What other job can a teenager work for one hour watching TV while the kids sleep, only to receive the payment that can be earned after two hours of work at a minimum-wage job? In the current teenage culture, it is babysitting through which students can make the big bucks without the restrictions associated with getting a “real job.”
Welcome to the Babysitting Club.
Compared to the average job, babysitting often consists of better pay, fairer employers, and flexibility of hours due to the less demanding nature of Westport families. A study called “A Case of Teenage Babysitting in the United States” done by Nozomi Kawata of Nozomi Hokkaido University reports that, out of 40 university students, 20 males and 20 females “showed that 72.5 percent (65 percent male, 80 percent female) babysat in their youth and 90 percent had a teenage babysitter in their early childhood. A majority started babysitting around the age of 13-14 years and the peak time for babysitting was 15-16 years old.” This popularity exists because it is one of the only unique occupations that supports the balance of high school extracurriculars and academics along with an active social life.
Alex Bookbinder ’13 spent multiple unhappy months working inconsistent hours at a retail store for minimum wage. It wasn’t until she quit that she found her calling: babysitting. Now working about 15 hours per week and making double her retail wage, Bookbinder is content and she no longer finds work to be a burden.
“I can now support myself to live the typical lifestyle of a Westport teenager,” Bookbinder said.
Tommy Palumbo ’13 calls himself a workaholic, especially during the summer, when he rotates between three jobs. However, during the school year, Palumbo, an aspiring videographer and member of the Players tech crew, cannot squeeze in this demanding work schedule. Still needing a source of income, Palumbo turns to babysitting about once a week.
While babysitting significantly increases the volume of his wallet, Palumbo isn’t a fan of the Friday and Saturday night jobs that compromise his social life. “I want to go out and live my life,” Palumbo said.
Other student babysitters believe that the weekend hours are actually the most convenient. Katie Smith ’14 babysits around six to eight times a month and is paid anywhere from $10-$14 an hour.
“To me, the best part about babysitting versus other jobs is that you can set your own hours and choose which jobs you would like to take,” Smith said. “You’re not locked into a set schedule, so you have a ton of flexibility.”
While flexibility can be a perk of babysitting, the most rewarding incentive is the pay. Although the pay varies with each family, there are definitely unwritten rules when it comes to finding the right rate. “I don’t set my own rates, but people know they shouldn’t pay less than $10 an hour,” Palumbo said. “That’s just not cool!”
Parents said they are sometimes unsure on wages for the students who watch over their kids. Stacee Casparius, mother of two young children, has a ballpark rate, but allows room for change depending on certain circumstances.
“I’m never quite sure how much to pay the sitters,” said Casparius. “I usually pay them around $14.00 per hour, and I definitely feel the older they are, they should get a bit more.”
Casparius usually hires her babysitters based on referrals from friends, but if students do not have these types of Westport connections, there are other ways to attain the perfect babysitting gig. One of these methods is right here at Staples and has constant opportunities awaiting. The College and Career Center’s Job Bank is a helpful tool for students and parents alike because it matches teens seeking jobs to employers who otherwise wouldn’t have the resources to find the help on their own.
This “Bank,” currently consisting of 11 jobs, can be found on the Career Center tab at the Staples High School website. It provides job opportunities that range from babysitting to office work, exclusively for Staples students. “The Job Bank creates total success,” said Susan Fugitt, a College and Career Center coordinator. “People are so thrilled when they find our students.”
Since it is often difficult for teens to find a “real job” in Westport that works for them, babysitting has proven to be the more realistic option, which keeps students coming back for more. Parents’ only care is that their children are happy, and once they find a good sitter, they want to keep them content. Casparius, like other Westport moms, will pay the price to find a good fit. “The sitter should definitely be able to balance having fun with the kids while keeping them safe.”
