06-15-12 One in four parents (24%) pay $6-$10 an hour for someone to watch their children, according to the American Red Cross. One in 10 pay $11-$15 an hour, and 4% pay $16-$20 an hour. However, most (51%) rely on unpaid babysitters.
Eight in 10 parents (80%) believe teen babysitters should be paid more if they are trained in first aid, CPR, and childcare skills. More than three in four parents with children younger than 17 (77%) think teen babysitters should receive training before they begin watching children.
In the past two years, 55% of parents decided to stay home from a planned activity because they were unable to find a babysitter. Three in 10 (30%) rejected a potential babysitter because of safety concerns.
Source: American Red Cross, 2025 E St., NW, 7th Fl., Washington, DC 20006; 202-303-5551; www.redcross.org.
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