Babysitter Vs. Nanny
Babysitters and nannies care for children while their parents are away and supposed to maintain an environment where children feel safe and comfortable. Although they share a key function in their jobs their roles are different in scope and context. Babysitters care for one or more children during the temporary absence of their parents or guardians, while nannies provide long-term child care services and perform duties similar to that of a children’s nurse.
Other People Are Reading
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Nanny Identification
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Many nanny relationships offer families a guaranteed commitment of at least one year of child care services. Some nannies work with the same family for many years. Nannies participate in many child-rearing activities, including the social, emotional, and cognitive development of the children in their care. Some families employ live-in nannies. Many nannies also perform light housekeeping chores.
Babysitter Identification
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Babysitters are independent contractors in the child care services industry. Babysitters typically work out of private households but may occasionally work in hotels, office buildings, churches and other community facilities at a client's request. Babysitters provide temporary childcare for a predefined period of time and follow immediate instructions provided by the primary care provider, such as dietary needs and bedtime routines. Babysitters remain on-site until the return of parent or guardian and watch over children while they play.
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Considerations
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The Internal Revenue Service requires taxpayers with household help to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes if the household worker’s annual pay is in excess of $1,700, as of 2009. Households that hire nannies or babysitters must pay their salary, taxes and Social Security if the annual wages exceed $1,700. Some families also provide benefits, such as health insurance and paid vacation time, to their household workers, but payment of these benefits is not required by law.
Effects
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Child care worker jobs are sometimes physically and emotionally demanding. Babysitters and nannies often have to run, play outside and exert physical effort to keep up with children. Some child care workers may have to lift heavy or overweight children, which may cause repetitive motion injuries and back pain. Child care providers must have the emotional fortitude to maintain a cheerful and upbeat demeanor despite these occasional mood swings.
Potential
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Factors such as educational attainment and job type can affect the salary of both babysitters and nannies. However, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, the salaries of these workers are generally very low. The median hourly wages of child care workers were $10.07 in May 2009. Salary research produced by PayScale indicate the hourly wage rate for nanny jobs in the United States ranges from $9.93 to $14.77, while the hourly wage rate for babysitters ranges from $6.64 to $10.27, as of June 2010.
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References
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- Photo Credit toddlers playing in flower garden image by Linda Stockdale from Fotolia.com
