You guys, the clock is ticking and pretty soon I'm going to need to get a J-O-B. You have no idea how that word sends chills through my spine.
I think that I started 'working' back when I was around 14 years old. Babysitting all the neighborhood youngsters. A little secret that I'll share with you just because I'm a whole lot older now is that when I would babysit the kids up until around midnight (sometimes as late as 1am!) I was scared out of my whits as soon as the sun would sit beyond the horizon. I just kept thinking of Guess jeans and fifty dollars, Guess jeans and fifty dollars, Guess jeans and fifty dollars. Over and over again. And the walk home at 1am was just as horrifying. It was an extremely short walk and the adults would always walk me to the point where they could see my parents home but I was still frightened because it was dark outside you guys! My parents lived way out in the country in the middle of nowhere.
As soon as I was old enough to be legally employed, I started working in a fast food joint and on my days off I would still babysit. Then once I graduated high school, I worked as a DJ at a small market radio station along with a movie theater and at a fast food joint. After awhile I quit the DJ and fast food job to work as a teachers assistant (did I mention I was a full time student in the local college all at the same time?)
And eventually I quit both jobs and moved up to the big city to attend a 'big' university and that's when I started substitute teaching. Then I eventually graduated college and couldn't find a 'real' job so I just did some work as a teachers assistant but that didn't really work for me so I ended up working as a math coach (bawahahaha!!) while I was pregnant with Isabella and as soon as I popped her out of my girly bits I thought a minimum wage job just isn't worth leaving her in the care of someone else. The school who had employed me as a math coach called me before school started the following year to ask me to come back as a math coach (bwahahahahha!!) but I told them that I was planning on staying home until she was in school.
Then Joey came along and plans were pushed back a couple of years. But this fall, Joey, will be in school and I'll need to do something. If money wasn't so tight, I'd just be room mom for both of the kids classrooms. BUT that isn't the case. We are barely treading the very rough waters of financial security and I still owe about $12,000 in student loans (OUCH!) and we both need new cars. They are about 12 years old and each have well over 100,000 miles on them. Yikes!
My big idea was to start babysitting a child, maybe two children. I could still clean the house, fix meals, go to the park, run errands, go to the library for story time, etc. . .with a couple of kids hanging around me the majority of the day. I mean that's what I've been doing for the past *counts on fingers* few years, right?!
Most people around here charge around $20-$30 per day for childcare in the home. From what I understand the lower end babysitters only provide supervision. Parents bring food/snacks and such. The upper end takes the kids out in the community to parks and playgrounds and bookstores and teaches something throughout the day. Bingo! That's what I'd do naturally!
So after the first year of watching just one or two, I could double my clientele and my salary!! And I'm thinking that's about it on what I'd take in because four kids would outnumber me and that's about as much as I'd be willing to try. So if I'd charge $30 per day times four kids (that second year) that's about $120 per day which is $600 per week!!!
In all of my live long life, I have never, ever made $500 per week. The most I've ever made was about $800 per MONTH!!
So yeah, I really want to babysit. Getting paid for doing what I'm doing now, except with the children of other people. Sounds like a win win to me.
For some reason Kevin thinks I should get a 'real job'. I think he wants me to be sad and unhappy with a job that is not fulfilling. He keeps saying how hard it would be to babysit (huh? It's called pretending to be mommy, kinda. I've been doing this for a really long time now.)
What are the pros and cons of babysitting?
What are the pros and cons of a 'real job'?
Keep in mind I do have a bachelor of science in elementary education that has gone completely unused in my professional life. This area graduates THOUSANDS of teachers each semester and only a few hundred jobs open up each year. For each job opening in the elementary area there are thousands of resumes sent in. I know I do not want to teach anymore. Takes way too much time and commitment. If you think that teachers work from 8-3 on M-F you are oh so wrong. Think Sun-Sat as soon as you wake up until the wee hours of the night. (Not all the time but a lot of the time)
I also think I'm unemployable because I have been at home for the past 7 years. So for me I think babysitting is the way to go.
I think that's a great idea! You have so much experience that it sounds perfect. I miss working too. I used to make between $700 and $800/week working as a waitress part time before I had my son. My hourly wage was only $2.65 per hour but the tips more than made up for that. I love being able to stay home with my son and I didn't have to miss any milestones like so many working moms and dads do but I sure miss bringing home the bacon and having a financial cushion. There's no cushion anymore, just rock hard cement. I'm looking forward to getting back to work when my son starts school this fall. I hope I still remember how to function out there in the world after four years in here. Yikes! :)
ReplyDeleteI would not say you are unemployable! Think of the management skills you have honed during the last 7 years! Not to mention creativity, flexibility...lots of skills! I'll tell you that around here, you would have people, especially teachers, clamoring for your service. I wish I had been able to find someone like you when my daughter was in daycare!
ReplyDeleteAt home childcare was the only thing I looked at when my daughter was born. Luckily we worked it out where my husband actually stayed home with her and I worked so we didn't need it. At least in our state, you can charge more if you are officially licensed by the state.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, you are not unemployable. Those kids that are coming out of school don't know anything but books are are waaaay to eager to prove themselves. You are miles ahead of them. Miles!
ReplyDeleteI think that you should go with babysitting, but if you need to lower the price a little, that would still be awesome money making!
ReplyDeleteGUESS jeans! Haha :)
ReplyDeleteI feel you on the student loan debt and car situation. I've never met you in person, but you are seem very outgoing. Could you work in a Dr's office... School nurse secretary... Bus driver (ha!)....
I'm just trying to think of what you could do in order to be home when the kiddos are home.
Subbing?! You only need 60 college hours to get certified (and you're beyond that). Plus, you can pick and choose when you work around Joey's appointments.
Subbing is a great idea!
DeleteWhat does Kevin do? I feel like it's IT something or other...or am I totally off base?
ReplyDeleteDoes he do something with numbers? I remember that from a previous post.
ReplyDeleteI think babysitting would be great. If your kids are sick you will be home. Taking off work for a ill child is really hard.
ReplyDeleteYeah Karen, I really, really want to do babysitting...but how do I get started?
DeleteDo you know how to do it? I thought you did it awhile ago. Just find kids at your church etc.
DeleteHey! Haven't been by in a while.
ReplyDeleteSo this freaks me out because someday, I'll need to go back to work as well. Unless I pop out another kid....Hmmmm.
I was an editor and still do it freelance. But honestly, the thought of going back to an office with clients and deadlines and all that red tape makes me cringe. I have thought about subbing. Have you?
Other than that, babysitting seems like a great way to make money. I guess a couple of things I think of are 1) If you get sick, you leave people hanging; 2) Dealing with someone else's kid's tantrums and whining in your own home sounds kind of rough. I don't know.