cathmom Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My dd 17 is a serious ballet dancer, which is expensive. We are currently planning which summer intensives she will apply for. Last year we paid for it, but it was on the less expensive side of these programs. This year we are most likely moving during the summer and I am not sure how much we can put towards dance. I would like her to be able to earn some money to contribute, but we have some serious restrictions on what she can do, the biggest of which are that we live in the country and she cannot drive yet. She has tons of experience with little children and is good with them, but the driving is the issue there, plus the fact that dh is uncomfortable with her babysitting for strangers. The school that I teach at and she goes to is about 5 miles away, we may be able to find clients through there that would bring her home after she babysat. She likes doing crafts and painted an awesome doll trunk for her sister's AG doll Kirsten, and we could see if she could maybe find some people who want to custom order doll trunks, but that took her like 8 hours to paint and she'd have to buy the trunk and the paints. How much could she feasibly charge for that? She has also thought of offering a younger kids' dance class in the little village where our school is, but I am concerned about how complicated that would be to set up. Please give me any ideas you have! TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 I think a dance class would be her best bet. While I wouldn't want my child seriously training under such a young teacher, I would have NO problem paying for my younger children to have a fun movement class with some basics thrown in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 We found that the BEST and most lucrative fund raiser to be yard sales. We started asking around for people who might be donating things and said we would pick them up. Now, you would need a place to put them, but still….. Does she want to come paint my kitchen???? :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 We found that the BEST and most lucrative fund raiser to be yard sales. We started asking around for people who might be donating things and said we would pick them up. Now, you would need a place to put them, but still….. Does she want to come paint my kitchen???? :laugh: Yard sales are an interesting idea, but we don't have a garage or shed to store stuff in. I'm not sure if we live in an area where we would get enough traffic to make it worthwhile. I had thought of doing it with stuff we're not taking when we get closer to the move. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I would definitely look at doing a ballet class or even a camp in connection with a school or daycare. Maybe she could do a camp over spring break or a class one after a half-day kindergarten. If she could put together some PVC barres, she would just need an empty space and some little ballerinas. She also could do ballet birthday parties. My daughter's old ballet teacher did these at her studio for $200 or so. That included a craft, some dress-up ballerina clothes (old costumes--surely your daughter has a supply of those), and some ballerina games. It was perfect for the 3-6 year old set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 At our studio a few of the older girls teach classes and are in charge of the ballet/princess parties that people arrange at the studio. They teacher the really little girls classes. This position is not offered to all the older girls. I don't know if you have to ask or some girls are asked. The girls who do these classes are really well suited both as being skilled dancers and being good with little children. So, if your dd is good with children she should ask, if teaching/assisting in a paid form is available to her at her studio. If her studio does not have a birthday party program can she set one up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Wow I love this ballet birthday party idea! I'll have to discuss that with my daughter. She could assist in a class, but the problem is that her studio is 30 minutes away and the little kids' classes are at times that interfere with our schedule, which is why we thought of her teaching a class closer to home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Wow I love this ballet birthday party idea! I'll have to discuss that with my daughter. She could assist in a class, but the problem is that her studio is 30 minutes away and the little kids' classes are at times that interfere with our schedule, which is why we thought of her teaching a class closer to home. We have older girls who stay long hours at our studio. They bring their own laptops (studio has wifi) and do schoolwork between teaching classes and taking their own classes. Even girls who are not working will stay long hours. Doing so is a privilege, younger students (below high school) are not permitted and older students who are disruptive are not permitted to do this. I would ask about teaching and staying the hours between teaching and her classes or when you can pick up. Be aware that setting up a class might be viewed as in competition with the studio. I don't think you'd have a problem with birthday parties, but if word got around to the studio that your dd was teaching community classes (people that theoretically could be paying the studio) it might have repercussions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 We have older girls who stay long hours at our studio. They bring their own laptops (studio has wifi) and do schoolwork between teaching classes and taking their own classes. Even girls who are not working will stay long hours. Doing so is a privilege, younger students (below high school) are not permitted and older students who are disruptive are not permitted to do this. I would ask about teaching and staying the hours between teaching and her classes or when you can pick up. Be aware that setting up a class might be viewed as in competition with the studio. I don't think you'd have a problem with birthday parties, but if word got around to the studio that your dd was teaching community classes (people that theoretically could be paying the studio) it might have repercussions. Thanks for your concern! I don't think it is an issue, since we are far away from the studio. I just had the idea for her to see if she could teach a movement class at the preschool my youngest attended the last two years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Thanks for your concern! I don't think it is an issue, since we are far away from the studio. I just had the idea for her to see if she could teach a movement class at the preschool my youngest attended the last two years. that sounds great. The preschool might be a good location to do birthday parties (for people who do not have space in their house for a party) too if the logistics could be worked out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Honestly, I think babysitting is your best bet. I pay a sitter $10 an hour to watch my children two evenings a week. She makes $100 for easy, fairly flexible, work. (by the end of my semester in May she will have made $1500 dollars and it is all cash so untaxed unless she declares it, which I doubt she will). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Honestly, I think babysitting is your best bet. I pay a sitter $10 an hour to watch my children two evenings a week. She makes $100 for easy, fairly flexible, work. (by the end of my semester in May she will have made $1500 dollars and it is all cash so untaxed unless she declares it, which I doubt she will). She is supposed to declare on that amount of income. Yes, your dd will likely get away with not declaring, but it is illegal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilma Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I was going to suggest ballet-y birthday parties. My girls attended one at a studio once and it was the best! time! ever! They each changed into these (old but) super fancy costumes and there were a few instructions and a couple of dance games and they then a couple of songs they frolicked/dances to. And the parents brought a cake and that was it! My people loved it - I want to say it was a 5 y/o party, fwiw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabinfl Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 How about setting up an Etsy account to sell her crafts? Also publicize on facebook or wherever else you hang out -- online and off. I know one friend whose daughter sells complex rainbow loom bracelets for $10 as a dance fundraiser, another (adult) friend makes custom decorated Christmas tree ornaments that have become very popular mostly through word of mouth, I've also seen homeschool kids who make & sell jewelry, magnets, and other doo-dads online (paypal + us mail makes it affordable even for low cost things) and in person at co-op & park days. Maybe the dance studio or a local store or restaurant would allow her to set up a small display of her crafts for sale? You never know unless you ask! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Have you looked at need-based aid for the SI? Many of them offer partial scholarships. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Can you offer a homeschool ballet class for younger girls. One of the homeschool mom's locally had her daughter do this. It's moved beyond ballet now into jazz and even an art class. They charge a reasonable fee and the moms love it! Smaller classes and more attention is given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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