WooHoo!

Smiles365

Senior Community Member
I passed my test! I only missed 1 question out of 100 (they checked our answers there so we could go over the ones that everone missed), and that was because I misunderstood the question. So, tomorrow is our big check up event, now I actually have to go out and use all this information in the real world! Thank you everyone on this board, all the information on here helped me do so well. I should have my CPS Tech ID number in about a month, so I will be all official then! I am totally exhausted now, so hopefully Frank will let me get a good night's sleep tonight and be all rested in the morning! Crossing our fingers for good weather tomorrow!
~Sarah~
CPS Tech!
 
ADS

shellebelle

Senior Community Member
Congrats! Nice score on the test too, very few people can read through the two answer questions and subjective situations.

I remember my first checkup event. The first car was easy because the parents were already well-educated about their seats (Huskies in an Ody), but once I got the first infant seat I didn't know what to say! It was like staring over a cliff because I was the one who was supposed to be babbling! Okay, that probably didn't help you any.

The thought just popped into my head that I should start doing things from the top down. Hmm...I'll have to try that out tomorrow. Don't worry, if you've hung around here long enough you'll know every little detail about every little seat there is. Believe me, it helps-A LOT!

Michelle
 

Smiles365

Senior Community Member
It went really well today, we didn't have a huge turn out, maybe a dozen cars, but it was pretty good for little ol Juneau! Since I've already helped at an event before the instructors wanted me to have everyone else do stuff first. Most of the people in our class (8 total) are from very small communities and when they go back to their community they will be the only tech there (all of SE Alaska is only accessible by boat or plane, so another tech is a day away). Since I will be here in Juneau with several other techs I will have many more chances to practice with someone else than they will.
The other thing that went well today was the new babysitter that Frank had today. This is the first time that we have used her (dh had to work today), and Frank did great. I dropped him off at her house (she's a 9th grader, so she doesn't drive) and they played, ran around, all kinds of stuff all day and he was fine all day. He is passed out on the couch now, completely exhauseted! I was really worried about it since this is the first week that mom hasn't been home with him all the time, last night when I picked him up from my friends house he didn't want to let go of me for about 20 minutes, so I had no idea how he would do with someone he's never been around before. So, here's an OT question for you, what is your going rate for babysitting? I had no clue what to pay her, and so I gave her what I thought was reasonable for all day (and last minute, I didn't find her until Thursday) and she said it was way too much and she couldn't take that much from me! I think we've found a babysitter now, as nice she is, I think we will continue to use her, lol!
Well, I am totally beat and am going to lay down for a while since Frank is sleeping. Thanks again everyone for everything!
~Sarah~
 

j4m4d8

New member
I doubt I'm much help for the babysitter question--here in rural Upper Michigan, the teenagers still charge $1/hour for babysitting. Daycare runs about $2.50/hour for under 3's and $2/hour for older kids by way of comparison. However, most of the typical teen jobs like bagging groceries are done by people who support families, so I think they are just desperate for extra money.

Sorry you didn't get as much practice as you hoped; it's nice you live where there are other techs. I would love to go be a tech, too, but right now I can't afford to be away from home for a week. Plus, so far as I know, there are no techs in our county, so I'm not sure what I'd do all by myself here. But maybe if I save my money, dh will let me go indulge myself for a week! :)

Julie
 

Longhorn Lady

New member
Sarah:

So awesome about the Tech status :) Hopefully in the next few years I'll be headed that way too!

I figured I'd chime in here about the babysitting since I do quite a bit of it and am a full-time nanny. I have never set a "rate" for any family as I firmly believe that as the parent, you know your children better than anyone else, and whatever you find as fair, I will totally stand by.

That said, the "going rate" around here is between $7-$10/hour. How old is Frank? If I watch a newborn, I usually end up being paid closer to the $10/hour range (which I think is so high :eek: but they always force me to take it). But the baby I am a full-time nanny for is 15 months old and I am paid about $8/hour. The older the kid, the less usually! I hope this helped. I love working with children and the money aspect is simply an added bonus, and it seems as if this girl you found is the same way. She was probably happy with anything you gave her :)
 

murphydog77

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
OMG, how can we be paying less than minimum wage for the people who watch our children??? I just can't imagine paying $2.50/hour for a daycare setting.

It's been a really long time since we've used a babysitter, but I think I remember paying her $5/hour for 2 kids and it was really easy work--no feeding them and only once putting them to bed.

Isn't it nice to come home and hear that things went so well at home? Then again it's kind of sad that they don't quite need you as much any more.
 

bensmom

Admin - CPS Technician
Congratulations on passing the test!

That's also great that you found such a good sitter - They're often hard to find!

I'm in Chicago (in the city), so I'm guessing that our rates are much higher than most. But, FWIW, we pay grad students $10-12 per hour (plus money to order dinner). When I had a high school student last year, she said $6 was fine.
 
U

Unregistered

Guest
I've never had a sitter for my kids but have often wondered how much one would expect. Last time I baby sat, oh about 20 years ago, I think I got something around 7$ an hour. Some folks insisted on paying more for the first hour (like 10$) and then 5 or 6 thereafter.
Remember, in a daycare situation the amount you pay is multiplied by how many kids are in care. It still doesn't add up to 'enough' in my mind though.
C.
 

j4m4d8

New member
Wow! I hope you people out in the real world are making more money than we are here. If I worked and paid for child care at those rates, we'd be bankrupt in no time.

Julie
 

Smiles365

Senior Community Member
Wow, $10 an hour, there is no way we could afford that on a regular basis. I know here in Juneau daycare is an average of $45 a day, so I had planned on paying her $40 since she had Frank from 9-3. Well, I went to pay her and she would only take $20! I couldn't believe it that she wouldn't take more. I was really worried how Frank would do, especially since I'd been gone all week in class, which neither of us is used to. I think we've found a babysitter for the evenings and weekends now, since she's in high school she isn't available during the day. Frank just loved her, so that's a big part of it.
Well, I'm going to be helping at the fitting station we have here 2 days a week probably starting next week, then once I have a few more checks under my belt I'll start working with Kids On The Move/SafeKids more, answering the cell phone, setting up/holding appointments, all that fun stuff. It looks like we've got enough money in the budget for me to go to Lifesavers Conference next year also! Can't wait, I am so excited about all the opportunities I have now. Thanks everyone!
Sarah
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Congratulations!
I got "in trouble" by my neighbor for paying her DD about $10 an hour for three kids last week. She was here 4 hours, I gave her 40$, she had my 2, plus a neighbor boy, plus our brand new puppy.. maybe $30 would have been better, but since she lives next door, I was kind of paying extra for the 'real parents' who could take care of a real emergency if they had to :D...plus, it was about $3 per hour per child, which is what the going rate was for drop-in daycare last time I used it... I dunno, I guess something like minimum wage is fine, since there's no taxes involved and you probably don't mind if they eat your food, lol.

12 cars in Juneau does sound like a great turnout! :)
 

UlrikeDG

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
joolsplus2 said:
Congratulations!
I got "in trouble" by my neighbor for paying her DD about $10 an hour for three kids last week. She was here 4 hours, I gave her 40$, she had my 2, plus a neighbor boy, plus our brand new puppy.. maybe $30 would have been better

Good care is totally worth the extra money! You want her to be eager to drop everything the next time you need a sitter on short notice. :D
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Good care is totally worth the extra money! You want her to be eager to drop everything the next time you need a sitter on short notice.
__________________>>

Yeah, exactly! I'm quite sure the mom was thinking "man, now she's going to want more next time I ask her to watch her own brothers and sisters!" :p
 

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