wahoodad
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9 months ago
in noodad » How Much Should You Pay a Babysitter? on Noodad
Hmmm. How often does your daughter babysit for these kids? How old are the girls she babysits? Watching two kids at a pool is a big responsibility...
9 months ago
in noodad » Home Depot (or Lowe’s) Fun and Games on Noodad
To TheBabblingHousewife
As far as me being a party pooper, guilty as charged (at times).
To DavidReynolds
Yes, I'm illustrating a worst-case scenario here, but it's based on facts. I never said that I saw parents and kids bloodied and bandaged coming out of HD on a regular basis AND I said that I go there as many as three times a week.
Being more careful with your kids at Home Depot than at other stores may seem to you "freakin' obvious"; but I've seen kids using the lower lumber racks as forts while dad checks out fence posts, older kids taking advantage of the smooth cement floors on their Heelys (despite the big sign when you walk in that says "NO HEELYS"), and toddlers reaching into cartons of metal new-work electrical boxes. So, I don't think there's any harm in suggesting that people pay a little more attention when they are in a store that has a reputation for being hazardous to customers. Just check out this article, one of the many I found after Googling "Home Depot accidents":
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2003...
Yes, the article is 5 years old, but I haven't noticed any drastic changes at any of the several different Home Depots I've been in over the past ten years.
Again, I go to Home Depot a lot with my boys. Just a few weeks ago we spent almost two hours there selecting some flooring, and we did the whole petting zoo carpet sample thing with our 2 1/2 year old. I'm not avoiding the place even though I know it is dangerous. I also read "Fast Food Nation" and still go to McDonalds, Burger King, etc. Just as I limit my kids' exposure to fast food, I don't feel like limiting their time in what's been called "the most dangerous store in America" based on injuries to customers is such a bad thing.
As far as me being a party pooper, guilty as charged (at times).
To DavidReynolds
Yes, I'm illustrating a worst-case scenario here, but it's based on facts. I never said that I saw parents and kids bloodied and bandaged coming out of HD on a regular basis AND I said that I go there as many as three times a week.
Being more careful with your kids at Home Depot than at other stores may seem to you "freakin' obvious"; but I've seen kids using the lower lumber racks as forts while dad checks out fence posts, older kids taking advantage of the smooth cement floors on their Heelys (despite the big sign when you walk in that says "NO HEELYS"), and toddlers reaching into cartons of metal new-work electrical boxes. So, I don't think there's any harm in suggesting that people pay a little more attention when they are in a store that has a reputation for being hazardous to customers. Just check out this article, one of the many I found after Googling "Home Depot accidents":
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2003...
Yes, the article is 5 years old, but I haven't noticed any drastic changes at any of the several different Home Depots I've been in over the past ten years.
Again, I go to Home Depot a lot with my boys. Just a few weeks ago we spent almost two hours there selecting some flooring, and we did the whole petting zoo carpet sample thing with our 2 1/2 year old. I'm not avoiding the place even though I know it is dangerous. I also read "Fast Food Nation" and still go to McDonalds, Burger King, etc. Just as I limit my kids' exposure to fast food, I don't feel like limiting their time in what's been called "the most dangerous store in America" based on injuries to customers is such a bad thing.
9 months ago
in noodad » Home Depot (or Lowe’s) Fun and Games on Noodad
Home Depot might provide some educational fun, but you better be careful with kids in that place. It is hands down one of the most dangerous places you can bring your kid shopping. From home handymen wheeling around blind corners with heavy metal carts loaded up with anything from cinder blocks to 12 foot pressure treated 2' x 12' boards, to the sometimes careless Jenga-like towers of such things as generators or crates of porcelain tile stacked on the top shelves overhead; injuries in this place, when they happen, can be severe.
'Wahoodad, you over-protective pussy!' you may be thinking. Not so fast. I'm talking about Home Depot in particular because I know people whose quick trip to the garden center for some new shrubs ended with their daughter going to the hospital--and ultimately having plastic surgery--when a wheelbarrow fell from the top shelf and hit her in the face. Fortunately it was a glancing blow and didn't hit her square on the top of her head, or she'd likely be dead.
I also worked with a college-aged kid who took a job at Home Depot. They showed him how to use a forklift for ten minutes out in the back of the store on his second day, and within the hour he was loading things inside the store. He said this kind of 'training' was routine as far as he experienced. He was the first one to tell me--even before I had kids-that he'd never take a kid in there.
'Bull,' you say. 'Isolated incidents.' Not exactly. Before I became a stay-at-home dad I worked in the insurance industry. Home Depot's loss runs for several years came across my desk as part of a proposal. Based on the number of stores and the number of employees, I wasn't surprised at the number of losses--but the severity of the losses and the descriptions of the incidents were absolutely frightening.
All that being said, I'm in Home Depot with kids as much as three times a week. When I'm there, though, I am hyper-vigilant. My kids stay in the cart at all times. I look up at the shelving as I walk down the aisles and I'll take a different route if I see anything that looks a little off-balance or precarious on the upper shelves.
I don't recommend avoiding Home Depot, and I agree that your kid can learn and have fun while you're there; but be a little more cautious and aware if you're in there with your kids. While I don't have any first hand knowledge of incidents at Lowe's, I treat a trip there the same way.
'Wahoodad, you over-protective pussy!' you may be thinking. Not so fast. I'm talking about Home Depot in particular because I know people whose quick trip to the garden center for some new shrubs ended with their daughter going to the hospital--and ultimately having plastic surgery--when a wheelbarrow fell from the top shelf and hit her in the face. Fortunately it was a glancing blow and didn't hit her square on the top of her head, or she'd likely be dead.
I also worked with a college-aged kid who took a job at Home Depot. They showed him how to use a forklift for ten minutes out in the back of the store on his second day, and within the hour he was loading things inside the store. He said this kind of 'training' was routine as far as he experienced. He was the first one to tell me--even before I had kids-that he'd never take a kid in there.
'Bull,' you say. 'Isolated incidents.' Not exactly. Before I became a stay-at-home dad I worked in the insurance industry. Home Depot's loss runs for several years came across my desk as part of a proposal. Based on the number of stores and the number of employees, I wasn't surprised at the number of losses--but the severity of the losses and the descriptions of the incidents were absolutely frightening.
All that being said, I'm in Home Depot with kids as much as three times a week. When I'm there, though, I am hyper-vigilant. My kids stay in the cart at all times. I look up at the shelving as I walk down the aisles and I'll take a different route if I see anything that looks a little off-balance or precarious on the upper shelves.
I don't recommend avoiding Home Depot, and I agree that your kid can learn and have fun while you're there; but be a little more cautious and aware if you're in there with your kids. While I don't have any first hand knowledge of incidents at Lowe's, I treat a trip there the same way.
10 months ago
in noodad » How Much Should You Pay a Babysitter? on Noodad
Thanks for the additional information. The situation is much clearer now, and I'm glad that you told them you are leaving in June. The fact that they made no effort to keep you by offering more money says a lot, and I think they are taking advantage of you. While you watch their kids for $2.50 an hour or less, they are off working overtime to afford a new townhouse. If they bought a house they can't afford without working overtime, that's not your problem.
If you've already told them that you are leaving in June, I suspect that they won't want to give you any more money. Just remember that you hold all the cards here. You can walk away at anytime. They need you more than you need them--no matter how much you care about the kids. You are not being paid enough for what you do for them.
A 3-month notice is also very generous and considerate of you. I think you have every right to tell them you'll work for two more weeks at your current rate, and that if they want you to stay through June they have to double it. It shouldn't cost you $30 a week to make $30 a week.
They are in for a rude awakening when they look for new childcare, and I wouldn't feel the least bit of sympathy for them.
You're in a good position where you are retired and are just making some extra money. You could find another family closer to you to sit for if you still want to care for kids. This time, though, YOU dictate the terms. Find out what is reasonable and fair in your area. The other option is to do an entirely different job in a field that matches up with your hobbies or interests. For example, if you're interested in gardening, go to a local flower shop and see if they need help. That kind of thing.
I wish you the best of luck and hope the feedback helps.
wahoodad
If you've already told them that you are leaving in June, I suspect that they won't want to give you any more money. Just remember that you hold all the cards here. You can walk away at anytime. They need you more than you need them--no matter how much you care about the kids. You are not being paid enough for what you do for them.
A 3-month notice is also very generous and considerate of you. I think you have every right to tell them you'll work for two more weeks at your current rate, and that if they want you to stay through June they have to double it. It shouldn't cost you $30 a week to make $30 a week.
They are in for a rude awakening when they look for new childcare, and I wouldn't feel the least bit of sympathy for them.
You're in a good position where you are retired and are just making some extra money. You could find another family closer to you to sit for if you still want to care for kids. This time, though, YOU dictate the terms. Find out what is reasonable and fair in your area. The other option is to do an entirely different job in a field that matches up with your hobbies or interests. For example, if you're interested in gardening, go to a local flower shop and see if they need help. That kind of thing.
I wish you the best of luck and hope the feedback helps.
wahoodad
10 months ago
in noodad » How Much Should You Pay a Babysitter? on Noodad
Dear OHmy God,
Noodad makes a good point with questioning why you work for this family. If you are doing it out of the goodness of your heart, it's a different matter than if you are truly dependent on this income. If you wouldn't shuttle these kids around and watch them for free, is it really worth your time to do this for $15 a day?
Let's put all the other factors aside and talk just about the monetary aspect. If the parents get home around 6:00 each night, you are working 6 hours per day. You are caring for 3 children--regardless of their level of self-sufficiency--for $2.50 per hour. If you do this 5 days a week for a total of 30 hours, you get $75 per week, or $300 per month.
Assuming you are doing the babysitting for some extra money and not necessarily for any emotional ties or deep friendship, let's look at another job where you could work for some extra money. For argument's sake, cashier at a grocery store. If the store pays minimum wage ($5.85) and you work 30 hours each week, you'd take in about $105 per week after taxes (I took out 40% for taxes). Again, we're talking about a job where you only get MINIMUM wage. A lot of places pay more than that for even the most basic of jobs if you are dependable--at Starbucks and Home Depot I think you are even eligible for BENEFITS if you work 30 hours a week!
So, I think you really have to look at the situation and decide if you want to do what's best for you, or what's best for the family you sit for. If the motivating factor goes beyond your paycheck, I would at least ask them for $25 a day. I based this on 6 hours a day, so if that's wrong just do the math to find your hourly rate and then back into a number with which you are comfortable. If you are doing it for the money, I would ask for even more and be prepared to walk away if they say no to you.
A couple of things jumped out at me from your post. First, you said that they 'allow' you to watch TV and use the computer, which leads me to think that the kids are keeping themselves busy and aren't challenging you to games of Candy Land or Monopoly. That's fine, but it doesn't sound like it's a fulfilling time for you. Next, you say that you pack your own lunch and dinner. If you do this by choice because you only like certain foods, that's one thing. If the parents asked you to bring your own food, that's another story. I would, in fact, find that completely outrageous. Anyone who watches my kids can have anything they can find in my pantry and fridge (no booze, of course), and if they want something different I'll leave money for takeout.
For some reason both parents and babysitters alike don't feel like watching kids is worth a lot of money--but for some reason when you call it "day care" you can get a hell of a lot more (I have friends who pay between $2500-$3000 a month for full-time day care for two children). The same people who leave their houses after hemming and hawing over $8 per hour for babysitting will head right out and drop $50 on a few beers and a couple of plates of rubbery chicken and butter-drenched summer veggies at an Applebee's without a second thought.
Sorry for the long response. There's a lot to think about here. If you're doing this for the money above everything else, either get more or walk away--your services are worth more than $2.50 an hour and life is way too short. If you love the family and the kids adore you and it's a way for you to feel like a surrogate grandmother, still try to get more money.
Finally, keep in mind that I'm in the Boston area where the cost of living is more than in Orlando (I have a cousin who lived there for a while) so my persepctive is a little different. If you need a benchmark for your area, call some babysitters and ask them how much they'd charge for the same services you provide. I think you'll be surprised at the answers.
Noodad makes a good point with questioning why you work for this family. If you are doing it out of the goodness of your heart, it's a different matter than if you are truly dependent on this income. If you wouldn't shuttle these kids around and watch them for free, is it really worth your time to do this for $15 a day?
Let's put all the other factors aside and talk just about the monetary aspect. If the parents get home around 6:00 each night, you are working 6 hours per day. You are caring for 3 children--regardless of their level of self-sufficiency--for $2.50 per hour. If you do this 5 days a week for a total of 30 hours, you get $75 per week, or $300 per month.
Assuming you are doing the babysitting for some extra money and not necessarily for any emotional ties or deep friendship, let's look at another job where you could work for some extra money. For argument's sake, cashier at a grocery store. If the store pays minimum wage ($5.85) and you work 30 hours each week, you'd take in about $105 per week after taxes (I took out 40% for taxes). Again, we're talking about a job where you only get MINIMUM wage. A lot of places pay more than that for even the most basic of jobs if you are dependable--at Starbucks and Home Depot I think you are even eligible for BENEFITS if you work 30 hours a week!
So, I think you really have to look at the situation and decide if you want to do what's best for you, or what's best for the family you sit for. If the motivating factor goes beyond your paycheck, I would at least ask them for $25 a day. I based this on 6 hours a day, so if that's wrong just do the math to find your hourly rate and then back into a number with which you are comfortable. If you are doing it for the money, I would ask for even more and be prepared to walk away if they say no to you.
A couple of things jumped out at me from your post. First, you said that they 'allow' you to watch TV and use the computer, which leads me to think that the kids are keeping themselves busy and aren't challenging you to games of Candy Land or Monopoly. That's fine, but it doesn't sound like it's a fulfilling time for you. Next, you say that you pack your own lunch and dinner. If you do this by choice because you only like certain foods, that's one thing. If the parents asked you to bring your own food, that's another story. I would, in fact, find that completely outrageous. Anyone who watches my kids can have anything they can find in my pantry and fridge (no booze, of course), and if they want something different I'll leave money for takeout.
For some reason both parents and babysitters alike don't feel like watching kids is worth a lot of money--but for some reason when you call it "day care" you can get a hell of a lot more (I have friends who pay between $2500-$3000 a month for full-time day care for two children). The same people who leave their houses after hemming and hawing over $8 per hour for babysitting will head right out and drop $50 on a few beers and a couple of plates of rubbery chicken and butter-drenched summer veggies at an Applebee's without a second thought.
Sorry for the long response. There's a lot to think about here. If you're doing this for the money above everything else, either get more or walk away--your services are worth more than $2.50 an hour and life is way too short. If you love the family and the kids adore you and it's a way for you to feel like a surrogate grandmother, still try to get more money.
Finally, keep in mind that I'm in the Boston area where the cost of living is more than in Orlando (I have a cousin who lived there for a while) so my persepctive is a little different. If you need a benchmark for your area, call some babysitters and ask them how much they'd charge for the same services you provide. I think you'll be surprised at the answers.
10 months ago
in noodad » How Much Should You Pay a Babysitter? on Noodad
Sunflower Gurl,
PLEASE tell us that you get $15 an hour for 9 hours a day totaling $135 and not $15 for the whole day. $15 per 9-hour day for 4 kids equals 41 cents per hour per kid. I'm also guessing that you might do your babysitting on the weekends only. Either that or you're going to school and working until midnight or later.
If that is what you're getting paid it isn't nearly enough. Granted, these kids are older now and mostly self-sufficient, but there are 4 of them. You may have put yourself in a tough spot. This family hired you when you were 12, and now their oldest is 12. They might feel that he is old enough to watch his siblings and that costs them nothing.
Finally, you don't have to LET her pay you the right amount. Do a little research with friends and/or parents with younger kids and ask them how much they pay their babysitters. Figure out what is fair in your mind and ask for it. Unless you're doing this for charitable reasons, you need to ask for an appropriate rate. As you get older, your expenses go up. If you have your license $15 will get you about 4 gallons of gas, for example. $15 will get you a ticket to a movie and maybe a small soda, but not much else.
Of course you have to take into account your relationship with the family, but I'm sure there are lots of folks in your community who would pay an appropriate rate for a dependable babysitter.
Let us know more details about when and how often you babysit these kids.
PLEASE tell us that you get $15 an hour for 9 hours a day totaling $135 and not $15 for the whole day. $15 per 9-hour day for 4 kids equals 41 cents per hour per kid. I'm also guessing that you might do your babysitting on the weekends only. Either that or you're going to school and working until midnight or later.
If that is what you're getting paid it isn't nearly enough. Granted, these kids are older now and mostly self-sufficient, but there are 4 of them. You may have put yourself in a tough spot. This family hired you when you were 12, and now their oldest is 12. They might feel that he is old enough to watch his siblings and that costs them nothing.
Finally, you don't have to LET her pay you the right amount. Do a little research with friends and/or parents with younger kids and ask them how much they pay their babysitters. Figure out what is fair in your mind and ask for it. Unless you're doing this for charitable reasons, you need to ask for an appropriate rate. As you get older, your expenses go up. If you have your license $15 will get you about 4 gallons of gas, for example. $15 will get you a ticket to a movie and maybe a small soda, but not much else.
Of course you have to take into account your relationship with the family, but I'm sure there are lots of folks in your community who would pay an appropriate rate for a dependable babysitter.
Let us know more details about when and how often you babysit these kids.
10 months ago
in noodad » How Much Should You Pay a Babysitter? on Noodad
Islandgurl,
It seems that babysitting rates vary like all other expenses depending upon where you live. I'm in the Boston area and pay $10 an hour for 2 kids (7 and 2 1/2). I'm a stay-at-home dad, so I use a babysitter to get things done during the week that I can't do with the kids underfoot or I run errands that are easier without the kids. That means that I'm home during the babysitting a lot of the time.
I also have a regular schedule with my babysitter (2 days a week for 3 hour each time when she gets out of school), so that's a factor. I also always round up, because she is great with my boys and I don't mind paying more to keep her loyal to my family if it is us or someone else asking for a particular night or day.
You have to think about some of these things for your 8 hour adventure with the 10 month old twins. Is this going to be a regular gig for you? Are the parents just going out to a wedding or some other event for one day? How much experience do you have?
If it is a one-time thing, I'd ask for $100 for the day. You are going to have your hands full. It's one thing to babysit two kids that can fend for themselves (somewhat) and express to you what they want and need; but handling two kids still in their first year deserves a little extra combat pay.
I hope this helps. If you want to let us know a little more about this situation (one-time deal or trying for a regular babysitting job, where you live, your relationship to the family, your age (or just if you're a student or an adult), etc.), we can give you a less general answer.
Good luck!
wahoodad
It seems that babysitting rates vary like all other expenses depending upon where you live. I'm in the Boston area and pay $10 an hour for 2 kids (7 and 2 1/2). I'm a stay-at-home dad, so I use a babysitter to get things done during the week that I can't do with the kids underfoot or I run errands that are easier without the kids. That means that I'm home during the babysitting a lot of the time.
I also have a regular schedule with my babysitter (2 days a week for 3 hour each time when she gets out of school), so that's a factor. I also always round up, because she is great with my boys and I don't mind paying more to keep her loyal to my family if it is us or someone else asking for a particular night or day.
You have to think about some of these things for your 8 hour adventure with the 10 month old twins. Is this going to be a regular gig for you? Are the parents just going out to a wedding or some other event for one day? How much experience do you have?
If it is a one-time thing, I'd ask for $100 for the day. You are going to have your hands full. It's one thing to babysit two kids that can fend for themselves (somewhat) and express to you what they want and need; but handling two kids still in their first year deserves a little extra combat pay.
I hope this helps. If you want to let us know a little more about this situation (one-time deal or trying for a regular babysitting job, where you live, your relationship to the family, your age (or just if you're a student or an adult), etc.), we can give you a less general answer.
Good luck!
wahoodad
11 months ago
in noodad » The Wii Sucks and You Know It on Noodad
The last game system I owned prior to the Wii was the Atari 2600. Never got into gaming as a "grown up". I guess I'm just an old fart because even watching those shooting games gives me a headache. As one of those non-gaming people, I enjoy the Wii. I could see the sports games that come with it getting old, but it is fun for the kids. I get a big kick of watching my two-year-old pick up the remote and nunchuk and trying to box. Waiting for all the safety warnings is a pain in the ass, though.
11 months ago
in noodad » I Wonder What the Teacher Thought on Noodad
#4 is supposed to be a spoon. "Home Link" is just the name of the math curriculum--practical use of math concepts at home. He does get "homework" as well.
11 months ago
in noodad » Starbucks Will Save Our Kids! on Noodad
I did a little research, and saw that the average daily caffeine intake for kids is around 38mg (adults take in about 200mg per day, although mine is much higher than that!). So, the consolation prize for the tweens was double the daily average. A Red Bull would have done the same thing at 80mg per can. Provided the tweens didn't add any sugar to their lattes, this might have been the best choice. I think the sugar content in those drinks is the bigger issue.
Funny Red Bull story. I have a friend who doesn't drink and he was at a bar in Vegas with a bunch of guys who were getting plowed. The bartender fed them beers and shots to their hearts' content. When my friend asked for a second Red Bull, though, she gave him a funny look and asked him if he was sure because he'd already had one. "Do you know what that stuff does to your kidneys?" she asked. He just pointed to his group of friends and said, "You don't seem to be too concerned about their livers. Get me the Red Bull."
Funny Red Bull story. I have a friend who doesn't drink and he was at a bar in Vegas with a bunch of guys who were getting plowed. The bartender fed them beers and shots to their hearts' content. When my friend asked for a second Red Bull, though, she gave him a funny look and asked him if he was sure because he'd already had one. "Do you know what that stuff does to your kidneys?" she asked. He just pointed to his group of friends and said, "You don't seem to be too concerned about their livers. Get me the Red Bull."
11 months ago
in noodad » Pampers Wipes: A Conspiracy Theory on Noodad
This wouldn't surprise me at all. I had similar thoughts about the contact lens industry. The wells in the contact lens cases have nearly doubled in capacity since I started wearing contacts over 20 years ago. Out of habit I kept filling up the wells and started going through solution much faster.
1 year ago
in noodad » Dad-Author Looking for Input from Other Dads on Noodad
I did the survey and checked out the site. Looks like we cover a lot of the same ground here at noodad.com.
1 year ago
in noodad » Noodad’s Snowblower Etiquette on Noodad
I love the idea of a snowblower but I've resisted so far. I can't justify the garage space for something I'd only use a few times a year. I'm also not that skilled when it comes to machinery, engines, etc. I know it sounds trite, but I also enjoy the exercise. I was out last night from 6:30-8:00 and got to spend some time chatting with a neighbor I hadn't spoken to in a while when I needed to take a breather.
That being said, I don't refuse any help from neighbors when they offer to use their snowblower to clear my driveway. I offer gas money, they refuse, and we send over some cookies or beer instead.
I think snowblower owners also have a lot of social pressure on them, too. I mean, if you have a ride-on mower your neighbors don't expect you to mow their lawn because they only have a push mower; but I think some neighbors might feel a little jaded if you don't offer to help them with the white stuff--especially that heavy snowplowed stuff at the end of the driveway.
Snowblower owners must realize that there's power beyond the machine's engine. You can bank serious goodwill from your neighbors as the neighborhood 'snow angel', especially if you like getting out there with the machine. Your neighbors will not forget it.
That being said, I don't refuse any help from neighbors when they offer to use their snowblower to clear my driveway. I offer gas money, they refuse, and we send over some cookies or beer instead.
I think snowblower owners also have a lot of social pressure on them, too. I mean, if you have a ride-on mower your neighbors don't expect you to mow their lawn because they only have a push mower; but I think some neighbors might feel a little jaded if you don't offer to help them with the white stuff--especially that heavy snowplowed stuff at the end of the driveway.
Snowblower owners must realize that there's power beyond the machine's engine. You can bank serious goodwill from your neighbors as the neighborhood 'snow angel', especially if you like getting out there with the machine. Your neighbors will not forget it.