Am I The Only Parent Who Has Babysitter Issues?
By singlemommy
@singlemommy (2955)
United States
December 22, 2008 8:41pm CST
My babysitter has never been dependable. Last month her mother died. I sympathized with her about this, but it happened on a Friday night and she wait to call me at midnight on Sunday night to tell me about it and let me know that she couldn't babysit my son on Monday morning. I had to be at work at 7:00 that morning. I told her not to worry, well, I don't have any family or anything around here so I have no one to call when I need help like this. I missed 2 days of work because of this. She never called to tell me when she was going to start babysitting again or anything, I found another woman to watch him for the last 3 days of that week so I could go to work. Because I missed those 2 day, I not only lost those 2 days of pay, but I got a 2 day suspension for missing work and lost another 2 days pay. I know this wasn't something that she could help, but by her not calling me and letting me know anything, she pretty much left everything up in the air for me.
This past Friday I had to be at court at 9 am. My cell phone had went dead the night before and I didn't plug it in until I got in the car to take my son to the babysitter before I went to court. As soon as I plugged it in I got a text message from my babysitter saying that she wasn't going to be able to babysit that day because her daughter was sick. I checked to see what time she sent the message and it was about an hour before I left. I was so pissed. I called her up and said "Do you think you could go ahead and keep him because I have to be at court at 9 and I can't take him with me". She said, "Well, we are sick". I said, "I understand that but I have to be at court, I don't have a choice and I can't take a 2 year old with me." She said, "Well, if you don't care if he starts puking all weekend then I guess it will be okay". I said, "Okay, just keep him while I go to court and I'll pick him up right after". She said, "Fine". So, I took him to her, went to court, got out of court and called a teenager here in town to see if she could watch him the rest of the day so I could go to work because I could only get enough time off work to go to court, they wouldn't approve any more time and if I missed it meant that I would get fired. The teenager agreed to keep him. So, I had to drive 15 miles back to our home town, then another 15 miles to go to work.
This was the last straw for me, the whole almost missing court because my sitter decided she didn't want to babysit that day. GRRR..I get aggravated just thinking about it. So, over the weekend I decided to go ahead and let that teenager keep him while she is off on Christmas vacation. I decided to give the babysitter her own medicine and text her a message saying that I had someone else watching him the next two weeks. I didn't tell her, but I also thought that I had found another babysitter to watch him full time. I did call that lady tonight and she said she was interested in babysitting my son, so I'm going to be meeting with her next week.
Well, tonight I get a text message from my babysitter (now former babysitter) saying, "I understand that you have other options for childcare but your son holds one of my full time spots if you want me to hold his spot then you are still going to have to pay for his days. I really can not continue to lose out pay for my full time positions I am only allowed so many of them."
What the heck?? I have lost so much pay because of her and she is going to tell me that she can't afford to lose out pay because of me? I don't understand this, but oh well.
Am I the only parent who has babysitter issues? Does anyone else have a hard time finding a babysitter who is dependable?
3 people like this
9 responses
@surveytaker29345 (489)
• United States
23 Dec 08
I am not a parent, so I do not have childcare issues. I am a childcare provider and I think you have been choosing the wrong ones. I am a very reliable sitter and will always call well in advance if I need to cancel. I almost never cancel because I think it is very inconvenient for the parent.
I have heard some stories from other parents that I have sat for before. They also have complained about the quality of the sitter. I think it is very difficult to find someone that is right to watch your little ones these days.
I joined a web site to find a job and they have sitters fill out profiles. They post their hours of availability and their background. You can also request background checks which are important. Parents can also post comments on the outcome of the sitter. If you would like to pm me, I have a link for the site.
I hope that I could be helpful.
2 people like this
@singlemommy (2955)
• United States
23 Dec 08
Yes, I would be very interested in checking out that site. Thanks so much!
1 person likes this
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
23 Dec 08
You might also check on if Salvation Army offers daycare in your area.
2 people like this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
23 Dec 08
I have had my fair share of babysitter troubles in the past. Where I am living now there are very few licensed day cares, so a lot of people get stuck with babysitters. My kids went to one babysitter that was terrible. Not unreliable as far as watching the kids, but unreliable as far as actually WATCHING the kids once they are there. My daughter at 5 months old got left on her front porch in 90 degree weather while she was inside with the other kids putting in a movie. They never went back.
2 people like this
@singlemommy (2955)
• United States
23 Dec 08
OMG,I would never take my child back there again either. This world is just crazy now days, you can't trust anyone now days.
1 person likes this
@oldboy46 (2129)
• Australia
23 Dec 08
When my children were young we were lucky as my mother looked after them. At first it was only when my now ex-wife wanted to go somewhere without the children or is was impossible to take them with her for some reason or other. She was not working outside of the home at this time. However when she decided that she wanted to return to work, my mother had the children all the time.
My mother would go to our home every morning, make sure the girls had eaten their breakfast, make their lunches and take them to school. After school she would pick them up and take them to whatever they had to do, i.e. swimming, dancing, music lessons etc. She would take them home aftger thatm give them something light to eat, supervise their homework and all the other things that needed to be done.
Yes, we were very lucky that Mum was willing to do all of that for us and her grandchidren. It also meant we had no dramas like you are having singlemommy. I sumpathise with you because you do need someone wh is responsible as well as reliable to look after your son. Now I can quite understand that the babysitter would expect to be paid if you were always cancelling her but it is the other way around. So as far as I am concerned she had a nerve to say that you have to pay whether your son is there or not.
If I was in your shoes I would be looking very hard for someone who is more reliable to take care of your son. Good luck with the interview for the new babysitter and I hope it works out well for both of you.
2 people like this
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
23 Dec 08
First off don't pay her a cent. If she had been available for sitting and you did not take your child for whatever reason then it would have been on you to pay.
When I did daycare I was available whether I was sick (mildly that is), my kids were sick, the day care kid was sick or whatever. If your kid came, I did my job. If the sun came up I did my job. If for some reason I couldn't care for kids on a particular day I didn't charge my clients. Those days were extremely rare and in seven years I was unavailable maybe twice, always with plenty of time for alternative plans.
This woman, in my opinion, has no excuse.
2 people like this
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
23 Dec 08
Does this former babysitter have a professional sitting service? It sounds to me as if even if she did she's not running it right. It's your right to find another sitter but unless you and her have a contract made up about pay when she's not babysitting then she has no reason to even mention the pay. You've lost pay because of her but that doesn't mean you have to pay her and her child's means. Wow I'm sure that sounds mean but from what you told us about the way she is being it sounds like her last comment was exactly that "Pay me because I need the money for me and my kid!" She may but you have to earn it, either by doing your job or being kind, whatever the case may be!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Have a wonderful day!
2 people like this
@fasttalker (2796)
• United States
23 Dec 08
I wouldn't pay her anything and after that little trick I would definately be finding a new sitter. I was very fortunate when my kids were young to have plenty of family that helped me out tremendously. After feeling so guilty over leaving them wih family that refused to be paid for it I started providing child care myself fulltime and I will have to say I made a fine salary doing so.
When I took on a new client we had a signed agreement that I would provide a minumium of 24 hours notice if I wasn't going to be available and they would do the same.
Once I was keeping a ladies child and she hadn't showed up by 8 am(supposed to be there by 7 am) and I started calling her home and workplace and all the numbers she gave me. Come to find out she had fallen in her driveway on ice and broken her foot. It was a good thing I had called her sister and she went to check on her or she would have laid there for who knows how long! The sister then dropped the child off so she could take her to the ER.
My point is that it is just good old common sense for her to provide you with enough notice for you to prepare as you should her. This helps in more ways than one.
I hope the other lady does agree to keep your child and I know it can be so frustrating finding good, dependable and safe child care these days. Good Luck!
1 person likes this
@shymurl (2765)
• United States
23 Dec 08
I wouldn't pay that former babysitter anything. I too have a problem with finding a babysitter. I am a mother of three children, I am lucky to have a job at home but if I want or need to go somewhere without the kids, it would be nice to have a sitter to rely on and trust. I have none of my family here. My inlaws are not reliable. its only at their convenience. I have a friend that helps out when she can, but she is a single mom of three children and I will help her out when I can. You are not the only, I feel your pain too. Good luck with your next babysitter.
1 person likes this
@BAILEYS876 (20)
•
23 Dec 08
i have the same issues, i dont get a lot of help off my parents, i was with my daughter fathers 8 trs but now dont live with him she only goes to c him maybe once a week if that, not that he doesnt wat to ss her because he does, it just due to work commitments and shift rotas etc, but apart from him, if he is on the worn shift or whatever i feel like i dont have a life. i did end up getting a babysitter she was great with my daughter, my daughter knew her before she started babysitting for me but, she just was just really inrealiable, letting me down at the last minute. professional child care while you are out to work costs a fortune too
1 person likes this
