Home, for many of us, is a sanctuary.
Not just anyone is allowed through the front door.
There comes a time, though, when most of us will need to hire someone we can trust to cross that threshold — maybe even with a key — to provide care, to clean, to fix what’s broken.
When Brittany Jenkins, a first-time mother in Denver, went searching for her first babysitter last year, she was nervous.
She didn’t know many people in the area yet, having moved to Denver with her husband while she was pregnant. There were no relatives around that could help out, either.
“It’s a pretty intimate experience, having someone come into your home with your child,” said Jenkins, whose daughter recently turned 1. “There are so many crazy people in this world today — you just can’t be too sure with anyone.”
Just ask Ann Collier of Denver.
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How much?
Babysitters in Denver can be a steal compared to many other major metropolitan areas in the U.S., according to the latest data from UrbanSitter.
Metro area, Average hourly rate for one child:
New York City, $15.34
San Francisco, $14.99
Washington, D.C., $13.83
Boston, $13.64
Los Angeles, $13.53
Seattle, $12.80
Chicago, $11.91
San Diego, $11.11
Denver, $10.84
Emilie Rusch
Author: Mile High Mamas
Mara
We must be cheap because we only pay $7-8/hour.
Monica
I’m sorry but those prices are ridiculous. Yes, my kids are important but who can afford to pay a babysitter those rates AND go out?
LaraMomof2
WE pay $10 for four kids per hour. If I only had one or two kids I wouldn’t pay that much but mine are a handful!
Teresa
Those rates are rediculous! I pay $10 per hour for child care and she is a Montessori school. I will never pay someone that much money to sit at my house, eat my food and watch my kids. It is no wonder kids have a messed up sense of money. How much is minimum wage? Most entry legal jobs don’t even pay that much.