One More Day

[disneysteve]

I just don't think all jobs are fun. The fun jobs are the ones you'd do on your own whether you get paid for not. The rest of the jobs people only do when they get paid. And babysitting other people's babies is of the latter.

Just because you don't think a job is fun doesn't mean others feel the same way.

I'd say babysitting/nanny/au pair is a perfect example. Nobody would do that just for the money. You have to love being with kids. You have to have that passion. If you don't, you're going to be a pretty awful babysitter and not last long at the job.

Do you really feel that the person you employ is only doing it for the paycheck? If so, how could you be comfortable leaving your kids with that person?

[sv2007]

Just because you don't think a job is fun doesn't mean others feel the same way.

I'd say babysitting/nanny/au pair is a perfect example. Nobody would do that just for the money. You have to love being with kids. You have to have that passion. If you don't, you're going to be a pretty awful babysitter and not last long at the job.

Do you really feel that the person you employ is only doing it for the paycheck? If so, how could you be comfortable leaving your kids with that person?

Here, we have a difference in opinion.

But, let me put it in this question to folks: "Would you watch somebody's baby (not a friend, not family, just some stranger) alone for no pay? Be responsible to pick them up at school and take them to practices, day after day? " I guess if somebody answers "sure, I love doing that for $0", I'd personally be really suspicious and would suspect a thing or 2 about that person.

Equating loving kids and loving babysitting It isn't the norm for most people.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Your babysitter who works 35 hours per week at $25/hour is making almost $44,000 per year, probably close to what she was making as a teacher, but with no after-hours grading and lesson planning, no fund-raising to coordinate in the classroom, no complicated discipline issues, no parent teacher conferences, no staff development weekends, no summers spent taking further courses for continued certification, no threats from parents or angry children, no exposure to every virus going through the schools, etc. I could see this as evidence that she knows how to balance quality of life with money itself.

[sv2007]

Your babysitter who works 35 hours per week at $25/hour is making almost $44,000 per year, probably close to what she was making as a teacher, but with no after-hours grading and lesson planning, no fund-raising to coordinate in the classroom, no complicated discipline issues, no parent teacher conferences, no staff development weekends, no summers spent taking further courses for continued certification, no threats from parents or angry children, no exposure to every virus going through the schools, etc. I could see this as evidence that she knows how to balance quality of life with money itself.

Teacher with experience makes way more than that, plus benefits and (as you noted) very long summer break (which many work another job even). The rule of thumb for companies if that each employee costs 2x the pay when total comp is factored. Don't underestimate benefits. In fact, we would not be were we are at today if we only had our salaries.

Let's see, "I work as a babysitter" vs "I'm a teacher at ABC school". There's something about the working as babysitter that causes people to react surprised (not unlike when I tell folks that I'm retired); whether good or bad seems irrelevant but it is unusual.

Anyway, like I said before, it's a difference in opinion. I have lived most of my life not accepting the believe that there's free lunch; economics may not be totally efficient, but it is somewhat efficient.

[disneysteve]

let me put it in this question to folks: "Would you watch somebody's baby (not a friend, not family, just some stranger) alone for no pay? Be responsible to pick them up at school and take them to practices, day after day? "

I don't understand your point here. Are you saying that unless I'm willing to do it for free, I shouldn't do it as a paid position?

No, I don't think you'd find someone willing to work full time in child care for free. Does that mean nobody should work in child care professionally either?

Sorry, I'm confused.

[DaveInPgh]

Teacher with experience makes way more than that

Do you realize that people live outside of your bubble?

I just did a quick search on "average teacher salary" and below was the top result.

Average Salary for All K-12 Teachers

Elementary School Teacher 6215 salaries $43,466
High School Teacher 5148 salaries $47,446
Middle School Teacher 2438 salaries $45,348
Special Education Teacher, Preschool, Kindergarten, or Elementary School 1977 salaries $44,878

Joan appears to be spot on with her comment!!

[GoodSteward]

That yearly 44k she is making is also self-employed income, so she has no help with taxes either. So, it isn't nearly as good of a income with that in mind.

Where in the world is this thread going? It started out about retirement and we are debating baby sitting. lol

[DaveInPgh]

Where in the world is this thread going?

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Where in the world is this thread going? It started out about retirement and we are debating baby sitting. lol

It started out about Fishindude77's retirement, then sv2007 revealed that he was going back to work out of retirement because he had not been satisfied with his life of retirement, finding himself bored. He wanted to tell us why he employed a babysitter even while he was available for childcare.

Do you suppose that sv2007's babysitter, who is married to a high earner who probably brings home benefits for his spouse (like health insurance), looks upon her work as part of her own retirement entertainment, sort of like how sv2007 was signed up for classes at the community college?

I sense sv2007 feels some condescension or pity for the woman because she is not earning or bringing in the benefits that he thinks she could. Perhaps, that, too, is a clue as to why sv2007 wants to go back to work. Some people derive a lot of their sense of legitimacy and value in the world though paid work, but not so much through other endeavors.

Sv2007, does your remark about "free lunch" mean that you think your babysitter is trying to get a free lunch by sharing in her husband's income and benefits rather than earn more of them herself? I don't really think that is quite what you are getting at, but I am not understanding what it is you are trying to say.