Another photo from Bob’s trip to Ireland and England. Who wouldn’t buy space raider chips?
When I was around 13-14 I started babysitting. I think I did a Girl Scouts training. Then I babysat for strangers in our neighborhood for $1/hr. If you put $1 in 1977 into the inflation calculator, it says that’s equal to $5.56 today.
Usually, the dad would pick me up and take me home. My parents supervised exactly zero. I would get the jobs when my friends who babysat or other parents I babysat for referred me. I did this until I could drive at 16 and then I started working at Jack in the Box for $3.10/hour. ($12.68 says the Inflation Calculator)
It wasn’t until fairly recently, I realized how potentially terrible this could have turned out. Fortunately, I don’t remember anything even slightly inappropriate happening.
Today, someone would probably call CPS on my parents and the parents letting a 14 year old watch their kids.
I know a young person reading this is probably appalled. But it was fine. Really.
