Comments on: Momversation: I expect a lot from my babysitter

By: Cara

Cara — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:56:14 +0000

@ Whitney, agree on not being self-conscious (being naked in our house is A-OK for B as well) but that is different from making them aware that running around naked in front of other people would not be appropriate, plus the added component of touching that actually bathing a child entails crosses a line I wouldn’t be comfortable with if I were just hiring a sitter, as you said. Friends of ours babysit B and I’m totally fine with her having a bath if she wishes when they are with her, so it’s definitely not a black and white thing. Just something to consider if hiring a new person:)

By: Cara

Cara — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:08:06 +0000

I found this after you mentioned it on 510 Families because I was curious what your expectations were!:). I agree that I wouldn’t have a sitter give a bath — kids really really need to know that their bodies are private and that no one other than a parent or doctor should see it and only in the appropriate circumstances even by those adults.
As for housework, no problem if you make it clear ahead of time.
I was hired as a nanny before Brooklyn was born and was old “I’ll want you to do her laundry and wash any dishes you and she use.” No problem! However I was quickly doing all of mom’s laundry too and would arrive on Mondays to both sides if the sink piled high with dishes and a full dishwasher to empty. I had no problem actually doing the tasks and did them without comment, but I did feel it was a bait and switch that wasn’t fair.
I’m still great friends with the mom and go back to TX to visit and the last time I was there she commented that we were having the same unspoken fight we alway had where we waited to see who would cave on taking out the trash first;). I replied “I don’t work here anymore! I’m visiting!”:)

By: Livey

Livey — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:01:05 +0000

I am a teenage babysitter who babysits for a family of four young girls ages 9, 7, 4, and 2. In my experience with them their parents expect me to feed them, help them put away their dishes, bathe the two youngest ones, and send them off to bed at different times after they have cleaned up. If for say the Mother wishes for me to fold some laundry or get the dishwasher going after they have gone to sleep she will pay me a tad extra, but her philosophy since day one has been that I am there for her kids, not her house, and I agree with this. I am there to watch her kids, and keep them safe, though after they are all asleep I have no problem with a few extra chores.

By: cattye

cattye — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 17:53:21 +0000

If the sitter is watching the kids during the day (while they are awake) then I think it ‘s about the kids – however I would expect the dishes to put in the washer or cleaned up. I find nothing wrong with asking a sitter to fold some laundry after the kids were in bed – I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking them to wash it tho. As for the kid’s bath, when I sat (in my teens years ago) I use to bath the kids before bed… I would find out first if it included hair washing or not.
For $18 an hour… I’d clean your house after the kids were in bed for you

By: Ron

Ron — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:36:36 +0000

I think your crazy lady. I would not let anyone bath my kids!!!\
New research suggests girls can and do molest as mush as the males. Why would you even consider allowing anyone to bath them but you? If you in such a hurry the bath can simply wait until your home.
No wonder kids get molested-sheese

By: Momversation: Does Facebook make you jealous of your friends?

Momversation: Does Facebook make you jealous of your friends? — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:38:11 +0000

[...] days are full of family, friends, interesting work, healthy children, and enough money to pay for a weekly date night. So it’s possible I have little understanding of what it feels like to be painfully jealous [...]

By: Emily

Emily — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 14:23:26 +0000

when I was a teenager, I cleaned the house while babysitting. If I cooked anything for the kids, I would clean up everything – even dishes that had been out before I arrived. I had the kids clean their rooms, I never left anything out. As a parent, I would expect the same version of cleaning up kid-related stuff/sitting/playing. I would not expect anyone to fold my laundry or bathe my kids. Kids need to have some expectation of privacy with their bodies and I think only mom/dad and the doctor with some other random people (grandparents?) is a good lesson to teach. Definitely not babysitters. Laundry is one of those chores that has nothing to do with the babysitting and therefore would not strike me as the babysitter’s job. Just staying awake and being alert for my kid waking up and needing assistance is job enough for me. If they would pick up whatever they played with, then that’s a plus.

By: Kelly Tirman

Kelly Tirman — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:48:13 +0000

for $16 -$20 an hour they should be able to be mary poppins for your kids and leave the house better than they found it. We call this role a “Nanny” and our lives wouldn’t work without ours. A babysitter is the teen down the street and I generally don’t leave her alone with my kids.

By: Amanda Armstrong

Amanda Armstrong — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 19:32:21 +0000

Jessica – you have a great idea going there. That way it is up to the sitter as to where the expectations bar and pay is set!

By: Whitney

Whitney — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:48:20 +0000

@Yoli, I had not thought about bathing as private, but am starting to think that you might be right. Thanks for your comment. I am not sure what you are referring to in connecting social networking with wanting to get one’s money worth. If you wan’t to explain, feel free to take another shot.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:03:05 +0000

We have a tiered system. Just watch the baby and you will be paid $15 an hour, do light chores and it gets bumped up to $18 an hour, but if you vacuum and do other Heavy cleaning it is $22 an hour plus tip if you really impress my picky husband. It is amazing how motivated college babysitters are to get extra money.

By: Cori Kesler

Cori Kesler — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:21:50 +0000

I hire college and high school kids to babysit so my expectations simply can’t be that high. In fact, I’m sometimes lucky if the kids are in bed when I get home.

When I had a full time nanny extra chores were expected – but they all revolved around the child. Keeping the toys tidy, washing the dishes they used, preparing lunch, and occasionally folding laundry.

I think in the future I will be more clear to my young babysitters about what is expected from them. Maybe they just don’t know how to put away the toys or clear the table. *insert sarcasm*