Do you give notice??
By Jennifer
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
Valdosta, Georgia
December 20, 2011 4:13pm CST
I work as a childcare provider and tonight something annoyed me a little bit.
I have watched this couple's kids for a couple years now. Well, they have always been respectful of my time and the fact that I have children of my own. All of a sudden tonight the guy was all ticked off because I asked if I was or was not watching their son tonight since they didnt let me know until 2:30 when I was supposedly watching him at five. He told me he could find another sitter any day because he cannot always let me know early.
I would not care as much if I wasnt living with family so I need permission and this is Christmas week so I get busy during this time just like every parent!!
How much notice do you give your childcare provider for babysitting? Even if you dont have kids yet, how much notice would you give when you do have them? Do you think 5 hours is too much to ask for? What are your thoughts? Please be nice!
3 people like this
9 responses
@ElicBxn (64169)
• United States
20 Dec 11
I do not have children, but I did some sitting when I was a teen (only further proved I would not be a fit mother.)
UNLESS it was an unexpected emergency - say one child needed to go to the doctor/hospital - and they didn't want to take the other, I think that 5 hours is beyond reasonable, a day would be better!
I have to say, I have a friend who looks after babies in her home - generally only one or two at a time, tho she has some older children that come to her house after school since its right next to the school until their parents can pick them up, but not all the time. She had a mother leave her child with her for several DAYS without communicating with her. When she DID show up, my friend told her that she couldn't watch her child anymore because of that.
So, I guess short notice could be worse...
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Dec 11
Yeah I thought about it but I then thought to myself what if they went somewhere worse where tey would be beat or hungry or something, I would have felt terrible... As long as they were with me I at least knew they were safe and fed.
Yes you did mention that lol. Parenting isnt for everyone...
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Dec 11
I have also had that happen to me. A lady left her two little girls on my doorstep and left!!! I didnt even know they were out there, they could have been kidnapped so I have had worse. It just bothered me with them I guess because I have been watching their children for so long I just did not expect them to do this or speak to me the way he did. It hurt me a little...
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
21 Dec 11
I will never have kids so my answer may seem weird but I will give a week's notice. The earliest , two days.Hours before is too late. See by the time the day is going , all my plans are set.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
21 Dec 11
Wow! I don't know Anything about kids so I thought this was impossible. So the parents may have just lost a damn good babysitter because of attitude.It is sad how this happens these days.
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
21 Dec 11
It doesnt seem weird. I give at least a few days notice and if I can give a week I absolutely do. The only time its shorter is if one of my children need to go to the hospital for an emergency. Other than that I respect a babysitters time.
1 person likes this
@ersmommy1 (12587)
• United States
21 Dec 11
As a stay at home parent, this doesn't happen often to me. But when it does I try and give a few days notice or at least the day before. Sounds like he was having a bad day. I hope his attitude isn't the same today.
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
22 Dec 11
I dont need a sitter often either but when I do I also give a days notice at least. Maybe it was just a bad day but it really upset me with how rude he got with me...
@SpikeTheLobster (6399)
•
21 Dec 11
Standard notice is at least a day. If you ever work "bank" in care (or any other profession), you expect to be told the day before if you're going to be working. Admittedly, some people only call on the morning when you're expected, but that's laid down in the contract terms when you sign up.
I would always expect to know the day before for babysitting. A few hours' notice is rude, except in exceptional circumstances, obviously.
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
22 Dec 11
Thats how it should be. They should give a days notice at least. A few hours is just not enough for a babysitter to make sure their home and available, especially not so close to holidays!! Unless its an emergency it should always be told ahead of time...
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
20 Dec 11
I think that a ashort notice is a lack of respect, specially neat Holidays. Try to get another job and leave them: if you accept this once (and the way they talked to you) it will get worse day after day. Take care and merry Xmas!
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Dec 11
I agree. This is Christmas week for crying out loud. He needed me to watch him since he had to work, not an emergency or anything. It definitely upset me. Its hard because my husbands out of work with an injury so this is the only income we have right now... =( Tough situation for me. I am hurt more than anything because they have always been nice to me before...
@marguicha (230350)
• Chile
21 Dec 11
If this is the first time, maybe they had a problem that they did not tell you. But anyway, if you can babysit for someone else, it´´s better to have more than one source of work.
@polaroidsredwine (509)
• United States
21 Dec 11
The gall of that guy. Caring for children is as much of a job as whatever his is, and ample notice of at least a day is a sign of courtesy, unless it's some dire emergency that pops up and requires such short notice. Parents who hire people to babysit their kids need to learn that the babysitters have just as much of a life outside of babysitting as any other person and that their schedule needs to be fit around babysitting, hence ample notice before being called up to do so.
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
28 Dec 11
I agree with you. Unfortunately not all people think it is a tough job. Exactly, if it was an emergency at least then I could understand but it wasn't. That is true, I have a life outside of babysitting and I cannot just sit around waiting just in case someone calls me to watch their children, um no. I give a babysitter the one I time I needed one, 3 days notice and I apologized for giving them that little notice!
@Robswife2006 (1208)
• United States
20 Dec 11
I do not think that it's unreasonable for you to ask that they give you notice whenever they want you to watch their child. As you said you have kids of your own, but even if you didn't you would still have a life of your own which include responsibilities. For him to bark your head off just for asking a simple question is ridiculous. I would talk to him again & say that your not trying to be difficult but you do need some prior notice to when they would want you to sit for their child in the future. If he gets nasty again then I would simply say the following, "Fine, all those other sitters you claim you can get, well get one of them to sit for you". And with that I would make my exit...LOL
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
21 Dec 11
I didnt think it was unreasonable either. Thats true we all have our own lives. I love watching children but I also have other things to do. I dont just sit around, do nothing and wait on him all day...If he gets that way with me again I will tell him to find another sitter...I will not be treated that way, he should not have been talking to me like I was a stupid child! Lol.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
20 Dec 11
He got angry with you? Gosh! You are doing him a great service by watching his kids.. you are taking time away from your own family to care for his kids?! I think you should be given notice when they want you to sit, because you could be doing something else.
I don't think I would sit for someone who did not respect my time and just expected me to drop everything to sit for him.
If it is so easy for him to get another sitter, I'd let him do it.. just for his surly attitude. I'm being nice.... but this ticks me off for sure.
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
20 Dec 11
I know, I thought it was very wrong for him to get mad at me for asking! Exactly I could have other plans and I have been Christmas shopping and everything. I dont think I was being unreasonable at all by asking nicely if I was needed or not. It really ticked me off too. And I was hurt by it. I didnt really think these people would do this because I have always been so good to them...
(Oh and the nice comment I meant for people to be nice to me even if they didnt agree with me since I have gotten a few mean comments in the past).
@bnsp09 (258)
• United States
20 Dec 11
I agree with everyone! It's a lack of respect. The way he talked to you was wrong and I would not expect that from a parent, especially one that you've been dealing with for years! Sometimes it's last minute but I don't get mad if they can't do it & I def. don't threaten to find another sitter. That's just wrong!
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
21 Dec 11
Yeah it was wrong and it really upset me. Especially because who it was that did it. It was disrespectful for sure.
