What is the Difference Between Nanny And Babysitter?

Letting someone take care of your child can be one of the most nerve wrecking thing you ever had to do. Thus, having the right type of care taker for your child is the top most priority for any parent.

Most new parents who search for their child’s first takers get perplexed by the terms nanny vs babysitter and want to know about the nanny and babysitter difference. They usually ask agencies to clarify the nanny and babysitter difference before proceeding further into finding one.

After careful research, we have created this article to aid new parents and agencies in providing the answer to the twilight zone of the nanny babysitter difference.

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Nanny vs Babysitter

The impression many people have about the difference between nanny and babysitter is that nanny is a fancy term for babysitter. Factually, that is not the case. There are a few key points that provide a clear distinction between the nanny vs babysitter parody.

1. The Schedule

The nanny and babysitter difference starts with something as simple as their schedule.

A nanny works full-time for ‘ONE’ family clocking about 40-50 hours per week. On the other hand, a babysitter, works ‘ON CALL’ or ‘AS NEEDED’ basis. The babysitters are the ones who sit for a few hours and can work a few hours a week or month, depending on the need. Babysitters can work for multiple families at the same time, unlike nannies, who work for only one.

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2. The Duties

Many people believe that the duties of a nanny and babysitter are similar, but the difference between nanny and babysitter duties is far from similar. 

Nannies are typically an extension of the parents and perform any activity that is related to children. These activities include and are not limited to creating daily schedules, helping in homework, taking them to school or for various activities. The nannies create an enhanced parenting atmosphere for children and perform a more hands-on task, when it comes to taking care of the children.

Babysitters, contrarily perform tasks that more focused on child safety. They ensure that the children are safe in the absence of the parents and supervise the play time of the children.

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3. Educations/ Certifications

The nanny and babysitter difference for education is more like a professional ladder, where both the care givers are different steps.

A nanny is a professional is a full-time employee with some sort of advanced background. This advanced background can be a combination of an advanced degree in early child care and professional experience.

However, a babysitter is a more entry- level work, where the sitter does not require any certifications or prior experience. Although, having one is always and advantage along with the knowledge of first aid, child care and basic understanding of CPR.

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4. Payment Modes

The biggest nanny vs babysitter difference is with how they are being paid.

Nannies are tax paying individuals who are paid via W-2. They usually get perks like vacations, sick leave and medical insurance.

Babysitters are paid in cash on an hourly basis and usually don’t cross the threshold set by the IRS to pay taxes.

Final Words

So these were the difference between nanny and babysitter for all those who were wondering what is the difference between both of them. I hope you found this article helpful. Do you think we missed a point? Please let us know in the comments down below.