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Parent's helper Beta
An extra pair of hands while a parent is home: playing with the kids, keeping them busy and helping with snacks so you can work or rest.
- How often
- Weekly
- Where the work happens
- Looking after people or pets
- Who it suits
- Often a good fit for a responsible teen
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A parent's helper looks after the kids while a parent stays in the house, whether that parent is working from home, making dinner, caring for a newborn or just catching a break. The parent stays in charge, and the helper keeps the kids playing and busy.
It's often a first step into childcare for a younger teen, because a grown-up is always close by. Families with a baby and a toddler, or several young kids, can find a weekly helper makes afternoons much calmer.
A helper from down the street can walk over after school, and the kids get a regular playmate they look forward to.
Also called: mother's helper, parent's helper, mommy's helper, helper while I work from home, after school helper for kids, play helper for toddlers.
What's usually included
- Games, reading, crafts and outdoor play in the yard
- Helping with snacks and the cleanup after
- Watching the kids while the parent is in another room
- Getting the kids to help put toys away at the end
- Keeping an older child busy while the parent tends to a baby
What to ask before you hire
- Which days and hours, and what will the parent be doing while the helper is there?
- Are there rooms or activities that are off limits?
- Can the helper take the kids outside, and exactly where?
- If a child gets hurt or upset, the helper should come get the parent right away. Is that clear to everyone?
- How will the helper get to and from your house?
Staying safe
- The parent stays in charge the whole time, and any fall, injury or worry goes straight to them
- Meet the helper, and the helper's parent if they're a teen, before the first afternoon
- Keep kids away from pools, stoves and the street unless the parent is right there
Parent's helper by town
Questions people ask
How is a parent's helper different from a babysitter?
With a parent's helper, the parent stays home and in charge. A babysitter is in charge while the parents are out.
What age makes a good parent's helper?
It's often a first job for younger teens. Meet them and their parents, and decide what you're comfortable with.
Can a helper do chores too?
Light chores, like folding laundry while the kids nap, can be part of it. Agree on that ahead of time so the kids still come first.
How often would I use one?
Whatever works for you. A set weekly afternoon gives kids something to look forward to, and you can add hours over school breaks.
Thinking of offering this yourself?
- This suits a younger teen with their own parent's OK, and it builds the experience families look for in a babysitter later
- Bring a bag of ideas: a card game, sidewalk chalk, a picture book, a simple craft
- Ask the parent what they want you to handle and what they'd rather do themselves
- Set your own price for your area, keeping in mind that the parent is home and in charge
- Coming on the same afternoon each week makes you part of the kids' routine, and families tend to keep a helper the kids love
