VENT: no house phone for babysitter

amother

Jetblack

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 5:11 pm

As the mom of a young teen who does not yet have a phone, it is ridiculous for young moms to call, ask her to babysit and then ask me to give her my phone to take along bc they don't have a house phone.

I just spoke to one who said she ISN'T getting a house phone. Really? Your kids will want to call people soon. I told her about the device that you can use with a home phone and a Google number and she said no. Its free you just pay $40 one time.... I said that it won't work for dd to babysit for them anymore. She thinks that all teens gave a phone. Urghh.

What this attitude if the young generation that it is our job to provide phones to teens instead of their job to have a home phone?

Dd babysat for another family this week without a home phone. I refused to give her my phone. That mom left hers.

I have been too sweet. I will tell dd the family must provides phone and not to even ask me. So frustrating.

amother

Linen

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 5:24 pm

I would never let my daughter babysit in a home without a phone. That's very dangerous. I wouldn't want the mom to give my daughter her phone either, that's not responsible. If someone without a phone asks her to babysit, just say that your daughter can't babysit for them.

amother

Beige

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 5:24 pm

Nuts. I pay each month for a house phone so I know there is a working phone in case I get a babysitter. I once left my sister for half hour not realizing she didn't have a phone. The next day I got a landline. Not one on internet as I don't want it to go out every time my internet is down. It is extremely irresponsible of these families.

ra_mom

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 5:33 pm

amother wrote:

This. 110%. Do not allow this.

watergirl

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 5:54 pm

And not just that - when they expect ME to drive my daughter there and back! When I babysat, it was a given that the sitter would be driven by the “client”. My daughter is not driving age and so she charges less, which makes her quite popular where we live. When she accepts a job she tells the parents that she needs a ride back and forth. Its happened before that a mother said she’d drive her and then right before, call her and say if I wont drive, she cant babysit. My daughter has turned down jobs before just to be cancelled on because I wont drive! I’m not the one getting paid!

thunderstorm

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 5:56 pm

It is extremely unsafe. I would not allow my child to babysit in a home without a house phone. Especially in my neck of the woods where cell phone service is really bad and people rely on boosters which don't jive with all cell phone services.
Also in an emergency by calling 911 from a home phone they can track your call and locate you. I'm not sure if they would be able to locate your address as quickly and easily from a cell phone call.

thunderstorm

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 5:58 pm

watergirl wrote:

That's insane. If anything when I'd babysit , And they couldn't drive at least the person called a car service and paid for the ride.
If I lived just a block over the adult would just walk me home and make sure I got into my door.

simcha2

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 6:55 pm

We got dd a cell phone specifically for this reason. (In our community kids get a phone anywhere from ages 8-15 because most travel far to school). We held off getting for dd because didn't feel she needed it. But once she was babysitting I didn't feel safe sending her places where there might not be a phone.

amother

Mauve

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 7:28 pm

Oh, give the parents a break. Lots of people don’t have land lines and don’t intend to get one. Why should they get one just for you, if they consider it to be an unnecessary and redundant expense? These are people who exclusively use cell phones themselves and wouldn’t think of other people not using or having a cell phone. Parents hiring a babysitter probably don’t have young adolescents of their own, and might not be aware of the issues that some (certainly not all) parents have with teens having cell phones. Now that you know this is the situation, your daughter can clarify ahead of time whether or not the family has a home phone before accepting a job.

amother

Pearl

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 7:33 pm

Before we had a landline, dh or I would leave our phone with the babysitter. (Yes, it was embarrassing to tell the babysitter that if she needs to reach me, I’m “gorgeous hot wife” embarrassed

that’s how dh saved my number) now we have the obi that runs through the internet for free. But leaving a babysitter without a phone = super dangerous.

ra_mom

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 7:35 pm

amother wrote:

People who don't have landlines should not leave family members at home without a phone for emergencies. Don't hire a babysitter if you "don't have landlines and don't intent to get one".

amother

Yellow

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 7:36 pm

Give the parents a break? It is totally irresponsible of the parents to allow their kids to be left w a babysitter unless they leave her with a phone. It is also nerve for them to cxl on her if her mom can’t drive. It’s their responsibility to pick up and drop off the babysitter. And if she gave up other jobs because they said they would pick her up and now cancelled for that reason, they should offer to pay her something

ra_mom

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 7:37 pm

watergirl wrote:

That's outrageous!!

amother

Mauve

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 7:38 pm

amother wrote:

Give the parents a break? It is totally irresponsible of the parents to allow their kids to be left w a babysitter unless they leave her with a phone.

My point is, if a sitter accepts a job with a family without a landline, she should have a cell phone.

HappyGoLucky1

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 7:44 pm

amother wrote:

My point is, if a sitter accepts a job with a family without a landline, she should have a cell phone.

Disagree. Is the parent's job to make sure there is an acceptable way to reach their babysitter. The mother should leave her phone.(NOT the babysitter's mother) it's outright irresponsible, and I've told it to a few people who wanted my daughter to babysit. Parents need to remember safety comes before convenience.

amother

Jetblack

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 7:50 pm

OP here. But why can't they get the obi as a tiny safety investment?? How can they refuse that and make dd feel bad bc she has to turn down jobs. Dd is upset with me that I am telling her she has to turn down most if her jobs. What's with these young ppl??

dancingqueen

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 8:14 pm

amother wrote:

I’m one of those young parents but we got a google home landline. It’s so easy to get and cheap, and it’s important to have for safety reasons.

amother

Seagreen

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 8:15 pm

amother wrote:

I hear you - and think the parents are being irresponsible here.

Of course - your daughter is now upset that about her lost income. (the young parents making your daughter feel bad isn't their problem).

She could purchase for herself pay-as-you-go type phone to satisfy this issue. (Or you could purchase it, and she can pay you back from her earnings).

This doesn't make what young parents are doing right - but it does allow your daughter to have jobs.

Ema of 5

Wed, Jun 20 2018, 8:36 pm

When my kids were younger, I wasn’t always able to pick up and drop off baby sitters. Often I was going out when my husband wasn’t home. But I made it very clear BEFORE confirming that I wouldn’t be able to.also when I would post in the baby sitting chat that I am a part of, I would include whether or not I’d be able to pick up or drop off.