Megan asks, "why are babysitters paid so poorly". She thinks that it’s a supply and demand thing. Also, watching kids isn’t skilled labor.

It make take talent (like the
patience of a saint), but the actual skills of doing laundry, spooning
formula into one’s mouth, and changing a diaper are not hard to learn.

I rant in the comment section that parenting is actually very skilled labor. Also, babysitters are poorly paid, because people think it’s easy, because women’s work is always undervalued, and because society doesn’t want to pay for work that they still think should be freely given. Sometimes you can’t understand economics without looking at the politics.

Check out this commenter who can’t believe that she has to pay for childcare, because her mother in law doesn’t want to watch her kid. This is exactly what’s going on.

Kieran Healy chimes in, too.