Mother’s Helper question

A "mother's helper" is usually a younger teen or older child who plays with a toddler/preschooler in another part of the house, while one or both parents are on site. So it is usually a cheaper arrangement because they don't have any actual responsibility for the child's welfare, just entertainment value. A high schooler/college student is old enough to be a babysitter when parents aren't home, able to make more money, so probably not going to go for a mother's helper job. An older teen/adult rate for babysitting is about $10/hour for the first child and $8-10 for the second and beyond. A mother's helper is more like $5-8/hour in my opinion.

I felt pushed to post because of the first response... I think that while you you could "get away" with what is quoted ($5-10/hour) it is unethical and likely illegal. I think any help you "hire" should be paid at least $10 hour but really, more like $12-15 (the minimum wage, whatever it is in your area). In my area (Alameda) the average I have seen is $20/hr. 

I am the parent of a college student who was offered $12/per hour for two children as a mother's helper (mom was working in another room in the house). My daughter was fine with that rate as it was less responsibility than babysitting, however a Nextdoor thread went ballistic that no one should be paid less than minimum wage, $15/hour. So the family then offered $15/hour and the mom went to work out of the house.