Campbell Parents, Do You Overpay For Babysitting?

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Babysitting can be a big money-maker, especially in Silicon Valley.

San Francisco Bay Area babysitters are the best-paid in the United States, a recent Huffington Post article reported.

A babysitter in Campbell watching one child should be paid between $14.75 and $15.50 an hour, according to online rate calculators, which is better than the recently upped minimum wage of $10 per hour in neighboring San Jose.

That's on-par with regional averages: $14 per hour for one child and $19.25 for three children, according to a new report from UrbanSitter.com. The data shows Bay Area parents who use the website pay more for childcare than parents in any of the 13 other U.S. metro areas the site serves.

“One reason for this disparity is New York has better public transportation,” UrbanSitter’s founder Lynn Perkins told 7x7. "The babysitters say that matters."

UrbanSitter, which started in San Francisco, matches parents and care providers using social networks. Over 9,200 parents and 3,100 sitters are using the service, according to 7x7.

UrbanSitter, along with national networks Care.com and SitterCity.com, provide profiles, reviews and suggested rates to parents selecting babysitters.

The online rate calculator on Care.com put the going rate for a sitter with any experience watching one child in Cupertino at $13.50 an hour. SitterCity.com's rate calcuator figured a babysitter between the ages of 18-21 with little experience should be paid $14.75 an hour in Campbell. That increases to $15.50 if the sitter is older and has more experience.

We posed the question to our Facebook readers and here are a few other things (besides cost) that they look out for when hiring a babysitter:

• I usually ask for recommendations and also like daycare etc. also play dates I always ask if they have handguns or any guns in the house. It's a question that might be strange but be surprised how many parents do have guns that you may not know about. --Sinead Queenborg McDonnell Borgersen
• The number one thing I look for is that they aren't a total stranger to me a friend or family member or co worker i trust has to have recommend them. Word of mouth is important to me.the number one question I ask is do they have car because I hate driving sitters home.--Erica DeMasi  
• If they know CPR... Just in case --Maayan Glaser Koren 
• We have only had family or a very close friend watch our kids. I'm kind of nervous-y about leaving them at all, let alone with a stranger. But ironically enough, I used to be a nanny for about 10 years. Haha! So, as a former nanny I can say that you shouldn't be afraid to ask ANY questions you may have. There is no question to crazy and if they don't want to answer it or you don't like the answer they give, then they are not the sitter/ nanny for you. I recommend asking for driving records (if they are going to drive your kids anywhere), criminal background checks (these can easily be found online now), and proof that they have recently been certified for CPR and first aid. Also ask how they would handle certain discipline situations, what they like to do for fun in their free time (says a lot about a person), if they can cook, and what other responsibilities they are willing to do (my rule was always that I would do any "kid related" cooking & cleaning only). After you interview them, have them play with your child to see how they really interact. Do they get down on the floor and act silly with the kids, or are they more reserved and uncomfortable? Don't settle. It will only lead to future problems for you all. You will know when you have found the right fit for your family. The hubs has something to add: The question he would ask is "Do you have or want kids of your own someday?" He says this would tell you if they are "kid people" or not  --Bethany Curran 

Parents, how much do you pay for babysitting in Campbell? How do you find your sitters? Tell us in the comment section below.

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