Sleepyjack

I was watching a national current affair show (A current affair on Channel 9 HOME hosted by Ray Matrin (all aussie will know him ). NOTE: i was only watching this, 'cause for the first time in a while, i was eating upstairs in front of the TV

Unfortuantley i can't find the actual story aired on the show, on the website, so i'll recite best i can

Basically they're was a 9 year girl who offered her services as a playmate to other children. It's similar to a babysitter service, in that parents may hire her, for $2 an hour to play with their kids, just to get them out of their hair. Although the parents of the kids remain home, it's all supervised and everything.

The mother of the girl was her business partner or manager, who'd dropped her off at the house and then pick her up after she was finished entertaining kids. The presentation was done in a manner of showing that it was great for such a young kid to become interested in business etc

Although throughout the presentation i was rather upset that for one, a young kid getting interested and involved with money so she can buy things for herself and just what the concept may teach her about friendships in the future etc. Maybe she'll want money off of her friends just to hang out and chew the fat.

Also, the fact that the mother leaves the kid at the strangers house and goes off again, under the supervison of another parent could be dodgy. Albeit, i don't know the clients they normally go for etc? (like if they know them, or if just random people in the neighbourhood are calling up?) So that was another dodgy factor.

Also she had a mobile (i think) to deal with business/clients I don't even have a fucking mobile! albeit at least it was for a business purpose not some dick talking about his day
(heh, sorry, i don't like mobile phones, got my little rant in there )

I don't have kids or any experience really, so i don't know how much i know about it but i thought it may of been addressed?
That said, when i was 9 years old, from what i remember, it was fun just fucking around like all the other 9 years old, having fun, no money or business crap to worry about, just stupid fun that kids have.

It's all getting to the fact that kids are probably growing up too quickly and being interested in too many aldult affairs. Hey man...slow down!!
Are there many benefits from this sorta stuff? hmm, maybe i've given a bias view, but just my thoughts?

ratbastid

Isn't this awfully close to prostitution? I'll play with you and be your friend for $2 an hour... Troubling.

I can picture it. "Okay, Jimmy. Mommy's going shopping. Have fun with your little whore friend!"

Sleepyjack

Yeah, that's what i intially (thought) said at the TV! ....but the TV never listens to you

ShaniFaye

I wouldnt wanna be the kids of the parents that used the service, somehow I would think it would fuck them up to know that mommy and/or daddy had to PAY someone to be their "friend"

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Gortexfogg

I wonder, do the kids want this service, or is it just the parents? When I was that little, I know I'd rather have my mom spend $2 on ice cream or candy for me instead of playtime with a kid I didn't even know...

Confederate

yea that's kinda shady, but for the kid it's good work, she gets paid to play, all she has to do it pout up with a kid that can't seem to get their own friends, or their friends are unavailable. Granted there is an upside and a downside to a concept such as this, but i think if it is handled right it could be a nice business venture.

Strange Famous

That girls sounds like a jerk to me.

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*Nikki*

Ha. I think it is pretty clever. People will pay for anything now a days.

dragon2fire

capitliism at is fineist

Bill O'Rights

*shakes head*

Lemme get this straight...this girls mother drops her off to play at someone elses house...and the girl gets paid...presumably by the parents/adults in "charge"?

Holy crap!! I been doin' this all wrong!! Every morning my wife and I drop our son off at his daycare, and we pay her.

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pyraxis

I don't see what the problem is. When I was about 9 my friends and I used to host a mini-carnival in our driveway. Kids would buy tickets from us, play the carnival games we set up, and get the chance to win our prizes (usually candy or craft jewellery). Nothing wrong with a little capitalism. That girl's a smart kid.

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raeanna74

It's a good idea. Althought I wouldn't call it "playmate" service. The name has just slightly picked up some other than juvinile connotations. Also I don't know how comfortable I would feel about her going to a strangers home. I live in an apt complex and I even left her to sit with my sleeping daughter while I went to the gas station 2 blocks away. That time her mother was next door and my daughter had just gone to sleep if anything happened mother can see in my patio window and I her's so there was still adult supervision. My neighbor girl is 9 yrs old. Not old enough to be alone but old enough to be responsible under normal circumstances. I have paid her to come and play with my daughter and keep her out of my hair when I was shampooing the carpet or something more involved. There is enough of an age difference that she doesn't always play with my daughter and also I put her in charge of getting snacks and changing the baby too. Not something a 9 yr old might normally be responsible for. I was here in the event of an emergency but she was an extra pair of hands that I didn't have. I didn't pay her a lot but afterwards I took her to the dollar store or for icecream. It teaches kids how to be responsible and how to be good baby sitters while still being supervised.

Growing up my brother and I did not get any allowance. We were given jobs to do upon request above and beyond our usual chores. For those we were given payment. Even as little as 50 cents an hour. We learned to save this up and it gave us freedom to get something now and then that we wanted from the store. I taught us how much our parents had to earn to get things for us and gave us an appreciation of the work they did. When I was 14 I bargained with a neighbor who had a large patch of garden she wasn't using. I planted cucumbers in it and the neighbor kids would come help me pick the cucumbers. Some as young as 5 years old. I paid them 25 cents per grocery bag and then when my Mom went to the grocery store I'd take them to the produce dept. They paid me for them. I forget how much. It was a big profit but it taught me how business works. It's not like a job where you can use a sick day or something. If you don't work - you don't get paid. It's helped me be a harder worker and more responsible with my money.

Please forgive how verbose this is. I didn't realize till now.

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mrdeath400

I dunno, that really sounds weird. I mean would you just drop your kid off randomly at someone else's house if they paid you?

jasonresno

I thought the title meant something else *swhew*

water_boy1999

I am sure the parents take some measure of precaution to ensure that their daughter isn't being sent into a bad situation.

Besides, I think it is good to instill a solid work ethic at an early age. It helps develop an appreciation for the finer things in life. Besides, it's not like she is working 40-50 hour weeks watching someone else's kids.

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Mastershredder

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onodrim

I suppose its this generation's version of selling lemonade for 10 cents on the street. :\ Doesn't seem very healthy to me though to teach a child to pay for friendship.

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Kaos

We are living in a material world...and she's just a material girl.

feelgood

I heard about this on another show long time ago and I thought it was a pretty good idea until you mentioned:

If I had kids, I sure wouldn't leave them at Strangers...not even if they were paying me million bucks...

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high_way

ahh good ole' ray, always gets the story, and the hair...



but about the story, i think it is disturbing in a way. like someone said, how would the kids feel. could you imagine being that age and your partents pay for you to have a friend, it would be so demoralising... its like the kid was too uncool or unpopular to make his or her own friends. thats just not right.

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Nefir

Anyone who needs to be paid to be my friend is no friend of mine. And if I had a kid, I would gladly play with him/her myself, and wouldn't even consider paying a stranger to do so, if no real friends are around.

The parents who take advantage of this service (and the parents of the child who offers it) obviously have no interest in raising their child on their own, and would rather let someone else do so while they live their lives unburdened by parenthood.

Bah.

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Phaenx

2 bucks an hour, that's chump change compared to what I was doing at that age. Me and my friend got a sign that said "Parking, 5 bucks." and headed over to the church his dad was Pastor of (which was conveniently located next to the football field for Chaminad Juliane, a highschool that draws a lot of attention from recruiters/fans).

180 bucks a game night, 90 bucks each. When you're 10, that's absolutely fucking insane.

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raeanna74

This isn't a 40 hour a week job. Besides what about all the parents that leave their kids in daycares 8-10 hours a day? Are you going to say they don't want to be burdened by parenthood? This girl is probably not going to play with children her age. They are probably younger toddlers or preschool age. They need more constant supervision and when there's a job that needs to be done around the house it is a responsible thing to have an older child give your child more close supervision with your help available in an emergency.

I don't appreciate your remark that these parents are not interested in raising their children themselves. You do not know that to be the case. You obviously don't have children. You cannot be a parent 24/7 and stay sane you need help once in a while.

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Bill O'Rights

True. Very true.

lucidity

A young entrepreneur. I'd be interested in seeing where she is in 20 years.

majik_6

Wow, I wish I would have though of that when I was nine!

All through grade school, I was always starting little business, but nothing this good!

Personally, I think it's good to teach the kids about work and money at such a young age. I had a lemonade stand (the biggest in the county, I must say) and did magic shows around the area (and still do, sadly enough) and they taught me a lot about having to really put in the time to make some money. It also taught me respect for the value of money.

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mingusfingers

Man, I would have been to shy to make that one work.

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Nefir

I realize that I have been a bit harsh in my post, and apologize. I had no right to go ballistic on the parents' choice like that, and now that I think about it, it does not seem so bad that the kid is getting some life lessons in responsibility while at the same time giving the parents a break.

I guess I've just grown bitter at the new generation of kids raised by nothing but TV and video games... This child is obviously not one of them.

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Midnight_Son

I don't see the problem, if she was was just babysitting...this wouldn't be an issue. so what the hell's the difference if the parents are home or not? Say your a single mom with a 3 year old...the 3 year old doesn't have any playmates....why not hire the kid to free up a little time for your self? that's seems a damn site better than sticking the kid in front of a TV, which is how far too many parents raise thier kids.

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Iliftrocks

Well geez, I don't even know what to think about this. I just tie a steak to my kid and get the dog to play with her.....

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