A kind single dad on the Upper West Side is seeking a family assistant to join his household for the long term. He has two boys ages 9 and 13. The job is a mix of running the home day to day and spending active, engaged time with the boys in the afternoons. Because they're older and fairly independent, the childcare side is light, usually no more than about three hours a day. What matters most to the father is finding someone dependable who fits their family and wants to stay for years. Their residence is two blocks from school, one block from Central Park, and everything the boys do is within walking distance, so no driving is needed. 

Both children are excellent students, and they're social, energetic, respectful, and close with each other. The younger son plays basketball, takes guitar lessons, and stays busy with after-school activities. The older son is more independent and finding his groove right now; he's into martial arts. They tend to warm up quickly to adults who take a real interest in them. The right person enjoys kids this age, can keep pace with their energy, sets warm but firm boundaries, and connects with them as they grow.

The schedule is Monday through Friday 10:30am-6:30pm for 40 hours a week, with flexibility for the occasional early start or late evening. The role begins around August 3rd.

They are looking for someone consistent and dependable, who shows up, communicates openly, and brings real energy rather than waiting to be told what to do. Real experience with kids in the 9-to-13 range matters to the father, along with the ability to engage with older boys in a way that fits where they actually are: someone who can be warm and consistent, hold the line when needed, and know when to give them room. The boys need real support and structure, and they're also at an age of growing independence — the right person embraces that and leans into it. He is a hands-on, involved parent, and he treats the person who works with them with respect.

• Picking up the younger son from school, with the occasional early morning to get the boys there.
• Getting them to activities and appointments: basketball, martial arts, doctor visits, and the odd last-minute errand.
• Afternoons at Central Park for scooter riding, sports, and outdoor play.
• Making the boys dinner each night, plus a healthy snack after school.
• Staying later on the nights the father runs over later with work or has a dinner.
• The boys do their own homework; help is welcome but not expected.
• Cooking dinner each night, including a separate non-meat/dairy dish for the father (this may not happen all of the time or he can get his own meals if needed). (No food allergies in the house.)
• Washing the previous night's dishes in the morning and keeping the kitchen tidy.
• Family laundry three times a week (their laundry room is on the ground floor), and changing the beds weekly.
• Washing and pressing the father's work shirts is a bonus, but not a requirement.
• Keeping the apartment clean day to day, including vacuuming and the bathrooms.
• Keeping the home tidy and presentable throughout the day, making sure things are picked up, surfaces are clear, and the apartment always looks pulled together.
• Light grocery shopping (the father does most of it), and keeping an eye on supplies so they don't run low.
• Taking out the trash and letting in deliveries or workmen when needed.

• CPR and First Aid certification is a plus. If you're a great fit but not current, he is glad to cover it.
• The father will put together a clear set of household guidelines at the start so everyone is on the same page from day one.
• Standard confidentiality, and he will ask that nothing about the family or their plans be posted on social media.

• $40-45/hour depending on experience, years held in each role formerly, education as it pertains to child care taking (I.E., Education), and skill-set to complete the job requirements and duties
• Two weeks of paid vacation a year, with about two months' notice.
• Plenty of additional paid time off on top of that. He gives paid days off when he's working from home, and paid time over holidays and when he travels with the boys and doesn't need help. It usually adds up to at least two extra weeks, and can reach about a month a year, generally in one-week stretches.
• One week of paid sick leave a year.
• Eight paid holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
• A holiday bonus at the end of the year.