After my surgery in 2010 I started up a Facebook page called Helping Hands where I informed my community that I was looking for work. No job too big, or two small! Babysitting, cleaning, packing, organizing, painting, errands, whatever. Thankfully a few moms have taken me up on this. My fee is relatively small, only $7.50 an hour but some money is better than no money and I needed it to be an amount that was comfortable for my community.
So far, my jobs have all been in the babysitting area. Completely fine because I love kids. What I love the most about this is how I know they trust me. Trust means everything. It means you can count on this person to do right by you, take care of your needs and in their abilities. You can count on them!
I believe the reason this means so much to me is because I never felt like I could count on someone. My mother died when I was 12, my father abandoned us, my grandmother didn't protect me, my grandfather molested me, etc.,. I know I can count on my husband, it wasn't always that way and in his defense I never let him be there. I felt that I had to rely on myself because that was how I protected myself. There was no one else to fall back on growing up, it was all me.
When I hear my friends say, they trust me, that I am good with their kids, or even them giving my name to another friend as a potential person to watch their kids I am thrilled. I get all fuzzy and warm inside. For someone to give me their children, their most prized possession, really says something. Oddly enough, there are people who have absolutely no problems handing their children off to just about anyone. I am not one of these people, my kids have been left with three people about a hand full of times in the past 8 years. It isn't something I do often and while I do have someone I completely trust (Clary), I don't do it often but I would trust her with my kids as much as myself.
Today, my girlfriend Carissa called and asked if I was around because her little one was sick and she had to get her medicine, and get some quick groceries but didn't want to take the baby with her. Heading there, I had thought how awesome it is that she called. She has options and it feels good to know she trusts me. I know as a mom, leaving your sick kid is hard enough even if it is with your spouse.
Her baby slept the whole time. I sat on the laptop with her dogs at my feet, watching the baby toss and turn while she slept. She never even knew I was there. Carissa called from the road and offered to buy me lunch. People are just so kind! She was paying me to watch her sleeping baby and buying me lunch?! Not a bad gig. I helped her take her groceries in and removed them from the bags mostly because she is a friend but because I know as a working mom with a sick baby, she has to be exhausted.
Wednesday, I am watching another friends baby. I hate charging for my services. As a friend, I would watch their children for free if things were different. Time is money and with a huge medical debt over my head, I need to charge for my time.
Thankfully they completely understand!
What do you do for extra money?
Not enough people understand what it really means to be trusted! It's possibly the highest compliment one can be paid, so it's great that you recognize it for what it is. I think most of us take it for granted.
ReplyDeleteIf I lived near you--or even had kids young enough to need supervision--I'd hire you! ;)