What's the Difference Between a Babysitter and a Nanny?

By Call Emmy Team · September 26, 2022

Choosing the best childcare option for your family may be difficult, especially when the options may not be as clear as you would like. A few of the most commonly asked questions from parents choosing between a babysitter and a nanny are: What exactly is a nanny? What exactly is a babysitter? What are the differences between them? Most importantly, which is better for my family?

In this article, we are answering these questions to clear up any confusion regarding these two essential roles to help you make the best choices for your child care needs.

What's A Babysitter?

Simply put, a babysitter, or “sitter,” is someone who cares for your children while you are away. Their main responsibility is to ensure your children's well-being and safety and they are trained to keep an eye on children and youngsters of various ages. You might consider hiring a babysitter on an “as required” basis to care for your children whenever the need may arise.

Babysitters mostly work part-time and are paid by the hour. However, many babysitters operate on a set schedule. For instance, from 3 to 6 p.m. on weekdays, you may hire a babysitter to pick your kids up from school and supervise them until you come home. You might even ask them to babysit for you every Friday night.

Sitters are also often in charge of organizing and coordinating enriching and entertaining activities for your children. This includes activities such as arts & crafts, games, and sports.

Some babysitters will also drive children to their activities, assist with homework, cook, or conduct minor housework. However, a greater compensation is typically anticipated for these sorts of activities, and they are not considered standard babysitting chores. Any expectations you may have for a sitter that go above and beyond their basic duties should be discussed and agreed upon beforehand.

Duties and Responsibilities of a Babysitter

Babysitters are generally employed to care for and engage children, and they usually do not often take on other responsibilities like cooking or housekeeping that would fall within the jurisdiction of a full-time nanny.

Typical babysitting responsibilities include:

Qualifications and Experience of Babysitters

Babysitters have varying levels of expertise and talents. Here are a few things to look out for:

A reliable babysitter is a true treasure for both families and children. Find someone you like, trust, and who gets along well with your children. This will give you a sense of security while you’re out and you will be able to let your hair down without constantly worrying about the well-being of your children.

What's A Nanny?

While a babysitter simply looks after your kid for a portion of time, a nanny is far more engaged in your child's long-term growth and well-being.

When parents are working, nannies and “mannies” (a sometimes used term for male nannies) care for their children full-time. They are responsible for much more than a babysitter, and often partner with parents in making daily routines and schedules and even setting expectations around behavior and discipline. They represent a significant part of your child's psychological, physical, and mental development and well-being.

You may also hire a live-in nanny who would have a bedroom in your home or an apartment connected to your house. In this situation, room and board are provided as part of the nanny’s compensation, in addition to a wage.

Before employing a nanny, always do a background check and verify references. Moreover, you should verify your nanny's driving records if your children will be traveling with them.

Duties and Responsibilities of A Nanny

Childcare is the primary responsibility of a traditional nanny. While the parents are gone or are otherwise occupied, a nanny serves as the main authority figure; this typically implies that the nanny is in control of everything related to the children's care. A nanny may be required to execute the following things on a daily basis:

Qualifications and Experience of A Nanny

A good nanny should:

A Quick Note on Au Pairs

An au pair is an individual from another country who stays with a family in return for assisting with childcare and housekeeping. An au pair may be paid a monetary allowance, but they are not normally paid a complete wage, unlike a nanny.

An au pair may have additional responsibilities in addition to their host family and may only provide part-time childcare and housekeeping. For instance, they may be pursuing school or college full-time and assisting with household obligations in between courses or in the evenings.

Based on your position and demands, an au pair might be a nice compromise here between a babysitter and a nanny.

Using Apps and Websites to Find a Babysitter or a Nanny

Whether you’re looking for a babysitter or a nanny, there are many technology resources available to help you find qualified candidates (including Call Emmy!).

When selecting a babysitting app or website to use for your search, make sure to understand what the platform is doing to pre-screen candidates. Many babysitting apps and nanny websites now require a basic background check for all new candidates on their sites, but often those basic checks are incomplete — make sure you understand exactly what is being checked. (For more about understanding what is and isn’t included in a background check, see our separate post on How to Background Check Your Babysitter). The best babysitting apps and services do more to qualify sitters than just a thorough background check. To learn more about what Call Emmy does to background check babysitters, check out our post on How Call Emmy’s Babysitter Vetting Process Works.