Part of the cool quarter mil required to raise a child to age 18 goes to the cost of periodically escaping from said child. Babysitting rates for Westchester teens average $10 an hour (that’s $30 for a three-hour respite); adults receive double that, though hourly rates range from $15 to $30. As expected, agencies charge the highest rates. LifeWorx in Chappaqua charges $25 to $34 an hour for mothers’ helpers and babysitters; other agencies charge between $15 and $25, some with a four-hour minimum.
