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Baby-Sitting Money

LIBBY, age 14
I work in the afternoons as a babysitter. I take care of a 7-year-old after school until her mother gets home from work. I am very responsible and take the job very seriously. I use the money I make to buy the things that I want like CD’s and clothes. My mother wants me to come right home after school and do my homework instead of working. She is also trying to tell me what to do with my money I make.

JANET, Mother
I’m proud of my daughter’s abilities to baby-sit a little girl in our neighborhood after school. She is very responsible about watching the child and she earns spending money. My issue with the babysitting is Libby’s grades have dropped since she started the job. I also think if she’s going to work, she should be saving at least some of the money for her future.

GUIDANCE COUNSELOR:
Dear Libby,
Clearly, your mom is very proud of you for working and taking such good care of the child you baby-sit. At your age the most important job you have is to be the best student possible. It sounds like you can be a good student and continue to work. Talk to your mom about your desire to continue baby-sitting but also you need to work on your studies. If you can’t do both, perhaps you can find a paying job in the summer and give school your full attention now. As for the money you earn, consider saving a portion of the money and deposit it into your bank account. Someday, you’ll be glad you have that money.

Dear Janet,
Consider working out a compromise with Libby about working and keeping up with her studies. Give Libby a time frame to bring up her grades. If she can pull it off, let her continue the baby-sitting. Perhaps, she’ll need to make other sacrifices such as spending less time with friends. As you well know, working contains great lessons for our children. Encourage her to save some of the money she earns for the future.

Louise Hajjar Diamond has been a guidance counselor for twelve years. She is also a freelance writer and mother of two.


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