Let’s talk about a paradox: a high schooler making $20 an hour to watch a couple of kids on a Friday night, while a certified early childhood educator with years of training often earns less per hour caring for quadruple as many children all day, every day.

It’s a pay gap that isn’t just confusing—it’s revealing.

The Value Disconnect

Childcare providers are the backbone of working families. These are professionals who understand early brain development, implement learning curriculums, handle licensing regulations, and juggle a room full of toddlers with patience and structure. Yet they’re often paid hourly rates hovering just above, if not at, minimum wage.

In contrast, babysitters—often teens or college students—step in for a few hours of “coverage,” usually during evenings or weekends. Their work is important, no doubt. But it’s often viewed more as a favor or one-time splurge, not a routine necessity.

And there’s the kicker: necessity. When families need daily childcare in order to work, it suddenly becomes framed as a budget line item to minimize. But when they choose a night out or weekend plans, they’re more willing to pay premium rates for temporary help—often double.

Is Convenience More Valuable Than Education?

There’s something subtly backwards about a system where “drop-in” care is perceived as more valuable than ongoing, skill-based early childhood education. But it also speaks to a larger truth about how society undervalues care work—especially when it’s done by women and especially when it’s routine.

When it comes to entertainment or leisure time, there’s a greater willingness to pay a premium for on-demand babysitting. Whether it’s a Friday night dinner or a weekend concert, the cost is justified as a splurge for personal time. But when care is tied to the daily grind—to make it to work, run errands, or maintain a household—it’s often expected to be affordable, convenient, and readily available. This contrast suggests that care tied to personal freedom is viewed as more valuable than care that underpins professional productivity, even if the latter involves more training, structure, and developmental responsibility.

Flipping the Narrative

So how do we change the conversation?

It starts with recognizing that trained childcare workers aren’t simply “watching” kids—they’re educating, guiding, and shaping young minds during their most critical development years. They deserve pay that reflects that expertise. This is one of the reasons I highly encourage all childcare providers to continue their education and receive at least their Child Development Credential (CDA).

We also need to normalize the idea that care work, just like any skilled profession, demands compensation that reflects its impact. Because if we wouldn’t want someone underqualified running our kid’s classroom, why are we comfortable paying certified providers less than someone watching Netflix while the kids sleep?