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  • #31

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    • #32
      I can tell you all from personal experience, that the only real downside to retirement is that you never get a day off.

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      • #33
        Originally posted by TexasHusker View Post
        I can tell you all from personal experience, that the only real downside to retirement is that you never get a day off.
        When someone who is retired tells me they're going on vacation, I always ask, "Vacation from what?"
        Steve

        * Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
        * Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
        * There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.

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        • #34
          Originally posted by disneysteve View Post
          Exactly. Sounds like it had nothing to do with her being a nanny.

          I fail to see how that is a reason that people shouldn't have nannies, though.
          We all fail at times. It's ok.
          Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes that reason is you're stupid and make bad choices.

          Current Occupation: Spending every dollar before I die

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          • #35
            We kept our sitter hours because we realized that without sitters, our life style seriously suffered. We initially cut hours, but quickly found that it was very inconvenient.

            Sitters help in so many unexpected ways, for example, just now, I realized that I wouldn't be able to just decide to start college if we didn't have our pre-retirement sitters arrangement. Because of the sitters, I was able to leave on business at a moment's notice. Because of the sitters, I'm able to "just decide" to go back to work. Because of the sitters, my wife and I can take on contract work nearly any time.

            Sure, we can do all those things without sitters (as we are both retired), but why make our lives complicated?

            Isn't retirement supposed to be free time? Carefree too (well, as much as possible). That's what we try to do. Our retirement was meant to be enjoyable. And having help certainly helps in this department.

            A long-term sitter also becomes a close family friend and can show your child a different perspective from outside the family. Which is priceless.

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            • #36
              Originally posted by sv2007 View Post
              We kept our sitter hours because we realized that without sitters, our life style seriously suffered. We initially cut hours, but quickly found that it was very inconvenient.

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              • #37
                Originally posted by sv2007 View Post

                Isn't retirement supposed to be free time?
                Yes. For retirees who no longer have non adult children to care for.

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                • #38
                  Originally posted by sv2007 View Post
                  We kept our sitter hours because we realized that without sitters, our life style seriously suffered. We initially cut hours, but quickly found that it was very inconvenient.

                  Sitters help in so many unexpected ways, for example, just now, I realized that I wouldn't be able to just decide to start college if we didn't have our pre-retirement sitters arrangement. Because of the sitters, I was able to leave on business at a moment's notice. Because of the sitters, I'm able to "just decide" to go back to work. Because of the sitters, my wife and I can take on contract work nearly any time.

                  Sure, we can do all those things without sitters (as we are both retired), but why make our lives complicated?

                  Isn't retirement supposed to be free time? Carefree too (well, as much as possible). That's what we try to do. Our retirement was meant to be enjoyable. And having help certainly helps in this department.

                  A long-term sitter also becomes a close family friend and can show your child a different perspective from outside the family. Which is priceless.
                  I had a lot to say on this but decided it probably wouldn't help.

                  We are way off topic on this thread. Maybe we need to start a new one on the sitters idea.
                  Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes that reason is you're stupid and make bad choices.

                  Current Occupation: Spending every dollar before I die

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                  • #39
                    I think some people may not understand the value of a good babysitter; maybe never experienced it. But once you find one, you'll know why people want to keep that relationship going (this was the reason we didn't fire ours but only reduced the hours initially).

                    A good babysitter is very hard to find. Mature, honest, kind, responsible, long history, well educated, not the sitter from an agency; not a neighborhood teen. However, in order for such person to be a sitter (which pays way below their qualifications), there's also something (to put frankly) wrong with them, you just have to decide whether the bad is significant to the task at hand.

                    I

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                    • #40
                      Originally posted by sv2007 View Post
                      A good babysitter is very hard to find. Mature, honest, kind, responsible, long history, well educated, not the sitter from an agency; not a neighborhood teen. However, in order for such person to be a sitter (which pays way below their qualifications), there's also something (to put frankly) wrong with them, you just have to decide whether the bad is significant to the task at hand.
                      Huh? I really don't get what you are saying here.

                      Are you saying there was something bad with your sitter?

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                      • #41
                        Originally posted by sv2007 View Post
                        However, in order for such person to be a sitter (which pays way below their qualifications), there's also something (to put frankly) wrong with them
                        Why do you assume something is wrong with them? Just because they're willing to work at a job that they love for less money than they could make doing something else?
                        Steve

                        * Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
                        * Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
                        * There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.

                        Comment

                        • #42
                          Perhaps you can remedy their situation by paying your sitters in accord with their qualifications. If you pay them more, then ~voila!~ suddenly there is nothing wrong with them!
                          "There is some ontological doubt as to whether it may even be possible in principle to nail down these things in the universe we're given to study." --text msg from my kid

                          "It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men." --Frederick Douglass

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                          • #43
                            Originally posted by Joan.of.the.Arch View Post
                            Perhaps you can remedy their situation by paying your sitters in accord with their qualifications. If you pay them more, then ~voila!~ suddenly there is nothing wrong with them!
                            We pay better than the going rate (we are paying $22-25/hr, the going rate is $18). We also give birthday and holiday bonuses.

                            So you are suggesting paying a gardener who mows my lawn $150/hr just because he's got a PhD? That's just silly.

                            I wrote that there's something wrong as a reminder to others who may think there's free lunch in this world. Well, there isn't. The sitters I use have issues that IMHO is preventing them from achieving their potential in terms of success in life.

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                            • #44
                              Here's one of our sitters, she works 15 hrs /week for us (been with us for 6 yrs) and 20 hr/wk for another family (taking care of their 15 and 17 yr olds, who she's been with for 16 yrs). She was a teacher for years; her husband is a math PhD. They have no kids.

                              Why would somebody like her work for $25/hr?

                              Since I know her husband's job probably pays in the $150k range (maybe higher), her marginal tax rate is likely 35-40% (CA has state tax too). So, effectively, her pay is only $15.

                              I'm very glad to have her, but I think anybody will at least feel there's something wrong. I actually know more about her, but I think logically one must ask the question, "why am I getting a free lunch?"

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                              • #45
                                Originally posted by disneysteve View Post
                                Why do you assume something is wrong with them? Just because they're willing to work at a job that they love for less money than they could make doing something else?
                                I just don't think all jobs are fun. The fun jobs are the ones you'd do on your own whether you get paid for not. The rest of the jobs people only do when they get paid. And babysitting other people's babies is of the latter.

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