A Note to Potential Babysitters
To: Potential Babysitting Candidates
From: A confused mom who really just needs someone to come in a few mornings a week
Subject: What not to say, aka, When To Shut It
Dear Future Babysitting Candidates,
In the future, you may want to learn from your predecessors and take heed of the following tips.
1) Recent college graduate - When asked to elaborate on your experience with babies, you may want to go a little more in depth than simply saying that you used to go to your friend’s house, who happened to have a cousin who was a baby, and you guys would “hang out.” When asked about your experience teaching dance classes, you may want to leave out the part where you tell me about how, “sometimes they’d cry, but nothing major.”
2) Experienced mother of six - I realize you have much experience with children, your own and others’. I realize you may see me as very young and inexperienced in comparison to you, oh, Wise One. But would it be possible, maybe, to not directly criticize my parenting within the 45 minute span of time that you are in my house? Because really, if you can’t keep your yap shut for an interview, I can’t imagine how critical you’d be on a regular basis.
Thank you,
A Mother Who’s Reconsidering
Oh no. I hope you find someone. I am excited that my hubby is letting me have a sitter a few hours a week this summer. Do you go to church? If yes, see if there are any high schoolers.
Oh yikes. Is this what I’m about to get myself into? Doing some scouting for babysitters this week…
Steph
Oh dear. Ugh.
Oook! Is dreadful!
When I had my second kiddo, things got really out of hand for me, emotionally. I was just overwhelmed in a way that I had never been before, and thankfully have not been since (knock on the wood!). My family got together and gave me a hundred fifty dollars for some childcare (so I had to make every penny count)for my birthday, and it turned out that I felt safest taking them to a little daycare run by a woman from my church congregation. It may have ended up costing a dollar or two an hour more… but it meant that they got to do little art projects and be read to, while I could go home and sleep or clean; two things I could not have done with an in-home sitter.
If I recall… I didn’t do much cleaning, but instead I would sleep, take a real shower, paint my toe-nails and read a book. Bliss.
If you are any where near where I was? You need this. Keep looking. Something will work out.
I agree, this is awful. But don’t give up. There is someone special out there for you and your boys. You’ll find them.
Uh, yeah. Keeping looking. (and good luck!)
oh my goodness… ridiculous. (to both!)
Holy cow! Note to self: Check MySpace and Facebook for potential candidates’ misbehavior prior to hiring!
Funny, funny (yet somewhat tragic) post!
Oh man and I thought finding a good dog sitter was hard (I have a special needs guy with issues.) Finding a sitter for human kids is much tougher!
You win. (Sorry about that.)
It’s so hard to find someone who “fits”. It’s like you’re looking for a new family member. Someone who won’t mind you and you won’t mind them. Good luck!
OH my goodness. i have no idea how i could ever do that. i’m sure i’d be rolling my eyes at just about everyone! who could be good enough, you know!?