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By the end of August, 84 percent of America’s public schools will be in session, meaning working parents are in the thick of a critical financial decision – pay for a babysitter or extended day?
Experts say that, on average, one is definitely cheaper than the other, but both options provide benefits that may cater to one parent’s preferences over the other.
There is no blanket solution for all families, said Kady Kearns, owner of nationwide boutique nanny and household staffing firm The Nanny Edit.
“We encourage parents to look beyond price when comparing childcare options,” Kady told The Independent in an email. “The least expensive option is not necessarily the best fit, and the most expensive option is not automatically better. The goal is finding the arrangement that works for both the child and the entire family.”
Kady’s advice mirrors what experts told The Independent – there are advantages and disadvantages to both options that go beyond the cost.
open image in galleryExtended-day excitement
Extended day is typically a before- and after-school program run by the school, where children do activities with teachers and school staff until their parents pick them up or extended-day hours are over.
The programs typically cost significantly less than a babysitter for three hours of after-school supervision – in some cases, a week of extended day could cost nearly the same as an hour of babysitting, said Katari Coleman, project director for the Education Development Center’s National Center Afterschool and Summer Enrichment.
“The average babysitter charges somewhere around $20 to $27 dollars an hour, and that can be 2 to 4 hours a day – depending on the family’s schedule,” Coleman told The Independent in an email. “Whereas extended day programs charge about $30 to $60 a week.”
Coleman warned that extended day prices can vary greatly based on location – not every school will charge $30 a week. Her daughter’s afterschool program is $145 a week, she noted.
One of the main strengths of afterschool programs is that working parents get consistency – cancellations are rare, said Jeanine Bobenmoyer, CEO of parenting and lifestyle media brand theCityMoms.
“Built-in reliability is huge – if a staff member is out sick, the program still runs, [but] if your sitter cancels, you’re scrambling with zero backup,” Bobenmoyer said in an email to The Independent. “It’s also typically staffed by people who know your child’s school and routines, and it can include structured homework time, a snack, and socializing with classmates, so kids don’t lose that ‘still at school’ rhythm.”
Extended day also provides a great environment for kids who like to socialize.
“It gives them more time with friends, structured activities and a chance to play and run off some energy before heading home,” said Megan Metzger, owner of Preferred ChildCare, a North Carolina-based nanny and babysitting agency.
Babysitter benefits
While extended day has its strengths, there are certain things a babysitter can offer that may make the extra cost worth it for some working parents.
Hiring a babysitter to care for kids after school allows working parents to customize the care their kids receive.
“The biggest advantage of babysitting is the personalization they offer,” Metzger said. “A babysitter can provide one-on-one care or care for multiple children.”
open image in galleryA sitter can also pick up kids from school, take them to activities, and assist with homework, she said.
Another aspect for parents to consider is their child’s temperament and social battery. Introverts may benefit more from a babysitter than being in a high-stimulation environment like school aftercare, said Heidi Rosenberg, an early childhood education expert at Education Development Center.
“For children who find the large-group ‘busyness’ of school overstimulating, getting a break from being around so many people and just spending time 1:1 with a caregiver after school can be very beneficial,” Rosenberg said in an email to The Independent.
And while a babysitter tends to be more expensive than extended day for one student, adding a second student won’t have as significant an impact on the sitter’s pricing as it will on extended-day tuition.
“There’s also an economy of scale benefit in that although a babysitter might charge slightly more to watch more than one child, the price isn’t going to be double the cost of a single child,” she said. “Whereas for extended day programs, families with multiple children will be paying tuition [multiple] times.”
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