How much to pay Babysitter for three kids

Jeff wrote:
"bizby40" wrote in message
...

"Jeff" wrote in message
news:eaDhh.4272$od6.4026@trnddc04...

"bizby40" wrote in message
...
Yeah, considering how big the movie industry is, if it were so simple to
increase their revenues, I'm sure they would have done it already.

And that is not true of what industry?

This statement is coming across as somewhat aggressive -- as though you
think you are arguing with me about something. If so, I can't imagine
what. I would expect most all industries to try to maximize revenues this
way. I have no way of knowing if anything in the world is "optimally
priced."

I just meant that every industry is trying to make as much as they can. I
mean, Ford would sell Taurus (Tauri?) at $1,000,000 if they could. Coke
would charge $10/can if they could. The grocery store would sell bread at
$100/loaf. Gas would be over $2.00/gallon. Electicity would $1000/MWhr. And
babtsitters would get $1000/hr + dinner.

And that pay phone (?) would say, "please deposit $1M for the next 3
minutes..."

Caledonia

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
. ..
You're assuming that $10+/hour means that business
drops off. That's not necessarily a correct assumption.
Around here, every teen I know who wants to babysit is
booked to the max at those rates. In fact, parents
jealously hoard babysitters trying to keep them available
for when they want to go out ;-) So, while it may not be
all that equitable a solution for all families, it's
certainly not the case that an unwillingness to pay by
the parents is resulting in a lack of babysitting jobs.

I'm tired of the conversation. All I know is that my parents could
afford to go out on a regular basis, and to non-special events such as
their monthly card game. The people we know now do not socialize
without their kids. They use their very few nights away from the kids
as "date time" to spend together. Something is wrong with a system
where adults cannot afford to get together sans kids.

Bizby

"bizby40" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...
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.

Thank you! This is what I've been trying to say. Baby-sitting is a
win-win because it offers teens easy convenient money, and parents and
affordable way to go out. When the rates rise to the extent that most
parents can't afford them, or are unwilling to pay them on a regular
basis, then everyone loses. The parents lose because they don't get
as much quality time with their spouse to keep their marriage happy,
the teens lose because the babysitting jobs aren't there anymore, and
even the parents willing to pay lose, because with less sitters out
there, the chances of finding an experienced, available sitter when
you want one decreases.

I think this depends entirely on the area. As I mentioned before my 12 year
old has been working at her barn for over a year now, and gets $6 an hour,
with no taxes taken out. She's willing to hang around the barn and play
with horses for free, so getting paid is gravy. My 17 year old just doesn't
like babysitting, doesn't have time and doesn't need the money. Her friends
have been getting jobs at places like Starbucks, that do pay wages starting
at $10 an hour, and have additional perks like free drinks and snacks during
their shift, discounts on anything in the store (and in the case of her mall
friends, big discounts on clothes). They have really convienent hours that
have a beginning AND an ending (not the we'll be home between 10 and
midnight...) Since these places close by 9pm they still can make parties.
They can talk to peers as part of their job! And it's a job they can put on
resumes or college apps.

As for babysitting, it's gotten to be less of a plum job over the years.
When I babysat I could put the kids to bed and do my homework or watch TV.
Well, now much of their homework is online. So unless they have a wireless
lap top, and are working in a home with a wireless network, they can't
finish their homework while on the job. As for TV, most of the kids, just
like most adults, don't just sit in front of the TV and watch whatevers on,
they go through their Tivo'd shows. While babysitting the home probably
doesn't have their Tivo'd shows, so they aren't able to sit back and blow
through their backlog of shows. (Though I do know one family that does Tivo
their favorite babysitter's shows as a perk...) So babysitting is long
hours where they just feel like they are getting farther and farther behind.
They are looking to be paid for this time they are losing, because they are
losing it, and can't be a productive as babysitters were years ago when all
your homework fit in your backpack and any TV had your shows on it. What
you really need is a situation like my 12 year old and the horse barn, you
need teens that love being there and hanging out, and getting paid is just
gravy. Then you can get away with paying less than other options, instead
of more.

bizby40 wrote:
"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
. ..
You're assuming that $10+/hour means that business
drops off. That's not necessarily a correct assumption.
Around here, every teen I know who wants to babysit is
booked to the max at those rates. In fact, parents
jealously hoard babysitters trying to keep them available
for when they want to go out ;-) So, while it may not be
all that equitable a solution for all families, it's
certainly not the case that an unwillingness to pay by
the parents is resulting in a lack of babysitting jobs.

I'm tired of the conversation. All I know is that my parents could
afford to go out on a regular basis, and to non-special events such as
their monthly card game. The people we know now do not socialize
without their kids. They use their very few nights away from the kids
as "date time" to spend together. Something is wrong with a system
where adults cannot afford to get together sans kids.

Things may be different in your neck of the
woods, but here, the folks who are not going out are
choosing that because they don't trust anyone else to
watch their kids or they prefer not to go out without
their kids--and there are a *lot* of those folks.
Those for whom babysitting rates are too expensive
find other ways to go out, like forming babysitting
co-ops or trading with friends. The only times we've
had trouble are those few nights that a whole lot of
people are going out sans kids (e.g., New Year's Eve).
Valentine's Day might be an issue too, but our church
youth group does a babysitting fundraiser the Saturday
nearest Valentine's Day (but even there we pay something
like $35 for the three kids for 6-10pm, though that's
less than we'd likely owe if we used a babysitter).
Personally, I prefer the babysitting co-op anyway.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"bizby40" wrote in message
...

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
. ..
You're assuming that $10+/hour means that business
drops off. That's not necessarily a correct assumption.
Around here, every teen I know who wants to babysit is
booked to the max at those rates. In fact, parents
jealously hoard babysitters trying to keep them available
for when they want to go out ;-) So, while it may not be
all that equitable a solution for all families, it's
certainly not the case that an unwillingness to pay by
the parents is resulting in a lack of babysitting jobs.

I'm tired of the conversation. All I know is that my parents could afford
to go out on a regular basis, and to non-special events such as their
monthly card game. The people we know now do not socialize without their
kids. They use their very few nights away from the kids as "date time" to
spend together. Something is wrong with a system where adults cannot
afford to get together sans kids.

It sounds like you need to get to know new people, who like to get together
without kids.

Is it that the adults can't afford to get together without the kids or the
adults choose not to get together without the kids? I would argue that the
adults choose to spend money on other things.

If it were a priority for the adults you get together with to do so
without kids, it would be happening.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong. Apparently the people you go out
with want their kids around. That is wonderful. You also want other things.
That's fine, too. Let your friends get together with all their families, and
every now and then, do something else with other people.

I know it is not as easy as I make it sound, but, I bet you can find these
other people. Perhaps they don't even have kids.

Jeff

Bizby

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...

Personally, I prefer the babysitting co-op anyway.

Best wishes,
Ericka

I heart my babysitting co-op.

JennP.

"Cathy Kearns" wrote in message
et...
As for TV, most of the kids, just
like most adults, don't just sit in front of the TV and watch
whatevers on,
they go through their Tivo'd shows. While babysitting the home
probably
doesn't have their Tivo'd shows, so they aren't able to sit back and
blow
through their backlog of shows. (Though I do know one family that
does Tivo
their favorite babysitter's shows as a perk...)

OMG -- 76 channels, and they can't find anything to watch unless their
favorite shows have been TIVO'd?!! Wah, wah, wah.

Bizby

"bizby40" wrote in
:


"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
. ..
You're assuming that $10+/hour means that business
drops off. That's not necessarily a correct assumption.
Around here, every teen I know who wants to babysit is
booked to the max at those rates. In fact, parents
jealously hoard babysitters trying to keep them available
for when they want to go out ;-) So, while it may not be
all that equitable a solution for all families, it's
certainly not the case that an unwillingness to pay by
the parents is resulting in a lack of babysitting jobs.

I'm tired of the conversation. All I know is that my
parents could afford to go out on a regular basis, and to
non-special events such as their monthly card game. The
people we know now do not socialize without their kids.
They use their very few nights away from the kids as "date
time" to spend together. Something is wrong with a system
where adults cannot afford to get together sans kids.

i don't know how old you are. i'm 52. when i was babysitting
in the late 60s i got 75 cents-$1.00 per hour, depending on
number & ages of kids (that was for night sitting). i
generally was *not* left soda & snacks by my clients.
while that sounds horribly cheap now, minimum wage at the
time was around 90 cents- $1.10/hour.
certainly current federal minimum wage is only $5.15/hour,
but in most states that's well below a *living* wage (in NH
you'd fall under poverty guidelines if you were a single
person earning less than $11/hour). so it seems silly &
counterproductive to expect a teen to babysit for way less
than they could get at a real part time job.
for myself, i'd just be happy if i could find a teen that
would consider sitting. i know exactly *one* & she lives 28
miles away.
lee i also did full day sitting for 3 kids, 6,5 & 2, 7:30am-
5pm for $125/week. that was an outrageous amount of money
then


--
Question with boldness even the existence of god; because if
there be
one, he must more approve the homage of reason than that of
blindfolded
fear. - Thomas Jefferson

"bizby40" wrote in
:


"Cathy Kearns" wrote in message
et...
As for TV, most of the kids, just
like most adults, don't just sit in front of the TV and
watch whatevers on,
they go through their Tivo'd shows. While babysitting the
home probably
doesn't have their Tivo'd shows, so they aren't able to
sit back and blow
through their backlog of shows. (Though I do know one
family that does Tivo
their favorite babysitter's shows as a perk...)

OMG -- 76 channels, and they can't find anything to watch
unless their favorite shows have been TIVO'd?!! Wah, wah,
wah.

i have satellite, it has more than 76 channels, but i never
watch because there's nothing worth wasting my time with.
nothing even worth background noise for knitting or beading
even.
besides, you're blowing right by the point about not being
able to do homework while sitting & focussing on the 'fun
perk'.
lee
--
Question with boldness even the existence of god; because if
there be
one, he must more approve the homage of reason than that of
blindfolded
fear. - Thomas Jefferson

On Mon, 18 Dec 2006 23:03:20 -0500, Ericka Kammerer
wrote:


Things may be different in your neck of the
woods, but here, the folks who are not going out are
choosing that because they don't trust anyone else to
watch their kids or they prefer not to go out without
their kids--and there are a *lot* of those folks.

When I was young (I'm 43) my parents went out quite a bit. My mom was
heavily involved in her Sorority and as PTA President so there were
always social functions. Then there were the get-togethers with other
couples in the neighborhood, although we were generally allowed to be
in the house alone since mom and dad were just across the street or
alley at the neighbor's house. So we had babysitters pretty
frequently.

I'm finding that lots of parents just don't want to socialize sans
kids. When we socialize, the kids go with us. I think it's more that
society has changed in this manner, than it being because people can't
afford a sitter.

Nan