
Parents’ dream babysitters are now available in New York City thanks to a high-end local agency, but they come at a price of up to $33 an hour.
That’s more than twice the rate NYC parents typically pay for sitters. Sitters Studio, a network of more than 100 caretakers in New York and Chicago, charges about $25 for one child, and the rate rises depending on how many kids are at home. There is also a $20 booking fee each time a parent reserves a sitter and a four-hour minimum.
If you do the math for one night out, a one-child family would pay $120.
Sitters Studio’s CEO, Kristina Wilson, said that while the cost is high, parents are getting a lot for it. All their sitters are required to show up ten minutes early with a tote bag filled with ‘artistic toys’, they respect a no-TV policy, and they must make sure all homework and household tasks are complete.
“On top of the picking children up from school and mealtime, the kids will get a unique artistic experience every time,” she said. “If our sitter works with a child to come up with a ballet or a piece of art made out of recycled materials, at the end of the night, they will fill out a report card to let the parent know what they created and how it helped with self-esteem and general creative thinking.”