To consider "hiring" 14yo as a cleaner

[ToesInWater]

I need a cleaner. 14yo DD is at that age where she is thinking about a part time job. Some of her friends have got shop jobs for the Christmas period but they, unsurprisingly, had to commit to working up to and including Christmas Eve and be back in on Boxing Day. We have overseas visitors for Christmas (we are in Oz) who we haven't seen in many years so DD decided, with my blessing, not to do that this year.
So - pragmatic solution - pay DD to clean for me. I would have hired someone for three hours a week, I was thinking DD would not be as fast so was suggesting she can do up to four. I would pay her the same as she would get in a shop (and yes, that is cheaper for me than a cleaning agency). DD thinks this is a great idea as she currently relies on pocket money and goodwill! I know lots of people will probably come along with the "family should just do things" argument and she will still be expected to do her normal chores (as will her brother). What do people think? DS would still clean his own bathroom but I would expect her to do ours as I would a cleaner. Nothing else expected that's not the kind of household stuff we all do.

If you're all happy I can't see the issue but just make sure she's not cleaning anything that will embarrass her and you

DS (16) does this. He wanted a part time job at the same time as my cleaner retired, so he stepped in. He does 2 hours a week, and sometimes some extra when I need it and the arrangement works very well.

Go for it. My parents did the same though we quickly tired of it. It’s a bit like working from home - hard to get motivated! Hence I think you should agree set hours with her (like a Sunday morning 9-12) else she’ll never do it

Sounds great. Do it.

I did this for my Dad as a young teen - it was great! Win-win, in my experience.

Good idea.

And yes to agreed hours, as above - it helps if the cleaner is alone in the house, too - not as much fun if your siblings are hanging out at the same time...

Thanks all, good suggestions about agreed hours and her being on her own!

I used to do it every monday morning when i wasnt at college. My siblings were at school and mum and dad at work.

It's a great idea as long as you're both fair to one another, and if she doesn't already "know how to clean" you do actually teach her!

My mum paid me £5 per week to clean a holiday rental at that age, but she was never happy with my standard of cleaning despite my best efforts because nobody had ever shown me how to clean (I'd never even watched a parent clean as we'd always had a cleaner who came while I was at school - I'm not sure my parents could have cleaned any more professionally than me so I'm not sure why they thought I'd be able to achieve hotel standards if I only tried,). She'd inspect and send me back again and again, so I'd end up working ten hours for my £5 and having my parents pissed off with me anyway. They wouldn't let me stop once I'd committed as I don't made a commitment and it was a life lesson (in fact of course as an adult I see that they just were not willing to stoop to cleaning up holiday makers pubes themselves). Even back when I was a kid £5 for ten hours was less than half the worst paid Saturday/ holiday job wage for a 14 year old.

So be realistic about expectations and teach her the skills she needs, butherwise it sounds a fair idea.