I need a babysitter
By dorannmwin
@dorannmwin (36392)
United States
August 13, 2012 8:29pm CST
I have to appear in court tomorrow on my best friend's behalf. This is something that I've known about for a month and as soon as I found out about it I asked my little sister if she would babysit the kids. At that time she told me that she would be able to. Well, yesterday I called to find out if she wanted to watch them at our house or if she wanted me to bring the kids to her house. It turns out that she had forgotten the day and had agreed to do several assignments for her self-employed business and she is not able to watch the kids after all.
I called grandma to ask if she would watch the kids yesterday and she said that she would most likely be able to and not to worry about trying to find someone else. So, she calls me today at about six in the evening and told me that she has an appointment tomorrow that she had forgotten about.
This leaves me with no babysitter and I have to be at the court because if I am not there to testify I will be found to be in contempt of court. However, I can't take a nine year old and a five year old with me. I don't have any neighbors that would be able to watch them either because of work and it is also the last day of summer break for all of the kids.
I am really at my wits end with this one. If you are not able to depend on family, who are you able to depend on?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@ShyBear88 (59296)
• Sterling, Virginia
15 Aug 12
If I wasn't in the hospital on bed rest I would so help you out and watch them for you.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Aug 12
Isn't it really sad for me to admit that I really don't have all that many friends and that is a big part of the reason that I've had this problem. I used to have a big network of friends, but this changed when Tom got sick last year and I started pushing people away.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
16 Aug 12
It really is a shame that you lost all of your friends the second that high school was over. There were a lot of girls that I was friends with when I was in high school that I don't talk to anymore, but there are still some people that I was friends with in school that I still keep in touch with. However, the years have caused us to move apart from each other and that means that we rarely get to see or talk to each other.
@ShyBear88 (59296)
• Sterling, Virginia
15 Aug 12
The only friends I have are online friends and some of them are even much of friends to me because they make me feel worse for who I feel right now instead of being supportive like they where some of them are being a bit B!tch to me saying I could have it way worse. So I'm getting a few slaps in the face and some times not even family understand or want to understand instead they say all the wrong things. I have no real friends outside of a few online friends that actually care and my own husband. I lost all of my friends the second high school was over.
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
21 Aug 12
I would hate not having someone I could rely on at all times. I am lucky though because usually my husband is home to watch the kids right now if I had to be somewhere, I also have my parents and my grandmother if I need a sitter. Usually one of them is available. So far, they have never told me they would and then changed it at the last minute and I am so grateful!
If I absolutely had no other choice I do have a Babysitter that has watched my children two times and I like her a lot. So if I had no other options I would leave them with her.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
21 Aug 12
This time a year ago we did have a babysitter that I loved with all my heart and the children loved her as well. Unfortunately, she passed away unexpectedly last October. Both of the children still get very upset if I even so much as mention her name and I have to admit that I miss her as well, she was so much more than a babysitter to me, she was a great friend as well (she was a slightly older lady).
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
22 Aug 12
We were very lucky to have had Brenda in our lives. After having her as a babysitter, I don't know that there will ever be another person in our lives that will be equal to the way that she was.
However, I did learn that it is important to make sure that the children do really care about the people that care for them.
@LovingMyBabies (85127)
• Valdosta, Georgia
21 Aug 12
Oh my goodness that had to be so hard for all of you. 
I babysit all the time and a lot of the parents are close with me, more like a friend so I understand that you were close to her. That is so sad.
I hope if you ever have to find another babysitter that you find one you can be close with again and that the kids will love.
I babysit all the time and a lot of the parents are close with me, more like a friend so I understand that you were close to her. That is so sad.
I hope if you ever have to find another babysitter that you find one you can be close with again and that the kids will love.
@sweetloveforeve (13106)
• Portugal
14 Aug 12
im sorry for your situation. its really bad that your family cant help you. cant a friend of you watch them? the problem is that most part of people is always busy. it would be good if we had a calmer life. without stress and things to do all the time. im sure that your sister and your grandma are sorry that they cant help. try to call one of your friends^^ maybe one of them is available. i wish you can find someone to take care of them.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Aug 12
I did have a friend that I tried to get in touch with to see if he would be willing to watch the kids since he owes me a favor and he also loves my children as if they were his own. However, he didn't have any minutes on his cell phone so I couldn't get in touch with him. My husband ended up coming home from work to keep the kids while I was gone to the court house.
@roshigo58 (4859)
• Pune, India
22 Aug 12
Hi,
It is very difficult situation. Your close relatives are also don't have time to take care of your kids. So you have to go to baby care center. I think this is the only solution. Best of luck.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
22 Aug 12
We've actually never used a daycare center and I need a babysitter so infrequently that I don't even want to obligate myself to one. What I would rather do is find someone that is available for drop in care only occasionally.
@litvillegas (1274)
• Philippines
15 Aug 12
Oh...sorry to hear that dorannmwin.. I hope I can help you,if only we are neighbors I can offer to a babysitter. I love kids.
Hopefully you can look for a babysitter as soon as possible...
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
16 Aug 12
My husband ended up missing work so that there would be someone at home with the kids. It also ended up that her final sentencing got pushed back for another month, so as soon as I knew the next day that I have to be at court, I called to make sure that my mother or my sister would be able to pick the kids up from the school bus that day.
@litvillegas (1274)
• Philippines
20 Aug 12
oh,,I'm sorry to hear that..hope there will be a better solution for that..
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Aug 12
My husband actually ended up coming home from work for the bulk of the day so that there was someone that was with the kids. This will make the rest of the week very difficult for us because he is going to have to make up his hours at work.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
14 Aug 12
Well I do hope you find one at this late time! Maybe in a pinch you might have to call a daycare center and see if its possible to drop them off for a few hours.....you should be able to depend on family..I have never said no to taking care of my granddaughter and she is 7.....and I work full time!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Aug 12
Well, we thought that Tom's aunt was going to come over and watch the kids after she got done at a doctor's appointment, but she never called and said that she was done with the appointment, so Tom actually ended up sacrificing a day of work so that there was someone that was with the children.
@marguicha (215852)
• Chile
14 Aug 12
I see you really have a problem. I hope you get someone to help you, but I feel your family (your sister) should have been more responsible if she had already agreed to babysit for you.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Aug 12
I feel that my sister should have been more responsible as well. However, I also see where she was coming from as she does have bills that she needs to pay and this is the only way that she is able to get it done. She could have at least volunteered to help me find an alternative babysitter.
@much2say (53944)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Aug 12
Out here we have a place called Kidspark. It's like a daycare center except that you can bring in your kids at any time and you pay by the hour - prorated. It's like $8 an hour which is rather inexpensive. They can provide lunch for a fee . . . and they include snacks during snack time if your child is there at that time. I've taken my oldest on there for an hour or 2 . . . and she never wants to leave. They have crafts, activities, places to climb - and there's usually a theme by the week. Perhaps there is one or a similar place in your area? Kidspark is located throughout the nation, I believe.
Are there other friends who might possibly be able to take care of them? Like one of your kids' friend's families?
I hope you find someone to watch the kids - and soon! Surely there must be someone in your circle of moms that can recommend a place/person for an emergency sitter! Good luck - and good luck in court as well!!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Aug 12
Being that it was the last day of summer break, it seemed that everyone that I was able to get ahold of was busy for today. I know that Angie's brother would have watched Kat and Paul for me if I had been able to get in touch with him since I kept his son for him overnight a couple weeks ago. In addition to that, he loves my children like there are his own. However, he didn't have minutes on his phone so I could not get in touch with him.
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
14 Aug 12
Oh no, I hope you're able to find a sitter by this time! Sorry to hear that the people who initially pledged their help cannot do so now. Well, I think I can depend on my sister and my mom most of the time. I used to always get the same deal you got with your sister from my friends, even my closest ones. I think it's the fact that we are too close that they do not have any hesitation in breaking it off to me even on the very day that I need their help, because they always think that I will understand.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
15 Aug 12
The really sad thing is that the friend that I had to go to court for would have been one of those people that would not have hesitated to tell me yes. She would watch my children all the time before she ended up in jail. I know that it will be this way as well when she is home too.
For her, I would do anything and I actually had her children with me for the first two weeks after she got arrested. I would still have them today if we had not been able to get ahold of their father. I even had signed and notarized temporary custody of the three of them.
