It was early spring and I was deep in the throes of motherhood. Potty training a preschooler and nursing my six-month old left little time for hobbies, friends or chores. Even showering seemed like a difficult daily task! That morning, I ventured out to the mailbox and found a folded sheet of computer paper. Scrawled across the paper in purple magic marker was this message:
Mother’s Helper Available
$2 hour. Sorry, no Sundays!
–Hannah
There was no other information, but I knew that Hannah lived down the street and was about eleven years old. I rejoiced at my good fortune, and my love affair with mothers’ helpers began.
Four years and another baby later, I still love inviting pre-teens into my home for some in-house babysitting. A great helper is usually eager to earn money and not distracted by a cell phone and social life. These babysitters-in-training still straddle the line between kid and teenager, making them great playmates!
Here’s some guidelines to see if a mother’s helper would benefit your family:
You might like a helper if:
• You have things around the house you’d like to do without the children underfoot.
• You are preparing to entertain or just need to serve a hot dinner for once.
• You often lament, “If only I had more than two hands!”
• You would love one hour to get things done, but don’t like using the TV or computer as a babysitter.
• You need a shower as badly as I did!
Tips:
• Be willing to invest some time and patience in training. For most, this will be their first moneymaking venture, and you will set the tone for that experience.
• Start small. I’ve invited a helper over for about an hour, and then work up from there.
• Take it Easy. Get one child to engage, even if the younger ones stay with you. Invite your helper over to play with the preschooler while the baby naps. Have her take the kids for a walk around the block while you start dinner or answer email.
• Make no assumptions. For most helpers, this is their first real babysitting job. Show them how to do things, and then encourage their good work: “little Johnny takes a cup of juice after his nap, and then I change his diaper. Why don’t you come over here and I’ll show you how I usually do it.”
• Train them well. Teach them to be a great sitter. Encourage them to help the children put toys away after they play, wipe counters after snack, and play games or do projects with the kids.
• Pay them accordingly. Hannah was a steal for me at $2 an hour and eleven years old. I increased her pay over time and as she was able to work independently with the children. It may be helpful to talk with the pre-teen’s parent about appropriate pay. Most of my helpers have ranged from $4-6/hour.
That magic-marker note started a relationship that endures today. Hannah is now our regular babysitter. The children adore her and I trust her completely—after all, I’ve seen her “in-training!” I’ve got a new mother’s helper who pops over for playtime so I can clean the house, catch up on paperwork or grab that coveted shower. Keep on the lookout for a potential helper…you’ll be glad you did!
