Any parent knows that childcare is extremely expensive. But, when you’re trusting someone with your child’s life, they deserve to be paid an adequate price—especially if your kids are young. Most parents understand this fact and pay childcare workers what they deserve. There are, however, parents who try to skimp out on payments.
Recently, an anonymous mother posted a long-winded rant on Facebook, claiming that childcare workers are “expecting to be paid way too much” for their services.
Her rant also included that if they want higher pay, they should “get off their ass and get a real job.” Her reasoning? Parents have “bills to pay” and they don’t have extra money to pay a babysitter to “sit on her couch and watch TV.”
Someone on Facebook decided to reach out to the cheap mother and ask her for more information about working with her kids—like, how old are her kids and how often did she need a babysitter. As it turns out, her children are all under the age of 5 and she wanted a babysitter 5-days a week, from 10 A.M.-7 P.M. (which is a 9-hour work day). However, she said she’s only paying $300 bi-weekly.
If you’re not furious, you should be. $300 every 2-weeks is only $600 a month. And, if someone is working 9-hours a day, 5-days a week, there is absolutely no excuse for themonly making $150 per week.
People on Reddit were outraged, dumb-founded, and straight up angry that anyone would think this is okay.
Elico_225 pointed out that the pay rate is basically $4 an hour—for a full-time job with no benefits.
45 hours for $150 a week… that’s about $3 and change an hour. So this CB wants a full time employee that’ll work without benefits, and way less than minimum wage. Wow.
Also, IncenseAndIron made a point that it’s basically $1 per kid, per hour.
$1.11 per kid per hour. Just. Wow.
sleepyleo_made a valid point that watching 3 children at that age can be hard work.
I once babysat a 6 year old, a 4 year old, and a 2 year old for 5 hours during the day and I basically ran out the door once the parents got home. Those ages can be so difficult and it is NOT easy. People are insane
SarcasmCynic said the only person who would take that gig is someone unsafe.
The only person likely to be interested is someone with an ulterior motive, like Peter Pedo. Nobody sane would do that for the pittance pay.
legoeggo323 made a valid statement about how much they pay their sitter to watch their son.
We pay our sitter $400/week to watch our son. No housework, no cooking, only one kid. She has him for six hours and of those six hours he spends two to three of them napping.
If you don’t want to pay for quality childcare, don’t expect quality childcare.
Clearly, this woman has no idea what it truly takes to care for all three of her children, because if she did, she would offer adequate pay for the amount of time, strength, and energy it takes to chase around three toddlers all day long—who, by the way, do not nap all day.
Truly insane.
h/t: Reddit