I would say you need a babysitter, which is somewhere between a Mothers Helper and a Nanny. To me a Mothers Helper plays with kids while I do stuff in the house, but I can intervene if need be. I feel like you need a but more than that level of comepetence if you need to be able to actually work and handle phone calls during the time she is there.
I would aim for an older teen who has some experience babysitting. $15 an hour.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A nanny is an adult who is paid like $25 an hour. A mother's helper is like an 11 yr old girl who plays with your kids while you're home and gets like $5 an hour.

no, our mother’s helper is 20 and makes $16 an hour to play with and occupy my two kids. I can’t call her a babysitter since I’m here.

What is wrong with this 20 year old that she can't be trusted to be alone with children?

Nothing is wrong it’s her - she’s great. I’m here in the house with her because I work from home and haven’t been going out. Since DH and I are here when our MH is here, she isn’t babysitting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A nanny is an adult who is paid like $25 an hour. A mother's helper is like an 11 yr old girl who plays with your kids while you're home and gets like $5 an hour.

no, our mother’s helper is 20 and makes $16 an hour to play with and occupy my two kids. I can’t call her a babysitter since I’m here.

What is wrong with this 20 year old that she can't be trusted to be alone with children?

Anonymous wrote:A nanny is an adult who is paid like $25 an hour. A mother's helper is like an 11 yr old girl who plays with your kids while you're home and gets like $5 an hour.

no, our mother’s helper is 20 and makes $16 an hour to play with and occupy my two kids. I can’t call her a babysitter since I’m here.

A nanny is an adult who is paid like $25 an hour. A mother's helper is like an 11 yr old girl who plays with your kids while you're home and gets like $5 an hour.

Around $15 an hour for a teenager. Normally you wouldn’t guarantee sick pay but in these times you don’t want her coming to work when she’s got a cough or fever just for the money.

You don’t want a nanny. Advertise for a Mother’s Helper. If you are not needing her for custodial care, teaching, or bonding, a Mother’s Helper adequate. She will just play with your kids.

How much would you offer a nanny/mother's helper to take care of a toddler and nine-month-old in NOVA while one parent works part-time from home? No driving, cleaning, or meal prep, and the parent would be there and also taking care of the kids for much of the day, sporadically ducking out for conference calls. Relatedly, is it customary to offer paid time off and/or sick days? TIA!