Babysitting with no house phone

Chayalle

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:29 am

I'm not sure where to post this so I'm putting it in the teenagers forum, because I'm really coming from the perspective of parenting a teen. However, you can look at this from the perspective of a parent hiring a babysitter.

Do you think it's safe to allow your teen to babysit children, in a house that has no phone?

If not, would you give your teen your cell phone for the evening, so that she can babysit for someone else?

I live in a community where the high schools do not allow their students to have their own cell phone - some not at all, some not until 12th grade. My 16 year old does not have her own phone, and I don't feel comfortable with her being in a house with no phone - what if there's an emergency? I also don't like giving up my phone for the evening. I'm considering telling her she cannot accept babysitting jobs at homes with no phone.

As a parent of young children, would you be okay with leaving your kids with a sitter with no phone? Why would you consider that safe? Whose responsibility would you think it is to provide a phone - yours or the sitters?

I'm interested in hearing your response. TIA!

Stars

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:32 am

I don't have a landline. I either leave mine or dh's (kosher flip) phone home, or I ask if they have a cell phone they can bring along.

How are parents ok with leaving a babysitter without a phone?

And no, I wouldn't let my teen babysit in a home without a phone either.

gibberish

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:34 am

Your view is correct and safe. For safety (her own and the kids') she's should not be without a phone. It's the responsibility of the parents to make sure there is a phone in the house. I know several people that installed a home line just for the babysitters. A very worthwhile investment!

mommyla

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:36 am

Can you get a "family" cell phone added to your plan to be used in situations like this?

I have a home phone and could not imagine leaving a babysitter in my house without a phone. There was once a blackout on my block and my neighbor called to ask if I could check on her house because the home phone was down and the sitter didn't have a cell phone - until then I never thought about leaving a cell phone at home (and I still don't do that) but I definitely am more comfortable when my sitter has a phone.

That said, it's definitely my responsibility to provide a phone, and I do - but I don't leave a cell phone for the less likely blackout scenario. Maybe I should! The older girls who babysit usually bring a phone, and the younger ones live on my block, so their mothers would know if there was a power outage.

Point of my rambling: I would not feel comfortable leaving a babysitter in my home without any way to contact me (or emergency services, ch"v), so no, I wouldn't let my daughter babysit if there was no phone.

amother

Amethyst

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:39 am

The whole point of having a babysitter is to have someone responsible around to handle emergencies. It's a nice plus if they read my kids bedtime stories or play games with them, but that's not really what I hire them for. They're there for handling things that probably wont but could go wrong. If the babysitter has no phone, you've tied her hands and her ability to handle said emergencies in an efficient way. So, no, I would not hire a sitter who had no phone and I would not send my teen out to babysit without a phone.

Teomima

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:41 am

I don't have a landline. The one time I had a sitter who didn't have their own phone, I got a prepaid phone, which I still keep for emergencies. It can be charged in advance as necessary.

It's hard for me to imagine a parent being okay leaving their kids with a sitter with no phone around. If they don't have/provide one, were I you I'd buy the most basic, cheapest phone+ plan, and give it to my daughter to take to her babysitting jobs.

At the very very least, make sure she asks the parents which neighbors are around that she can trust and that she can go to in case of emergency.

Chayalle

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:44 am

mommyla, I don't think you need to leave a cell phone in addition to your landline, unless there was a blackout before you left. We try to do our best to plan for safety, but it's impossible to plan for every single emergency there could possibly be. I think it's reasonable to assume that there likely won't be a blackout most times you go out for the evening.

But I think planning for no phone at all - no landline, babysitter without a phone - is unsafe, from a parent perspective. I was wondering if I'm being unreasonable. I see others see this the same way.

Thank you all.

miami85

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:45 am

Stars wrote:

I do the same thing.

SixOfWands

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 11:51 am

Teomima wrote:

This.

They should get a prepaid/burner phone for use by sitters if they live in a community where teens don't have cell phones.

(My teens have cell phones. I view it as a safety issue for them. But their schools are OK with it.)

glamourmom

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 12:01 pm

Stars wrote:

this all the way. I would leave a cell or ask her if she has one to bring along.

I would never leave a sitter alone without a phone or allow my child to babysit somewhere without a phone.

imo, a neighbor's phone is not reliable enough.

mamaleh

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 12:02 pm

I didn't have a landline in one of my apartments. I always asked the sitter to bring hers (the sitters I used then, all had one or had access to a 'family' extra one). If they hadn't , I probably would have left them mine or DH's.

SixOfWands

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 12:05 pm

Fox wrote:

ITA with Six.

(Does anyone else find it weird that we agree on everything except politics?)

I keep hoping against hope that I'll convert you to the cause, and we'll march together, arm in arm. Not yet, but you can't blame a girl for trying!

yOungM0mmy

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 12:08 pm

I always tell my babysitters where my house phone is, not all plans have good reception, what if their's doesnt work?? I also leave them my full address, they may know how they got to my house, but have no idea of the full address to give emergency services. It just seemed natural to me, but shocking how they all say no one ever did that for them before...

amother

Babyblue

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 12:13 pm

Definitely need phone communication.

I find it odd that someone paying your daughter would expect you to inconvenience yourself and give up your phone. Presumably she is babysitting for people in your community who are familiar with the norms that high school girls can't have cell phones?? Maybe the family is a young family and not yet familiar with it and just assumes kids have cell phones... But they should be providing the phones unless its not a big deal for you and you can offer. Otherwise, I think it would be very reasonable for you to say that she can't accept jobs where there is compromised safety.

essie14

Wed, Jun 07 2017, 12:32 pm

My teens all have cell phones. As do all teens in my neighborhood. I would never leave anyone at home without a phone. I know many people who add a line to their family plan and get a cheap cell phone in lieu of a landline. In Israel you can add a line for 10 shekel (less than $4) a month.