Protecting Your Time This Summer

Getting Organized:
In your home and homeschool

For many of us, we will have well-meaning friends and family ask us to watch their children this summer. If this is something that happens to you whenever school is out in your area, set boundaries now.
Having extra children in your house changes the dynamics of your household. Even well-behaved children will add to your responsibilities.

If you need to set a price for caring for other people’s children, make it worth your while. Check costs for sending children to summer camp during the day. Set your price and stick to it. Make sure you include money for snacks/meals or ask them to provide food.

If you have friends who want you to watch their children for free, just say, “No.” Family might be a different case, but I do not think you should watch someone else’s children for free unless it is a special circumstance.

You might be thinking that it will give your children playmates. This is true, but it is still more work for you. It may limit the activities you want to do with your own children.

If you need to earn a little extra money, baby-sitting can be a good way to supplement your income. You will just need to be firm and have paperwork handy. You will also need to check your state laws regarding baby-sitting on a regular basis for a non-family member.
Over the past 26 years, I have done a fair amount of baby-sitting for others. Most of the time, it was a great experience. I did have times when it was not a great experience. In those cases, I had to end it.

My children are more important than me caring for someone else’s child. I won’t allow them to disrupt our home and cause strife.

I am going to give you permission to say, “No” to any request that you receive to babysit where you do not want to do it. Do not feel obligated to say anything else. They will find someone else. I have seen this turn into the babysitter being taken advantage of, and I don’t want that for you.

How are you doing with decluttering and closing out your school year? I have heard from several of you who are working on this now. You will be so happy you got it over with before your summer break.

Your Zone Mission for today is to declutter extra foil, plastic wrap, or disposable containers.

Your Home Blessing for today is to declutter paper and magazines.

My menu plan for Thursday is chicken and veggies.

Have a great day!
Siggie - Tami Fox

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About Tami

Tami Fox is a homeschool mom of 6, who in age from 26 to 11. She and her husband have homeschooled for 17 years and have graduated three of their children from their homeschool. They are currently homeschooling 3 boys who are in grades 11, 9, and 6. They use hands-on learning and unit studies to ignite the fire of learning in their children. Tami is a homeschool author and conference speaker. You can contact her by email at Tami@TamiFox.com. Buy her book, Giving Your Children Wings at https://tamifox.net/giving-your-children-wings/.

Comments

Protecting Your Time This Summer — 2 Comments

  1. Good points! I’ve babysat in the past, for pay. It was a ton of work, but well paid. We had fun but mercy it was exhausting! I also had to add an endorsement to my homeowners insurance so that the liability would cover me if I were sued if a child were injured…most home policies exclude that. What I didn’t do was check the state laws– oops. I later discovered I technically had to be licensed (which meant that since it wasn’t legal home insurance wouldn’t have paid anyway)! Glad you mentioned the state laws!

    • We don’t often think of legal requirements when we watch someone else’s children for pay. It is a lot to consider.

      Have a wonderful day!

      Tami

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