Way, way back when a friend and I were building an addition to a young couple's house. They had inherited some money, and were to come into a bunch more.

The deal was that my friend got a wage, I got a wage and anyone else got $7 a hour. That was to cover the laborers.

Well, their kids would come out after school and "help". Nice kids, but in the way. It wound up that we were babysitting them.

Bill added up the hours one week and turned them in. It wasn't itemized, just so many hours at $7. They paid it. Next week the same, but they asked who else had been there - they hadn't seen anyone. Bill explained it was the kids, that babysitting was stressful, especially around construction, and while that's not what was envisioned, it seemed to work out.

They paid it in good spirits, and the kids stayed away.

Arf