A little (well, big) rant...look after your babysitters!!!! Post Reply

[twice_as_nice]

I'm sure most people here are very conscientious and caring so this probably doesn't apply but for the usual few who just don't think (or are unbelievably tight)...

My sister in her late teens lives locally (around wandsworth) and babysits on occasion for local parents. The other day she babysat in Chelsea and I was absolutely appalled to find out that she walked home at midnight. It's over an hour's walk. Of course, she should have been a bit more bold and at minimum asked for the parents to call a taxi for her, but surely they have a responsibility to make sure she gets home safely. I just can't believe that they didn't even ask her how she was getting home at that time of night.

I always call a taxi for babysitters after 11pm (at the very latest) and I cannot believe that others don't do the same.

I'm sure most people do but if you don't, please do in the future....if anything happened to someone who has been babysitting for you because you didn't bother to get them a taxi, how awful would you feel?! Surely that's worth a £5 or £10 taxi.

On another note, there have been loads of parents that have tried to 'barter' with her (and other friends I know who babysit) by asking if they can knock £5 or £10 off the price. It's only a fiver to us but if everyone does that, then it's a hell of a lot of money to your babysitter. I know we're not made of money but if we can afford to go out then we can afford to pay our sitters well.

Ok, rant over now!

[Goldhawk]

doesn't she have a phone? why didn't she call herself a taxi?
was she expecting a lift home?

[anxiousannie]

Goldhawk, I understand what you're saying but I think that we sometimes forget that these girls are usually nothing more than kids.

We've got a babysitter that we use and she's only 15. She's lovely but I think that if we just shooed her out at the end of the night she'd probably walk home because she wouldn't think.

I think we have a pastoral responsibility to these youngsters who we ask to look after our own children.

AA

[dandelion53]

The thing is that if you usually use an agency like Sitters then the babysitters get themselves home as most of them drive and it is part of the arrangement with the agency that they are responsible for getting themselves home.
So it may be that they had assumed that your sister had thought about how she would get home? How does she get home if she's out with friends? I think she really should be a bit more responsible about her own personal safety!!
I feel sympathetic that they might have had a lovely night out, be thinking about crashing and overlooked asking her because they don't usually have to. I'm sure if she'd asked them to call her a cab then they would have...

[ready2pop]

Hmm, is it really a good idea to entrust your children to the care of someone you don't trust to find themselves a safe method of getting home afterwards?

I agree that sitters should be paid properly and I'm more than happy for them to include the cost of getting home in what they charge.

I would just expect them to be more self reliant about organising transport. If they are capable of looking after my children then they should be capable of looking after themselves too.

[Goldhawk]

Quite a few local sitters ask for money for a cab home or a lift - that's one reason why I've always used agency sitters as I don't need the additional hassle

I wouldn't offer to call a taxi but then I've not used teenage sitters as I don't know any

[Honeymummy]

I used to babysit as a teen, in and out of Paris. parents always offered me a lift home or a cab, they didn't haggle but would actually give me an extra note. And they always looked very happy !

[moops]

I personally wouldn't expect to pay or provide transportation for my babysitter, although I would be concerned if they were 15 etc. It is a job after all and we are paying them for a service so I think it reasonable for them to sort out how they get there and get home on their own?

[cupoftea]

It's just common courtesy to offer a taxi home. Shouldn't even be a thought.

Great if the babysitter drives, but if not, a taxi or lift home should be common practice.

Just basic manners I think.

[anxiousannie]

I've been thinking about this and at first I was horrified that people aren't calling and paying for cabs for their babysitter, but I think it really depends on how much you're paying them.

We use the (late) teenage children of neighbours. Typically around 16-17 years old. We pay 7 or 8 pounds an hour and sort out a cab back as it feels like part of our responsbility. We also like using these kids as they have their own parents on tap for advice if anything were to happen.

However, if I was paying 9 pounds a hour then I suppose it is up to them to get back.

AA

[townieatheart]

Must admit I was quite shocked too! It's always been standard practice in our house to pay for a cab home for our babysitter, however we only pay her £6 ph and she genuinely loves our children, so she is worth the cab fare!

[metoo]

I'm going to sound heartless - but - late teens - that's what 18, 19? not barely a child.
I do phone a taxi for my babysitter as it's part of the deal we negotiated with her - I suppose it goes to show these things should be sorted out beforehand.

[moops]

I must be missing something, I fully understand organising transportation for a child but when it's an adult and we're paying them for a service I don't understand why we should pay for them to get home? Is it just because they come to your house? No other job would warrant your Employer organising for you to get home?

[abbevillemum]

I would just like to say that for anyone that asks a friend to babysit for them (unpaid of course) then please provide a meal - or at least a bag of crisps or something. I couldn't believe I wasn't offered anything the other night when I helped a friend out.

[twice_as_nice]

I really can't believe some of you are defending yourselves for not providing a taxi - or at minimum just checking that your sitter has one before they leave.

Not sure about sitters, but I'm pretty sure that other sitting services expect you to provide a taxi after 10.30 (if they don't have their own transport).

Seriously. I guess babysitters just need to be a bit more picky about who they're willing to babysit for.

Agree re. food too - it's just about thinking about those who are doing the important job of looking after your kids for you.