Comments on: Babysitter’s Club

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:49:09 +0000

I think you’re on the right track here. Payment for those times in which you would be paying someone else to do the job, as well as asking versus assuming seem to be the keys. I’m watching and learning since DS is 10 and DD is not quite two. A few more years and I’m hoping to find that good balance as well. Kudos to LilZ for a job well done!

By: lynne

lynne — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:14:52 +0000

P.s. My nephews are almost all grown up now. Nephew number one (eldest one) came to visit this weekend with his lovely girlfriend. It was awesome spending time with them both and I was reminded how lucky I was to spend so much time with him when we were both younger and formed a relationship, as after I graduated college and got a job I wasn’t around as much as I would have liked (we live in different cities). Having that time together meant we are still comfortable which each other.

By: lynne

lynne — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:10:04 +0000

I used to baby sit my sisters kids very regularly when I was Lilz’s age. I didn’t get paid, and I didn’t mind it as usually I was staying at her place and she was feeding me, but my sister used to reward me occasionally with a small item of clothing or a visit somewhere. I don’t think its weird that teenage boy baby sits his brothers and sisters. Kind of natural I would have thought?

By: Devilish Southern Belle

Devilish Southern Belle — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:53:13 +0000

I have no suggestions as far as setting a pay rate or when & how to implement it, but wanted to chime in about the folks looking at you like you’ve sprouted a third eyeball when you tell them your BOY babysits. I don’t really know why people would consider that weird, but they do. My oldest son is much better with children than I am, and I think he’d be a wonderful and fun babysitter.

By: bee

bee — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:21:15 +0000

LilZ is awesome.

I babysat for my brother growing up, and any time my parents left me alone with him at the house, they paid me. Whenever they stayed at home and just had me watch him, it was considered a chore. The rule was that if they would’ve hired a babysitter (like nights they went on dates), I would get paid, because I was working for them like any other responsible teenager. I just HAPPENED to be babysitting kids I was related to.

LilZ is the kind of brother and son anybody would want to have. Its so cool to see a blog where a mom gets to spend more time complimenting than complaining, especially about a teenage boy! Props to LilZ :]

By: Rachael

Rachael — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:10:52 +0000

I don’t have direct experience in this situation, but I think you are on the right track. My basic opinion is that if you were going to hire a babysitter anyway, you should pay him. If it’s just watching them so you can run to the store, or make dinner, or have an hour to do whatever, that’s part of helping. But if it’s watching the kids all day, or for more than a couple of hours in the evening I think it’s reasonable to pay him.

I’m with Alias Mother too, I CANNOT STAND when dads (or moms) say they have to ‘babysit’ their kids. It’s called being a parent. Sheesh.

By: Irismama

Irismama — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:40:58 +0000

I agree with the above comments – ask LilZ what he thinks, ask him to babysit when it is more a job-type-thing (don’t just assume he will), etc. As a single mom, I would love to find a male sitter for my daughter so she could spend some time around a caring male.

The canyon hike story made me feel ill. If that was me, I would have sat on a rock and cried and refused to move. And I probably would have died. You are crazy and amazing for making it back to the top. Please don’t do that again, K? Srlsy.

By: Darcey

Darcey — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:39:53 +0000

Yep, have to agree that one of the big things, before money comes into the picture is ASKING and not ASSUMING. That was a big issue with my folks and me — being 10 years older than my sis, I was (like others have mentioned) the built-in babysitter. It was always the understood that I was the one to be home with my sister when M & D wanted to go out; I picked her up from school and helped with homework and started dinner and laundry; I spent my summers watching her while M & D worked. It was never “if I didn’t have any other plans,” it was “you’ll have to change/cancel your plans” which led to a lot of resentment. (Which my parents will never admit that maybe they put a bit too much burden on me… and wonder why I still treat my sister as my own child, sometimes.)

Anywho – yes, if you would otherwise hire a babysitter in that situation, then LilZ deserves payment. It doesn’t always have to be monetary; sometimes, for shorter things like Saturday morning errands or a little while after school, letting him decide what restaurant to go to for dinner, or input on bedtime, picking the next movie, etc. can also be just as rewarding as the cash.

Oh! And offer to help him set up a saving account at the bank, if he doesn’t already have one — the earlier, the better!

By: Fraulein N

Fraulein N — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:07:47 +0000

I think it’s great you pay LilZ for going above and beyond the call of duty. I’d actually wondered if he ever babysat for you, as he certainly seems mature enough to handle it. How stupid that people think it’s weird or special because he’s a boy.

And yes, dads taking care of their kids? NOT babysitting. That burns my ass too.

By: steff

steff — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:59:03 +0000

My 12 year old son baby sat his 6 year old brother while my husband and I went out to dinner with friends. Just once so far. We paid him and we told him he is in charge and is being paid to keep his brother entertained and safe.