How much to pay Babysitter for three kids

"Nan" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 17:39:28 GMT, "Jeff" wrote:


"Ruth Baltopoulos" wrote in message
news:d5Ahh.2737$JL5.328@trndny03...
Jeff wrote:

I don't find that the least bit hard to believe. My two girls are 19 &
20, and when they go to the movies, they carry large handbags and bring
water bottles from home, as well as packing a snack. When I mentioned
the
signs indicating that this was verboten, they replied that certain rules
are only driven by profit and they felt quite comfortable disdaining
them.

I have to disagree here. It is their movie theater and their rules. If I
don't like the rules, I can get a DVD and play it for him on this
computer.
I don't have much of a problem with tap water in bottles as I do with
snacks. I would also argue that snacks in theaters should be healthier,
like
fruits and granola bars. I noticed that at sports stands at recreation
soccer leagues, too.

But it is the movie theater's rules. If they don't want you to drink
outside foods and drink (except maybe for tap water from home), you
shouldn't drink it in their theater. I almost always bring outside soda,
but
if I want to drink in the theater, I drink their soda. (The other
exception
is for people who need to eat particular foods for religious purposes, if
no
appropriate food is available in the theater, or medical purposes, like
people who need a little bit of candy for hypoglycemia.)

Other rules that are only driven by profit in movie theaters:

1) You have to buy a ticket before going into the theater.
2) You can only see one movie.

I don't have a problem with movie theaters making a profit. That is why
they are in business.

Jeff

Oh, I don't know. There's profit and then there's PROFIT. When my ds
was younger I'd take him and a friend to the movies a lot. Our first
stop was the candy aisle at the drugstore where they'd buy candy and
keep it in their coat pockets.

Cool, teaching kids to sneak things in. Perhaps they will be using those
skills to sneak things past their teachers or past their parents. You're
also teaching them dishonesty. Helpful, with the tax season near.

And if the movie theaters don't make a profit, they'll close. That means
that there be fewer jobs for the teens in the area.

There's profit and there's, if you don't like the prices, don't eat in the
movie theater.

Jeff

I have no problem with that, and I do take some candy snacks for my dd
when we go to the movies. She likes lollipops when we watch the
movies (so do I g) and the theater doesn't sell them.

Nan

In article knAhh.4252$od6.3001@trnddc04, Jeff says...


"Ruth Baltopoulos" wrote in message
news:d5Ahh.2737$JL5.328@trndny03...
Jeff wrote:

Usually when I take my mentee to the movies, he gets a candy or popcorn,
a small soda and I get a small or medium soda. (The large soda comes with
free refills - but unless they give me a catheter, I will wet my pants
on the way home.)

Hehehee. I am with you there! They do only charge a small amount more
incrementally as you move up in soda size, but the large *is* quite awe
inspiring.

I have heard that most of the profit that movie theaters make comes
from food sold, not the sales of the tickets.

I don't find that the least bit hard to believe. My two girls are 19 &
20, and when they go to the movies, they carry large handbags and bring
water bottles from home, as well as packing a snack. When I mentioned the
signs indicating that this was verboten, they replied that certain rules
are only driven by profit and they felt quite comfortable disdaining them.

I have to disagree here. It is their movie theater and their rules. If I
don't like the rules, I can get a DVD and play it for him on this computer.
I don't have much of a problem with tap water in bottles as I do with
snacks. I would also argue that snacks in theaters should be healthier, like
fruits and granola bars. I noticed that at sports stands at recreation
soccer leagues, too.

But it is the movie theater's rules. If they don't want you to drink
outside foods and drink (except maybe for tap water from home), you
shouldn't drink it in their theater. I almost always bring outside soda, but
if I want to drink in the theater, I drink their soda. (The other exception
is for people who need to eat particular foods for religious purposes, if no
appropriate food is available in the theater, or medical purposes, like
people who need a little bit of candy for hypoglycemia.)

But a move is, at the very very most!, about three and a half hours. Very few
people need to eat in that time. (And, yes, I have had problems with
hypoglycemia.) When you consider that generally even a 2 1/2 hour movie is
considered "long", then the whole "relgious" thing goes out the door.

I agree about the rules. To pay for the movie house goodies may be exhorbitant,
but it's not like it's an injustice that calls for civil disobedience. Good
grief. I just don't buy stuff at movies, even water. If I think thirst is an
issue, then I buy just the water.

One reason why the rules are there is that people will bring in KFC and chomp on
smelly fried chicken if they *didn't* have the rule. Yes, there's the profit
motive too. But it's their business to have a business. But it's also for some
order and comfort in the theater.


Other rules that are only driven by profit in movie theaters:

1) You have to buy a ticket before going into the theater.
2) You can only see one movie.

What injustices ;-)


I don't have a problem with movie theaters making a profit. That is why
they are in business.

The other cost is the amount of calories taken in. If the kid eats 3 oz
of candy, that is like 300 cals. And a large popcorn is maybe 1000 cal.
Without oil (or butter).

Good thing we all prefer candy...

This is a good point. There's this American idea that we have to have food
anytime we're sitting still in one place more than an hour. The consequences of
this is pretty evident.


Banty

bizby40 wrote:

It's my opinion, right or wrong, that the market prices have been
driven up less by the needs or demands of the teens, and more by yuppy
parents who mistakenly think in their own minds that the quality of
service they get corresponds to the amount they pay, and therefore by
paying more, they increase the quality of service.

I don't think that's at all the case around here.
Teens won't work for dirt cheap wages because they have
expenses to deal with (like saving for college), very little
free time (so the opportunity cost of sitting his high), and
they have other options that pay more. So, if you want a
sitter, you'll have to pay what it takes to entice them to
work for you because they have other options.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Jeff wrote:

"Nan" wrote:

Oh, I don't know. There's profit and then there's PROFIT. When my ds
was younger I'd take him and a friend to the movies a lot. Our first
stop was the candy aisle at the drugstore where they'd buy candy and
keep it in their coat pockets.

Cool, teaching kids to sneak things in. Perhaps they will be using those
skills to sneak things past their teachers or past their parents. You're
also teaching them dishonesty. Helpful, with the tax season near.

Hmmm, I don't think this is really fair. There is only one
reason that the theaters restrict food, and that is so that
they can jack the crap out of their prices and be the only
game in town.

While I realize that this is their right, it is one of those
little things to which I give less credence. So, while yes
this is the establishments self-serving rule, it is not the
same, in my mind, as a law or the breaking of one. You can
play Abe Lincoln, and I will play his kind, but slightly
less virtuous younger sister g

And if the movie theaters don't make a profit, they'll close. That means
that there be fewer jobs for the teens in the area.

Or perhaps they will become more rational with their profit
margins and monopoly tactics.

There's profit and there's, if you don't like the prices, don't eat in the
movie theater.

And that would be one view, to which I beg to differ. I
enjoy a movie on the big screen but don't like snack rape.
I will find myself a happy medium.

I have no problem with that, and I do take some candy snacks for my dd
when we go to the movies. She likes lollipops when we watch the
movies (so do I g) and the theater doesn't sell them.

Yep. No biggie to me.
--
Ruth

In article FBAhh.4254$od6.543@trnddc04, Jeff says...


"Nan" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 17:39:28 GMT, "Jeff" wrote:


"Ruth Baltopoulos" wrote in message
news:d5Ahh.2737$JL5.328@trndny03...
Jeff wrote:

I don't find that the least bit hard to believe. My two girls are 19 &
20, and when they go to the movies, they carry large handbags and bring
water bottles from home, as well as packing a snack. When I mentioned
the
signs indicating that this was verboten, they replied that certain rules
are only driven by profit and they felt quite comfortable disdaining
them.

I have to disagree here. It is their movie theater and their rules. If I
don't like the rules, I can get a DVD and play it for him on this
computer.
I don't have much of a problem with tap water in bottles as I do with
snacks. I would also argue that snacks in theaters should be healthier,
like
fruits and granola bars. I noticed that at sports stands at recreation
soccer leagues, too.

But it is the movie theater's rules. If they don't want you to drink
outside foods and drink (except maybe for tap water from home), you
shouldn't drink it in their theater. I almost always bring outside soda,
but
if I want to drink in the theater, I drink their soda. (The other
exception
is for people who need to eat particular foods for religious purposes, if
no
appropriate food is available in the theater, or medical purposes, like
people who need a little bit of candy for hypoglycemia.)

Other rules that are only driven by profit in movie theaters:

1) You have to buy a ticket before going into the theater.
2) You can only see one movie.

I don't have a problem with movie theaters making a profit. That is why
they are in business.

Jeff

Oh, I don't know. There's profit and then there's PROFIT. When my ds
was younger I'd take him and a friend to the movies a lot. Our first
stop was the candy aisle at the drugstore where they'd buy candy and
keep it in their coat pockets.

Cool, teaching kids to sneak things in. Perhaps they will be using those
skills to sneak things past their teachers or past their parents. You're
also teaching them dishonesty. Helpful, with the tax season near.

And if the movie theaters don't make a profit, they'll close. That means
that there be fewer jobs for the teens in the area.

But then there'd be more babysitters!

Banty

In article eUAhh.3206$WS4.2815@trndny07, Ruth Baltopoulos says...

Jeff wrote:

"Nan" wrote:

Oh, I don't know. There's profit and then there's PROFIT. When my ds
was younger I'd take him and a friend to the movies a lot. Our first
stop was the candy aisle at the drugstore where they'd buy candy and
keep it in their coat pockets.

Cool, teaching kids to sneak things in. Perhaps they will be using those
skills to sneak things past their teachers or past their parents. You're
also teaching them dishonesty. Helpful, with the tax season near.

Hmmm, I don't think this is really fair. There is only one
reason that the theaters restrict food, and that is so that
they can jack the crap out of their prices and be the only
game in town.

That's NOT the only reason they restrict food. You want Chu-Chu-Chong's peanut
lo mein from the Food Court wafting past your nose when you're watching Leonardo
diCaprio?? (OK, no matter, I get sick watching him anyway...)

A lot of their profit does come from the food. Yes, it's overpriced. In many
ways, the actual movie ticket price is but a loss lead-in, they make you walk
past the consession stand after that.

But, if it weren't for that, the ticket price would be more.

Actually, if folks didn't get all huffy about overpriced Juniors and popcorn,
they could see this as the opportunity I do! I pay the "loss leader" ticket
price, and not buy the overpriced stuff. My waistline and blood numbers thank
me as well as my wallet.


While I realize that this is their right, it is one of those
little things to which I give less credence. So, while yes
this is the establishments self-serving rule, it is not the
same, in my mind, as a law or the breaking of one. You can
play Abe Lincoln, and I will play his kind, but slightly
less virtuous younger sister g

And you want - what - pats on the back for this?


And if the movie theaters don't make a profit, they'll close. That means
that there be fewer jobs for the teens in the area.

Or perhaps they will become more rational with their profit
margins and monopoly tactics.

SHhhhhSSSHHH!!! You're ruining my buying cheaper tickets! Why dont' you come
over to "my side" and get the same deal? Cheaper movie, slimmer bod, feel
like ol' Abe - what a package deal!


There's profit and there's, if you don't like the prices, don't eat in the
movie theater.

And that would be one view, to which I beg to differ. I
enjoy a movie on the big screen but don't like snack rape.
I will find myself a happy medium.

My view is - snack rape is raping your body anyway. So be brave. Go against
the tide! Abstain.

Cheers,
(Honestly) Banty

On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 17:54:45 GMT, "Jeff" wrote:



Cool, teaching kids to sneak things in. Perhaps they will be using those
skills to sneak things past their teachers or past their parents. You're
also teaching them dishonesty. Helpful, with the tax season near.

Oh I just love your enormous leaps of silly logic. Btw, my ds is now
23 and other than what I'd call "typical" sneaking, he's turned out
just fine.

And if the movie theaters don't make a profit, they'll close. That means
that there be fewer jobs for the teens in the area.

Not likely that they'll close due to people bringing in bubble gum
pops or a candy bar. Perhaps those teens can babysit G

There's profit and there's, if you don't like the prices, don't eat in the
movie theater.

No thanks. I don't like the prices and I *will* eat candy that I
bring, thankyouverymuch. And we still buy popcorn and sodas at
exorbitant prices so I'm not costing the theater a penny.

Nan

"Nan" wrote in message
...
Oh, I don't know. There's profit and then there's PROFIT. When my
ds
was younger I'd take him and a friend to the movies a lot. Our
first
stop was the candy aisle at the drugstore where they'd buy candy and
keep it in their coat pockets.
I have no problem with that, and I do take some candy snacks for my
dd
when we go to the movies. She likes lollipops when we watch the
movies (so do I g) and the theater doesn't sell them.

I went googling last night after getting the shocker about how much
movies cost around the country. I found an interesting article that
talks about why tickets and particularly snacks cost so much at the
movies. According to the author (and this was more of a blog than an
authoritative source, though he claims to have 10 years in the
business and to know what he's talking about), 95% or more of the
ticket price goes directly to the studios, so of a $10 ticket, the
theater gets to keep 50 cents or less. Therefore, if you are going to
the movie and not buying snacks, you are basically losing money for
them by taking up that seat.

He said that the snacks are the only thing that keeps the theaters in
business, and that only about 9% of customers even buy any. Even
*with* the high cost of snacks, about half of theaters lose money. If
this is true, it makes you wonder why anyone would want to open a
theater....

But, if this is true, it makes me feel almost obligated to buy
*something* at the concession stand, or if not, at least not to sneak
things in and undercut the only profit margin they have.

Not that I was ever a sneaker anyway -- I wouldn't have had the guts
if for no other reason.

Bizby

bizby40 wrote:

I went googling last night after getting the shocker about how much
movies cost around the country. I found an interesting article that
talks about why tickets and particularly snacks cost so much at the
movies. According to the author (and this was more of a blog than an
authoritative source, though he claims to have 10 years in the
business and to know what he's talking about), 95% or more of the
ticket price goes directly to the studios, so of a $10 ticket, the
theater gets to keep 50 cents or less. Therefore, if you are going to
the movie and not buying snacks, you are basically losing money for
them by taking up that seat.

He said that the snacks are the only thing that keeps the theaters in
business, and that only about 9% of customers even buy any. Even
*with* the high cost of snacks, about half of theaters lose money. If
this is true, it makes you wonder why anyone would want to open a
theater....

But, if this is true, it makes me feel almost obligated to buy
*something* at the concession stand, or if not, at least not to sneak
things in and undercut the only profit margin they have.

Not that I was ever a sneaker anyway -- I wouldn't have had the guts
if for no other reason.

Well, my girls bring a bottle of water for the tap at home
and a granola bar, usually, but it still falls under the
sneaking category, I'm afraid. What they are doing doesn't
incite me to riot, aand I think they are making a specific
point, Jr Anarchists that they are. I do understand Jeff's
logic, however.

I always thought it was a slippery slope, because if they
didn't charge so much, they would probably sell more, and
people would be less inclined to sneak things in. The food
itself is usually comparable in price to most any fast food
type of establishment, it is the candy, popcorn, soda and
water that cost your right arm.

I remember when my girls were younger it really made going
to the movies a fight, because they would lobby relentlessly
for the 'theater snacks', most of which aren't very
healthful, on top of the prices. I would always buy some
popcorn and candy, but generally brought water from home.
--
Ruth

Ericka Kammerer wrote:
bizby40 wrote:

It's my opinion, right or wrong, that the market prices have been
driven up less by the needs or demands of the teens, and more by yuppy
parents who mistakenly think in their own minds that the quality of
service they get corresponds to the amount they pay, and therefore by
paying more, they increase the quality of service.

I don't think that's at all the case around here.
Teens won't work for dirt cheap wages because they have
expenses to deal with (like saving for college), very little
free time (so the opportunity cost of sitting his high), and
they have other options that pay more. So, if you want a
sitter, you'll have to pay what it takes to entice them to
work for you because they have other options.

But can teens get "real" jobs in your area that pay $10-$12/hr or more?
(And offer total flexibility to work when convenient, and NOT work when
not convenient?) Most jobs that hire teens around here are things like
fast food and waiting tables, and those pay minimum wage. (Even most of
the part time jobs on campus, targeted at college students, pay minimum
wage, or slightly above.) I'm sure many teens would rather babysit for
$5 than flip burgers for $6.

When I was a teen (in the mid-to-late 70's) I made $1-$2 hour
babysitting. It seemed fine to me. If I'd gotten a 'real' job, I
probably would have made around $3.50/hr, but wouldn't have had the
flexibility of saying "Sorry, I can't sit tomorrow, I have a school
event to go to", and work would probably have been much less pleasant.
The money I earned provided me with pocket money and let me save a
little towards college.

Naomi

Best wishes,
Ericka