If you just need an extra pair of hands to help you with childcare and household duties, a mother’s helper could be an ideal option. Often, people think that a mother’s helper is the same thing as a babysitter. Well the truth is that a mother’s helper is very different from a babysitter.
A mother’s helper will help out a stay at home mom when she feels overwhelmed. She will also help a mom who has kids and has just returned home form having surgery, or imagine a family has just had twins or multiple babies.
A growing use of a mother’s helper is for parents who work from home or have a home-based business.
Many times a helper will have babysitting experience but there really is no experience or qualifications needed for this job.
The duties of a mother’s helper vary from day to day and basically depend on the needs of the family.
With a mother’s helper, she is usually in the home with parents whereas a babysitter is normally in the home when the parents are not here.
The rates that a mother’s helper gets paid can range anywhere from minimum wage to the salary of a babysitter. Since the parents are home most of the time that the she is around, the pay pretty low. The pay also depends on the job responsibilities, the experience of the mother’s helper, the number of children the she needs to care for and the area the family lives in.
The schedules of a mother’s helper vary from past time to full time or both. They will mostly work during the week but may be needed on the weekends and evenings as well.
A mother’s helper may or may not get benefits depending on the family.
When you are interviewing her, there are some things you need to consider. Write down your specific needs. Do you need someone with a driver’s license? Do you need someone that is CPR certified? Make sure you ask for references. This is very important when interviewing a mother’s helper. You will want at least two or three references.
The web is a great tool for vetting potential helper candidates. On Sittercity, you can view mother’s helper profiles that include background, experience, skills and background check. They also provide references and parent reviews so you can get a feel for others’ experience with the mothers’h helper.
And, don’t forget to conduct in person interviews with selected candidates.