How is a babysitter and HDC Provider....

[Judy Trickett]

Babysitters are teenagers that come over after my kids have gone to bed, sit on my couch, watch TV while texting and eat food from my pantry while I pay them twice as much per hour as the average daycare provider earns.

On the other hand, dcproviders are caretakers who consistently care for the same children and who are legally responsible for the care of those children and anything that happens to them while in their charge, who are subject to laws and regulation and get paid less than the teenage babysitter, all things considered.

I know that sounds flippant but it's true. Most providers make between $3.50 and $4.00 per hour for every daycare child in their care. But my teenage babysitter would come and sit on my couch for four hours and make $40 for her time with NO expenses to her, and really, zero responsibility or legal ramifications should something have happened.