Babysitters | Imamother

amother

Thu, Jun 02 2005, 11:48 pm

Since my baby was born I have not been working. I love being with my baby however next year I would like to work part time. Where I live it is very hard to find a babysitter. Most people bring their babies to big playgroups, which I cannot imagine bringing my baby to, since she would not get the attention she needs. She also cries when I leave her with someone else (which only happened twice, she usually never cries when I am with her though... Bh) I have decided that If I don't find a very good babysitter I will not go to work. I was wondering what people thought about my decision since on the other hand I'm sure id feel better if I worked. We'd also have more money. .. btw the job is for three hours in the morning. I'm not sure what to do! I've been looking for a babysitter for the past month! any suggestions??

stem

Fri, Jun 03 2005, 12:07 am

Quote:

I have decided that If I don't find a very good babysitter I will not go to work. I was wondering what people thought about my decision since on the other hand I'm sure id feel better if I worked.

I think that is really great. I babysit twice a week in my house, and the baby that I watch just screams hysterically and cries the entire time her mother is gone. There is absolutely nothing I can do to calm her. Only the sight of her mother can get her to stop crying and actually smile. This has been going on since I started babysitting when she was 4 months old and now she is already 11 months!
Perhaps her mother really needs to get out and worka little, maybe she really needs the money, but if it were me, I would take the year or two off if I had such a high needs baby. You will never regret it.

IndyMom

Fri, Jun 03 2005, 8:24 am

It is always hardest to get a babysitter for your first child becuase they are so used to you and your attention, and you are so in tune with them and their needs, that no babysitter can replace your love and affection.

They aren't a replacement for you, but you should find someone that genuinely loves babies and wants them to be comfortable.

I personally need to find someone and from past experience I see that I need someone who can balance following my directions on what to do with the child(ren) with stepping up and knowing what to do when I am not there.

My last babysitter was very motherly and if the kids had poo in their diapers she changed htem right away, if they were dirty she gave them a bath, if they were hungry she cooked for them, etc - but if I told her please don't take the child out of the crib for at least 10 mintues becuase he will fall asleep, she wouldn't necessarily listen to me. It got aggravating after a while that I would give her clear instructions and she would blatantly ignore me and raise my kids as if they were her own.

Now my new babysitter listens to everything I tell her exactly as I say it - however she doesn't have that same kind of response to their every needs. The other day she let my youngest sit in poop for an hour until my hsuabdn got home and he changed him. My husabnd told me later and I confronted her the next day. She told me that she asked the child if she could change him and he said no so she didn;t. he is 2 years old! of course he doesnt want to stop playing to get changed. I told her it looked really bad and she NEEDS to change their diapers so they don't get rashes. Now that I told her, I know she will do it becuase she follows my instructions perfectly - but what will be the next obvious thing that she won't do?

Anyway - neither of these people could be me and I don't want them to be me. I want to have my special relationship with my kids. The most important thing is finding someone trustworthy, responsible, and responds well to children. Your personalities might be very different - but that is ok as long as you can trust them to take care of your child.