A good babysitter is many things: a kid-tamer, snack-negotiator, meltdown-mitigator and, on certain nights, the only thing standing between a mom and her first quiet dinner in three months. In 2025, that babysitter-mom connection has evolved into something equal parts heartfelt, practical and political.
Maybe it’s a mother with a full-time corporate job trying to juggle spreadsheets and school pickups, or a mom just looking for backup in the chaos of screaming toddlers. Some “super moms” power through without outside help, but many realistically seek childcare to restore balance. And somewhere out there waits someone ready to spark that rare symbiotic relationship between a mom and her babysitter.
Haley Shields, a mom of four, has learned that the right sitter is less about convenience and more about trust. After some trial and error as a new mother, Shields found her balance and became stricter about safety and who she trusts with her children.
“The reason that we chose our nanny and what makes her so special is her ability to seamlessly integrate into our family as it is,” Shields says. “She did not try to change our children or our parenting. She adapted to the life that we have, and we love having her in it.”
Emily Dekle, a university student, had her introduction to babysitting in college. She realized the jobs she was working weren’t cutting it — so when her brother mentioned that a friend needed a babysitter, it felt like the perfect escape.
“He told me one of his friends was looking for a babysitter. It was a perfect fit for me. It paid well, and I got to be with babies, which I love,” Dekle says. “I’ve really only watched babies … the first kid I babysat was 16 months old.”
Dekle has learned that babysitting babies and toddlers is both sweet and exhausting — from constant holding and soothing to juggling the needs of (now two) little ones. She loves watching the kids grow, even when the job shifts from snuggles to full-on imagination mode, admitting the hardest days are when her energy is low but theirs is sky-high.
“It can be hard to keep kids entertained when you’re already drained for the day,” Dekle says.
Another babysitter in Chattanooga also notices the struggles of constant chaos, but for her, that’s been her whole life. Tiana Collins has been in childcare for seven years and describes it as her passion. Rooted in Polynesian culture, she feels at ease around a big family with lots of little ones.
Collins’ usually works with toddlers, and her job is a muddle of roles.
“My job usually looks like what you’d picture from a motherly role: cooking, playing, teaching and daily routines,” Collins says. “It changes depending on the family’s needs.”
Her process screams organization: She interviews families, keeps an info binder and always packs the perfect to-go bag full of kid necessities. Her rate, she says, is based on the difficulty of the job, number of children and ages, but $20 an hour and up is a fair rate.
Although it’s her job, Collins shares that her work isn’t a business — it’s watching their personalities grow and being a part of their world.
One of her funniest moments happened at an estate sale, when an older woman tried to snatch a bracelet from her hand.
“Before I could say anything, these little hands grabbed it back and said, ‘Give that back. You can’t do that!'” Collins reminisces.
While funny moments like those keep babysitters on their toes, the job has its difficulties — especially with changes in recent years. Parents today are more protective — no online posting, tighter screen rules and a whole lot of “gentle parenting.”
“It’s changed a lot. Social media and technology have become huge concerns,” Collins says.
While handling a screaming toddler or a fussy infant can be hard, Collins has had some of her worst experiences with poor treatment from parents. She describes being disrespected and underpaid before being begged to work for them again. Dekle also mentions how parents may not understand that being in close proximity to their children can make the job harder for the sitter.
“With a parent so close, you really need to keep the kids entertained extra or they will try to interrupt their parent,” Dekle notes.
She recommends learning the family’s rhythm, clarifying expectations and setting a rate. She stresses not taking “crazy kid behavior” personally and keeping parents in the loop if anything was difficult. Communication, she adds, makes everything smoother.
Collins emphasizes safety, the child’s well-being and trust from all sides. She suggests sending live updates to parents and recommends asking questions to understand the family dynamic.
Reflecting on her own experiences, Shields emphasizes that choosing a sitter is an act of instinct as much as logic.
“Trust your gut,” she says. “You are giving someone the most precious thing that you have. If something feels off, it probably is.”
