How to Be a Mother's Helper

A mother's helper can be a great asset to a stay-at-home mom. The mother's helper takes on a variety of household tasks--cooking, cleaning, running errands, babysitting and doing anything the parent needs help with. Since the mother's helper is in the home while a parent is there, it is a good job for a pre-teen or teenager. Follow these steps for finding work as a mother's helper.

Instructions

1. Follow your mom around and ask her what she needs help with. Learn how to clean, grocery shop, take care of babies and older kids, and find out where she needs the most help in her day. Your own home can be the best training ground.

2. Let people know that you are for hire. Advertise your services through your parents, through your church or social circle, through flyers or an advertisement in the newspaper. Find out how much you should charge through friends who babysit or do similar tasks. Ask your parents what they would pay for the services you are offering. Ask the person who wants to hire you how much they think is fair.

3. Set out your rules up front. For example, if you are not going to walk dogs or cat sit, let the family hiring you know up front. Let them know the hours you are available to work and whether you are willing to work on the fly or want a set schedule. Be bold and open, but don't be too demanding.

4. Get the rules from them. Find out what the family who hires you expects out of you. Some moms work from home and need you to keep the kids quiet. Other moms just want someone there to sit in the car with the kids as she runs into the post office. Find out what the person expects from you.

5. Determine the pay. Have a pay scale in mind before you meet with the family. Find out how much you should charge through friends who baby-sit or do similar tasks. Ask your parents what they would pay for the services you are offering. Ask the person who wants to hire you how much they think is fair. Ask around and get an idea of how much you need to make to make it worth your time.