- Shift from informal community practice to regulated professional monetized marketplace with platforms requiring background checks - A 12-year-old can still legally babysit in most U.S. states, Maryland (13) Illinois and Oregon (14) - our society's reluctance to build youth caregiving competencies may lead to anxiety and reluctance to have children of their own | Decade | Average Starting Age | Youth Involved (%) | Average Hourly Rate (in 2024 dollars) | Social Context | | ------ | -------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------- | | 1970s | 11.5 | 65% | $8.50 | Neighborhood-based, informal arrangements | | 1980s | 12.0 | 55% | $10.25 | Word-of-mouth referrals common | | 1990s | 13.0 | 40% | $12.75 | Growing preference for Red Cross certification | | 2000s | 14.0 | 30% | $15.50 | Rise of online platforms, background checks | | 2010s | 15.0 | 20% | $18.75 | Preference for professional services | | 2020s | 16.0 | 15% | $22.00 | Online platforms dominate, higher expectations |