DD8 Summer Job | Imamother

amother

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 10:47 am

Does anyone have experience with an assistant counselor for 2/3 year olds, and wouldn’t mind sharing how much they get paid weekly? My DD is 8 and is thinking about having such a job for first half, she got offered $30 a week for 9:30-3:30 daily. I’m wondering what’s the going rate? I'm in Lakewood, if it makes a difference

amother

Geranium ↓

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 11:41 am

My girls start working young and they love it, but really 8 is too young. If I was a parent sending my 2-3 year old to camp, I woudl not want an 8 year old assistant, even if she is mature and has a bunch of younger siblings. Please try to find other summer arrangements for her until she is at least 10.

amother

Hydrangea ↓

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 11:41 am

8 year olds shouldn't be earning a "salary" as low as $30 a week is.

She can be a 'helper' with zero responsibility and get a 'cute' gift at the end of the month.

amother

Black

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 11:44 am

My daughter is 10.5 and wanted to work. She is great with kids but I think it's wayyyyyyyyy to young to do for a full half. I let her help in in between camps etc but but definitely not for a full half.

Busybee5

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 11:46 am

An 8 year old almost needs watching as much as 2 year old! What in heavens name?!

Far too young. They can play with them, and 'help' an adult.

amother

Eggplant

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 11:50 am

That’s like $1 an hour. So no. Regardless of her age. I would never allow any child of mine to work for a salary like that.

amother

Gold ↓

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 11:51 am

I'm impressed the counselor is willing to pay an 8 year old at all! That's too young to be left alone with the kids or change diapers. All an 8 year old can and should be doing is just being a fun playmate for the kids. They still need to hire the same number of adults/teens as they would if the 8 year old wasn't there

amother

Canary

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 11:54 am

I see you're not getting the type of responses you were asking for. It seems mothers are bothered that an 8yr old would be working, taking care of toddler, during summer vacation.

Do you want to share more about what's going on? Is this because camps dees are obscene? Does this dd not like to go to camp? Or is it something else?

Can we shmooze?

amother

↑ Hydrangea ↓

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 11:55 am

amother Gold wrote:

It's unimpressive that the counselor is 'willing' to pay an 8 year old. Her mother should be telling her how inappropriate that is.

amother

↑ Gold

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 12:00 pm

amother Hydrangea wrote:

It's unimpressive that the counselor is 'willing' to pay an 8 year old. Her mother should be telling her how inappropriate that is.

When I ask my 10 year old neighbor to come over for a Sunday morning and entertain my toddlers for me while I get chores done I give her a few dollars. She feels great that she earned money and I got stuff done. Why not also an 8 year old?

Frumwithallergies

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 12:01 pm

I would not let my DDs under the age of 10 do this.
My DDs 11 and 15 have been earning 12-15 $ per hour babysitting and as mothers helpers (they watch, do homework with the children, and clean up the kitchen after supper). Sometimes mothers are so happy they pay 20$per hour.
8yo is too young for this IMO.

amother

Hyssop

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 12:06 pm

Like others I don't understand how an 8 year old - however "mature" could possibly act as an "assistant counselor"

At that age most children have babysitters and/or if at camp have camp counselors themselves.

And I wouldn't want my child working five days a week essentially full time at that age - for any salary,

Are you doing this because you need child care for these hours and so someone will provide child care and have your child be a playmate? Nothing else makes any sense.

Honestly however much an 8 year old likes kids, I can't imagine that they would want to do this full time for many weeks during the summer. They might find it fun for a day or so during the summer the way kids enjoy 'take your kids to work" days but wouldn't want to be taken to work every day.

amother

↑ Geranium

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 12:07 pm

To answer the OP's questions, although per above I too agree it is too young, for young assistant counselors in day camp, the general pay scale per week is 10 x the grade the girl is going into. When my daughter was going into 6th she got $60/week, and the next year $70/week. Based on this, if the 8 year old is going into 3rd grade, $30/week would follow the same formula.

amother

↑ Hydrangea

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 12:10 pm

amother Gold wrote:

Starting with - would you ask an 8 year old to do this?

Would you ask a 10 year old to commit to show-up every Sunday for a month?

If a salary is being offered - there are expectations/responsibilities attached.. which isn't appropriate for an 8 year old.

amother

DarkYellow

Mon, Jun 05 2023, 12:15 pm

I asked a morah to "hire" my daughter as a counselor and said I would pay her. She convinced me not to do it. I only thought of it because yes, day camps are so expensive and DD loves being around little kids. But I'll wait until she's older.

In answer to your question, mothers do tend to pay the morah for "hiring" an 8 year old rather than the other way around.