goldberry Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 If you hired a 17 year old to watch your 2.5 year old and do "some light cleaning" if toddler was napping, what kind of tasks would you consider that to include? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I just kept thinking, "Cleaning the lights"? :p 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I would assume she would clean up the messes created by the kids (dishes, toys) and maybe one or two other things you may ask her to do. When I was 15, the mom of the family I babysat for went to visit her mom. I was asked to do some laundry while the kids napped. And I always did dishes, straightened the kids' play areas, etc. I would not think "light cleaning" for a babysitter would include stuff like washing floors, scrubbing bathroom fixtures .... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Just cleaning up after messes kids made. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Picking up toys, moving any dishes into the dishwasher. Maybe throwing on a load of laundry if it must be on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocassie Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 This could include cleaning up after the kids like picking up toys, but it could also include load or unload dishes (or wash dishes), wipe down table and counters, and sweep the kitchen. When I babysat back in the day, those were the few things I was asked to do. Occasionally I was asked to fold towels or the toddler's clothes, but that wasn't a usual request. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Okay, just wondering! I told DD to expect the things you mentioned, but she was asked to do a lot more. This was an odd situation, because mom is usually going to be gone, but was home today working in the home office. It's not a big deal, she is being paid nicely. But I was surprised and wondered if it was just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 For me, light cleaning means vacuuming, kitchen counters and appliances, wet dusting all flat surfaces, toilet and bathroom sink, and general tidying in all rooms. (A deep clean would include windows and tracks, bathtub, baseboards, ceiling fans, inside of cupboards, moving furniture, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Interesting... I would never consider the toilet to be light cleaning. Here is what she was asked: Kitchen: move all countertop stuff, clean counters with natural scrub stuff, then again with another natural thing. Clean stove top, including lifting top and cleaning under. Clean oven hood. Vacuum then mop kitchen floors (not with swiffer type mop, but old fashioned mop with bucket) Bathroom: Clean counters, clean toilet with rag (not scrub brush or swishie) She was about to have to do the bathtub, but kiddo woke up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Interesting... I would never consider the toilet to be light cleaning. Here is what she was asked: Kitchen: move all countertop stuff, clean counters with natural scrub stuff, then again with another natural thing. Clean stove top, including lifting top and cleaning under. Clean oven hood. Vacuum then mop kitchen floors (not with swiffer type mop, but old fashioned mop with bucket) Bathroom: Clean counters, clean toilet with rag (not scrub brush or swishie) She was about to have to do the bathtub, but kiddo woke up. Wiping down countertops and vacuuming are the only light cleaning in the group. But depending on how well she is getting paid I wouldn't complain if I were her. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckymom Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Interesting... I would never consider the toilet to be light cleaning. Here is what she was asked: Kitchen: move all countertop stuff, clean counters with natural scrub stuff, then again with another natural thing. Clean stove top, including lifting top and cleaning under. Clean oven hood. Vacuum then mop kitchen floors (not with swiffer type mop, but old fashioned mop with bucket) Bathroom: Clean counters, clean toilet with rag (not scrub brush or swishie) She was about to have to do the bathtub, but kiddo woke up. I don't think that's light cleaning for a babysitter. It may be for a housekeeper, but not a sitter. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) Interesting... I would never consider the toilet to be light cleaning. Here is what she was asked: Kitchen: move all countertop stuff, clean counters with natural scrub stuff, then again with another natural thing. Clean stove top, including lifting top and cleaning under. Clean oven hood. Vacuum then mop kitchen floors (not with swiffer type mop, but old fashioned mop with bucket) Bathroom: Clean counters, clean toilet with rag (not scrub brush or swishie) She was about to have to do the bathtub, but kiddo woke up. That's call in the maid kind of cleaning. Not at all what I would expect of someone hired to do child care. I would ask her to pick up after kids, do whatever dishes they had created, not last nights dinner dishes, maybe some laundry, maybe even sweep or vacuum the play area they had been in. Bathrooms, nope.I hope she is paid equal to what a house cleaner would get. Edited April 13, 2016 by KatieinMich 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Wiping down countertops and vacuuming are the only light cleaning in the group. But depending on how well she is getting paid I wouldn't complain if I were her. She is getting $30 for three hours. That is pretty good around here. She didn't complain. It was just a bit unexpected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 She is getting $30 for three hours. That is pretty good around here. She didn't complain. It was just a bit unexpected. How much of that time is childcare vs how much is cleaning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 For me, light cleaning means vacuuming, kitchen counters and appliances, wet dusting all flat surfaces, toilet and bathroom sink, and general tidying in all rooms. (A deep clean would include windows and tracks, bathtub, baseboards, ceiling fans, inside of cupboards, moving furniture, etc). Whoa. That's good to know, though. My idea of light cleaning is picking up after the kids or supervising them pick up, washing dishes / wiping counters, and sweeping under the dining room table. Your "light cleaning" is my "regular cleaning". 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 $10/hr for scrubbing toilets AND babysitting? That's way too low. No way. Clean up after kids only. 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 I don't know what your COL is there, but $30/3 hours is what I'd expect to pay for mother's help stuff. Not cleaning the toilet. It's pretty good here. We are rural and there aren't a lot of jobs anyway. Regarding the time split, the kid slept longer than usual, and that's why I think it may not have been the normal cleaning either. She got the impression that if the kid was up the whole time, she might have spent most of the time with the kid instead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Light cleaning may mean many things, but I answered based on the context of a 17yo babysitter. My own personal light cleaning includes toilets and small occasional jobs such as cleaning under the stove lid. I mean, those certainly aren't heavy jobs. But I don't see myself asking a 17yo babysitter to do these under ordinary circumstances. Though, I guess she was kinda warned that she wasn't going to relax during the kids' nap. My kids' nanny used to have about 2.5 hours every day while the kids napped. She would straighten the house (I always had it clean when she arrived in the morning, so it was just baby mess). She did baby laundry 1 day per week. Other days she would take on projects on her own initiative. I can't picture asking her to clean under my stove lid, because her job was nanny, not maid. But she did like to bleach my kids' potties. :P Normally she spent about an hour watching TV or reading, because there wasn't that much to do for 2.5 hours every day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 tidy up after the kid(s) wash some dishes do a bit of laundry run a vacuum in a room or two wipe up the kitchen counters/table 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Interesting... I would never consider the toilet to be light cleaning. Here is what she was asked: Kitchen: move all countertop stuff, clean counters with natural scrub stuff, then again with another natural thing. Clean stove top, including lifting top and cleaning under. Clean oven hood. Vacuum then mop kitchen floors (not with swiffer type mop, but old fashioned mop with bucket) Bathroom: Clean counters, clean toilet with rag (not scrub brush or swishie) She was about to have to do the bathtub, but kiddo woke up. Nope, not light cleaning. Give me a break. I've hired lots of cleaning help. And I've hired lots of kid help. What your dd was asked to do is routine serious weekly cleaning. Not light cleaning. Personally, I'd be fine with doing that stuff, and I'm sure it's good for a kid to learn to do it .. . So long as she's being paid well!! IMHO, if my teen were being paid at least minimum wage, I'd encourage them to embrace the work and do it. If she's getting less than minimum wage (not rare for babysitting), then I think she's being taken advantage of. It's not light cleaning, IMHO. I think the kitchen counters, bathroom sink, and vacuuming can count as light cleaning. The rest of it, heavy serious cleaning (the kind of stuff you have to pay a LOT higher rate than babysitting for!) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Another vote for not light cleaning. I understand the baby was sleeping... but still, she wasn't hired as a house cleaner 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Well, I think she is at least hoping the kid doesn't nap as much! ;) 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 It sounds like the mother took advantage a little bit. In three hours of work, your daughter should get a break at some point. I'd be cautious if your daughter isn't one to defend herself. Still, hard work can be good for you and if your daughter is happy it's hard to argue. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 That's not light cleaning. In fact, some of the stove/oven stuff you describe sounds like the special projects we pay our house cleaners extra to do. And - we pay them more than $10 per hour, more like $20, and those projects would still be extra. So - not light cleaning. I nannied for various profs through college, including live-in. I did light cleaning. Light cleaning was picking up kid mess, putting dishes in sink, wiping up breakfast crumbs. Helping make their beds. Throwing in a load of laundry, and sometimes folding clean clothes. No cleaning bathrooms, kitchens, no vacuuming unless we spilled something. No floor mopping. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Definity not light cleaning for me. That's the stuff my cleaning help gets $25/hour to do. Light cleaning is what the kids and I do...pick up our stuff, dishes, cleaning surfaces in kitchen, and maybe some vacuuming and sweeping. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happymom4 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) You're in a tough spot. I, too, think that your daughter was taken advantage of because many of those things are beyond light cleaning for a babysitter. Trouble is, when you get to ambiguous terms like "light cleaning", you really need to have it clarified as to what exactly it means before taking on the job. Now that your daughter has already done it once it will be difficult to back-peddle and disagree with the amount of work she did. I'm sure that the employer now expects her to continue to do those things and might not keep her on if she declines to do them. Light cleaning for me means vacuuming, sweeping, wiping off counter tops without removing appliances, unloading the dishwasher, and picking up toys. You know, things that will get a bit messy will caring for a child. Cleaning a toilet is not light cleaning, if you have to put on gloves to do it then it is no longer light cleaning. The same for cleaning under the cooktop. I also would not add laundry to the list unless it was only the child's laundry, but even that is still pushing it. Edited April 13, 2016 by happymom4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Yup. I agree that crossed the line on several counts. I see a common theme in what folks here see as light cleaning. Generally, it doesn't require special tools or cleaning agents. If you need a bucket, or a mop, or a special scrubber, or strong cleaning solutions, or rubber gloves, or other things of that nature, it's not light cleaning. If you can do it with plain water on a cloth (plus maybe a bit of dishwashing liquid), it's light cleaning. It might include vacuuming, as long as it doesn't mean moving furniture. It generally means tidying, dishes (but not more than one meal's worth), sweeping, wiping down surfaces. You shouldn't need to worry about your clothes. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Imo: Light cleaning...dusting, wiping, sweeping etc that doesn't require moving stuff and can be done quickly...not every inch of the room Cleaning...more time consuming, some moving of stuff, most of the room Deep cleaning...time consuming, everything gets moved, every inch gets cleaned including walls and window treatments With babysitting I think if the house isn't any worse than it started out that's a win! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Interesting... I would never consider the toilet to be light cleaning. Here is what she was asked: Kitchen: move all countertop stuff, clean counters with natural scrub stuff, then again with another natural thing. Clean stove top, including lifting top and cleaning under. Clean oven hood. Vacuum then mop kitchen floors (not with swiffer type mop, but old fashioned mop with bucket) Bathroom: Clean counters, clean toilet with rag (not scrub brush or swishie) She was about to have to do the bathtub, but kiddo woke up. I would not consider that to be light cleaning. It might be fine to hire a teenager to do those things, but I would not consider them to be light cleaning, especially not as a baby-sitter. I would consider light cleaning while baby-sitting to be things related to cleaning up children's messes, cleaning up after the children's meals, tidying their toys, folding children's laundry, maybe sweeping or vacuuming, maybe washing the children's laundry. When I was a full time, well-paid nanny, fresh out of college, I did those things, plus emptying the dishwasher, and when the kids were at preschool, I cooked dinner for the family occasionally. Wiping down counters/stovetop after meal prep -- yes. Removing everything from the counters and cleaning toilets -- no. I think if you want those things done, you should specify them when advertising the job. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Nope, not light cleaning. Give me a break. I've hired lots of cleaning help. And I've hired lots of kid help. What your dd was asked to do is routine serious weekly cleaning. Not light cleaning. Personally, I'd be fine with doing that stuff, and I'm sure it's good for a kid to learn to do it .. . So long as she's being paid well!! IMHO, if my teen were being paid at least minimum wage, I'd encourage them to embrace the work and do it. If she's getting less than minimum wage (not rare for babysitting), then I think she's being taken advantage of. It's not light cleaning, IMHO. I think the kitchen counters, bathroom sink, and vacuuming can count as light cleaning. The rest of it, heavy serious cleaning (the kind of stuff you have to pay a LOT higher rate than babysitting for!) At $3/hr over minimum wage, I would say in this area she's underpaid but it sounds like not taken advantage of in goldberry's area. This thread is super enlightening as I sometimes advertise for babysitters with "light cleaning". All I mean is have the kids pick up after they're done and when the sitter gets here I tell her, "You can either have them do it, or do it yourself, whichever you believe is most appropriate. I trust your judgment on that." The teens usually have the kids do it... they have the energy to follow through. The older ladies do it themselves. Experience counts in this job, LOL. In the future I will be sure to specify my "light cleaning" tasks on care.com so I don't turn off potential sitters. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 She is getting $30 for three hours. That is pretty good around here. She didn't complain. It was just a bit unexpected. Depending how n your area, $10/hour for a teen is a decent wage. I have a 5 year teaching degree in special education and yesterday was paid $10.50/hr as a substitute in a classroom of severely autistic teens.....think non verbal, self abusive behaviors, aggressive behaviors. Sadly that is the going rate for substitutes in our area. She might need to clarify what the mom expects and decide if it is worth it to her but in our area heavy intensive factory work starts at $9-10/hr. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 That's not light cleaning and the lady would have to pay more to have a cleaner do it. However if your daughter doesn't mind it's hard to say what she should do. I think it's probably helpful to be aware and maybe ask for clarification if there's any other stuff that isn't within normal Childcare work boundaries. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocassie Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Depending on how long she is babysitting, babysitter should have a break. Being that you have children in your care, it generally occurs during naptime. Wiping down the counters in the bathroom I think could be light cleaning, the toilet I think it borderline given that she's not scrubbing just a wipe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I don't think it is terrible that a 17yo did that work for $10/hr though. I could understand her being surprised, but many teen jobs pay less and demand more. :) If she worked in food service, for example, she would probably be doing more cleaning than that and being paid less or similar. And I don't agree that a person needs a paid "break" during a 3-hour babysitting stint. She's almost grown up, old enough for a regular full-time job, and should not feel entitled to a paid break when she hasn't worked at least 4 hours straight. If she needed a breather, she could have gone and hidden in the bathroom for a few minutes. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jessica* Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I think I would suggest she talk with the employer to verify what light cleaning means. Something like, "I was a bit surprised at the tasks you considered light cleaning and wondered if we could clarify so I know what to expect going forward." It may not change her pay, but at least it may make the employer think about how much she's asking, and your daughter will have clearer expectations. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solascriptura Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Ask the mom exactly what she is looking for and decide at that point if the pay is worth it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Ivy Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) Interesting... I would never consider the toilet to be light cleaning. Here is what she was asked: Kitchen: move all countertop stuff, clean counters with natural scrub stuff, then again with another natural thing. Clean stove top, including lifting top and cleaning under. Clean oven hood. Vacuum then mop kitchen floors (not with swiffer type mop, but old fashioned mop with bucket) Bathroom: Clean counters, clean toilet with rag (not scrub brush or swishie) She was about to have to do the bathtub, but kiddo woke up. Ummm, nope. I wouldn't return to that job. (Unless, it was already contracted and I was getting paid for that as well.) That's call in the maid kind of cleaning. Not at all what I would expect of someone hired to do child care. I would her to pick up after kids, do whatever dishes they had created, not last nights dinner dishes, maybe some laundry, maybe even sweep or vacuum the play area they had been in. Bathrooms, nope. I hope she is paid equal,to,what a house cleaner would get. AMEN. As a former babysitter and nanny, I would be asking for more pay if I had to do all of that. Light cleaning is picking up messes, mopping up a spill, sweeping the floor if the kid made a lunch mess, etc. It's definitely not doing all the normal chores while watching a child. Edited April 13, 2016 by Southern Ivy 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wendy not in HI Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) That's not really light cleaning to me, but my daughter did a similar job when she was in high school and was paid about $10 an hour. She babysat/cleaned for a friend of mine who taught music lessons. The mom was nearby in her studio, but the baby was napping. My daughter would show up for a little "light cleaning" and was given a new list each time of things to do. Clean the baseboards, empty the fridge and wipe it all down, clean ceiling fans and light fixtures, wash walls, etc. It was all the little chores that I mostly ignore at my house... She was able to do them easily in the hour that the baby napped, and then she played with the baby for the remaining time. I don't think she was taken advantage of - we also lived in a very rural area without a lot of teenage jobs available. But it wasn't her favorite job. When she got hired at the little ice cream shop, she stopped babysitting/cleaning. I wonder if I could hire one of my teenagers to do those chores for me now... ps - at her job at the ice cream shop, she made less than $10 an hour and they did some pretty heavy cleaning at the end of the day. Major mopping and bathroom cleaning, etc. The babysitting job was probably easier, but not as fun. Edited April 13, 2016 by wendy not in HI 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 That sounds a lot like my regular house cleaning- though of course that is multiple bathrooms and more rooms being swept or vacuumed and dusted. I pay more than 10 per hour for the cleaning and I live in an area where the cost of living is below the national average. That doesn't include any babysitting. My daughter was paid 10 an hour for one and more for multiples and I think the only cleaning she did was picking up or having the kid pick up toys and things and maybe washing or loading in the dishwasher any dishes and utensils the kid used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Yup. I agree that crossed the line on several counts. I see a common theme in what folks here see as light cleaning. Generally, it doesn't require special tools or cleaning agents. If you need a bucket, or a mop, or a special scrubber, or strong cleaning solutions, or rubber gloves, or other things of that nature, it's not light cleaning. If you can do it with plain water on a cloth (plus maybe a bit of dishwashing liquid), it's light cleaning. It might include vacuuming, as long as it doesn't mean moving furniture. It generally means tidying, dishes (but not more than one meal's worth), sweeping, wiping down surfaces. You shouldn't need to worry about your clothes. I would add that light cleaning for a babysitter means things that can be dropped in the middle if a kid wakes up and needs you and things that don't have to be finished if the kid needs you the whole time. Babysitters are there for the kids. Light cleaning is just a bonus if the kids are easy or sleep. If I were a babysitter, I would charge a different rate if I were able to study or relax when the kids didn't need me than if I was expected to do light cleaning when the kids didn't need me. I would charge an even higher rate if I was expected to do maid level cleaning in addition to listening out for the kids (as in your dd's case.) I would worry if your dd was expected to do heavy cleaning when she is the only one there. That split attention of listening for the kids and big cleaning is hard for anyone (which is why mom needs someone else to do it.) I would be concerned about a young teen not hearing a kid wake up or be in distress while involved vacuuming or cleaning toilets. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I want to note that just because we may pay our maid service more than $10/hr, that does not mean individual maids make that much. Usually a maid without much experience or her own contacts is being paid close to minimum wage, for very strenuous work. The person who contracts with the homeowner makes a profit. Even in my case, I pay the veteran maid and she pays her helper a lesser amount, which is worked out between them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) Why would a babysitter do laundry or vacuuming? Ok, I can see vacuuming but ONLY if the kids have spilled crumbs all over the floor. But if the kids only played on the floor, they why is a babysitter expected to also clean the house? The only thing I expect a babysitter to do is clean up the messes the kids made while she was there. So, no washing their dirty clothes from the day before. No washing dishes from other meals. No vacuuming the rugs (unless they made crumbs while she was there.). No tidying the kitchen or living room, etc. I would expect: cleaning up after the meal she fed them, which would mean dishes in the dishwasher or handwashed, all food away, and crumbs swept up from counters floors. Putting away toys the kids played with while she was there. And...that's all. I'd show her where the remote is for the tv while the kids are sleeping. Maybe I'd ask her to have the kids put away toys that were already out before she got there if they'd dumped out a bin just before she arrived, or if the kids know the routine of putting away all the toys before bed or something, but I wouldn't expect the babysitter to do work that wasn't created while she was there. Now, then again, the OP's dd was hired to do two jobs: babysitting AND cleaning. That does make a difference. So, I guess that's ok since she agreed up front. But unless the job ad specifically states that the job duties include cleaning, then I don't think it's appropriate for the babysitter to do any cleaning outside of tidying up after the kids during the time she's there. To answer the OP: those are not light cleaning duties, however sounds like the pay is good for your area being that, as others pointed out, if she went to work at fast food, she'd make about the same amount and have to clean public bathrooms and take out huge bags of gross trash, so it doesn't sound like the job duties were onerous, just unexpected based on the description. There's a sign outside of our Aldi that hires people at $11.00 an hour and they have to check out raw chicken packages with drippy blood juice on them and stock shelves with heavy boxes of cat liter, etc. $10 sounds pretty good if you're in a low COL area with limited job opportunities. Edited April 13, 2016 by Garga 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 FWIW, I have hired household cleaners for 10-14/hr many times in my moderate-cost-of-living area. Cleaners working for services or regular janitorial staff earn minimum wage to maybe 9-10/hr, so 10-14/hr as part of a regular job is considered very competitive. Paying 12-14/hr to adult experienced housekeepers was so competitive that I kept the same people for many years . . . So, IMHO, 10/hr to a teen is good and fair. The problem is the communication, IMHO. Yes, I'd pay a service 50-100% more hourly than that 10-14/hr. BUT, the cleaners sure don't get that. And the taxes, liability, and hassles of hiring directly are significant . . . And, adult experienced cleaners are MUCH more efficient and effective than the vast majority of teens. In fact, a couple years ago, a teen FaceBook friend was lamenting not being able to find a job, and I offered her cleaning at my house for the time being while she was hunting for a job. She jumped at it, and cleaned at 10/hr . . . Multiple Saturdays . . . Another teen later similarly volunteered, and I took her up on it too. Both times, 10/hr was considered very fair. The teen who was searching for a job eventually got a job at the grocery earning minimum wage . . . Working for me, she earned about 40% MORE since I paid more and the income was tax free. So, living in the real world, and knowing that my business can hire excellent adults for any hours, any job, at wages in that range, I think 10/hr would be great for my teens, and I'd encourage them to do the very best job they can. I want my kids to learn to be good, hard workers and to value not only the $ they earn but also the work they and others do that keeps the world running. Those are more important skills/ideas than many things I teach them. There is no shame in cleaning, IMHO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) Not light cleaning imo. But another perspective -- when my twins were newborns, I hired hourly baby care for a service for a few hours at a time. $$$$$. They were not allowed to clean. For example, no dishwashing unless it was dishes used during the baby care time. They could empty a diaper trash can (what are those things called?), but not a regular wastebasket. Well, guess what? The one time both kids seemed to fall asleep was when help came. So I paid people to do nothing, essentially, and soon stopped hiring people. The mom here may have the same feeling of not wanting to pay someone to sit around if kid is sleeping. So if your dd likes the money, I would keep on with the job. ETA I'm impressed your dd knows how to clean. Not all kids nowadays have that skill! Edited April 13, 2016 by Alessandra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I pay a teen $15 an hour for cleaning alone. I had really expected light cleaning, but she tends to actually go more into the full/heavy cleaning level. I usually round up to $50 for 3 hours since she does more than I really expect her to do. For example, when I ask someone to tidy the schoolroom, I really don't expect them to dust all the floor to ceiling bookshelves and resort/shelve all the books that DD has just shoved in or organize the science supplies and neatly label the containers. What I call tidying is "pick up the pencils that grow in the carpet, erase the whiteboards, and run the vacuum!" The first time she came over, I couldn't figure out why it was taking her so long, until I saw what she'd done. I've suggested that she put herself out there to organize the disorganized ;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Bathroom: Clean counters, clean toilet with rag (not scrub brush or swishie) She was about to have to do the bathtub, but kiddo woke up. Like....INSIDE the toilet? Or just wiping the seat down? (I'm sorry, I got to that and I couldn't move past it...) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Seeing it from the employer's perspective, her kid was asleep longer than expected, and she felt the need to keep the employee busy rather than pay her $10/hr just to sit around the house. It may also be that the teen kept coming back and saying, "I finished that, anything else I can do?" I'm guessing the mom did not initially plan to have her clean under the stove hood, but I might be wrong. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 I'm impressed your dd knows how to clean. Not all kids nowadays have that skill! She doesn't clean well at MY HOUSE! That part left me intensely annoyed. The mom later sent her a note saying the kitchen was spotless and she did a great job. Whaaa??? This is the kid that cleans her own bathroom and leaves gunk where she didn't get all the way to the edges. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Your daughter sounds perfectly normal, LOL. When I was 12yo my mom "hired" me to clean the majority of the house each week. After the novelty wore off, I was the worst employee you could imagine, LOL. I can't remember whether I quit or was fired. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Yup. I agree that crossed the line on several counts. I see a common theme in what folks here see as light cleaning. Generally, it doesn't require special tools or cleaning agents. If you need a bucket, or a mop, or a special scrubber, or strong cleaning solutions, or rubber gloves, or other things of that nature, it's not light cleaning. If you can do it with plain water on a cloth (plus maybe a bit of dishwashing liquid), it's light cleaning. It might include vacuuming, as long as it doesn't mean moving furniture. It generally means tidying, dishes (but not more than one meal's worth), sweeping, wiping down surfaces. You shouldn't need to worry about your clothes. I like this definition! This is more the way I was thinking but you described it nicely. We just use windex around here to wipe things down. The two-step counter thing was new. I would add that light cleaning for a babysitter means things that can be dropped in the middle if a kid wakes up and needs you and things that don't have to be finished if the kid needs you the whole time. And I do think yes, she was given that impression by the mom. So it may have been a quirk because the kid slept for a long time AND the mom was there also. Like....INSIDE the toilet? Or just wiping the seat down? (I'm sorry, I got to that and I couldn't move past it...) She did get told to do the inside, which freaked her out a bit. We use a toilet wand, not a rag. She was given gloves though. Thanks for the perspective, folks! She likes the kid and thinks it will be a good job all around. We were just a bit surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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