 8 hours is barely anything. That’s $12.50 an hour which is less than my state’s minimum wage,” another explained.
“When I was a nanny I charged $160 for 8 hours,” a user added.
“50 dollars for 8 hours? That’s 6.25 an hour,” a user said.
Others pointed out that a need for a babysitter creates a higher demand, and that $100 dollars is a good price.
“I mean 100 bucks for an EMERGENCY sitter seems fair..” a user said.
“An on demand backup should be paid even more,” another agreed.
“$100 for 8 hours is a freaking STEAL! We’re paying anywhere between $20-25/hr,” a commenter replied.
Some pointed out that the pay scale for sitters has shifted since the pandemic.
“Ma’am. the going rate is $20-25 a hour. Even for a teenager paying them anything less than minimum wage is awful,” a user explained.
“In California the usual rate it 25-35$ an hour, unless it is like a teenager, adults need a livable wage even if it is “just” babysitters,” another added.
Kourtnie replied, explaining that she is calculating her price for a group instead of having a sitter watch her child alone: “I’m not saying they don’t, but sitters usually have more than 1 kid, so they will make a livable wage.”
“Daycare owner and former nanny here! It’s an intensely high stress job, pay what it’s worth or you won’t have childcare,” a commenter responded.
The Daily Dot reached out to Kourtnie via email.
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Source: https://www.dailydot.com/news/babysitter-prices/