After my second baby, I started paying my cousin $20 an hour to help me with chores and childcare
A working mother shares her experience of hiring her cousin as a paid 'mother's helper' to manage childcare and household chores. The arrangement has provided essential support for her family while strengthening their personal relationship.
Why it matters
It highlights the growing trend of informal, paid family-based childcare solutions as parents struggle to balance professional careers with domestic responsibilities.
When we needed help with childcare, my cousin was the first person I thought of — my kids love her, and she was already spending so much time with our family. I love that I get an extra set of hands, and we're closer than ever. Courtesy of Lauren Khan After having my second child, I realized I needed an extra set of hands to help me with two under 2. We began paying my 23-year-old cousin $20 an hour to watch the kids and be my helper. It's great. She's become so irreplaceable that I worry what we'll do when she has a full-time career. My 12-month-old says her fifth word, "Nanie," when Jane walks into our kitchen. Jane — known by my children as Nanie — just got back from putting my 2-year-old son down for his nap. Knowing he's sound asleep, I let out an exhale.
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