Stay at home mom...and babysitter??
By DKQANS143
@DKQANS143 (48)
United States
August 15, 2008 11:03pm CST
I am a stay at home mom of 2. I have a 2 year old daughter and a 9 month old son that I absolutely love to stay home with and it was a huge handful...up until now because, at the begining of this summer I started watching my 8 year old half sister. Her grandma, who was her "nanny" throughout her whole life just recently moved to Georgia and so now my parents are paying me 40 dollars a week to "conveniently" watch her. It's everything BUT convenient for me. She's spoiled beyond spoiled and she's disrespectful to me and she's becomming a bad example for my children as well. Well, School is going to be starting Monday here and my parents want me to be the person who drops her off and picks her up from school. They are hoping it works and won't have to resort to putting her into a daycare, so They have went so far out of thier way as to buy new carseats for my children to fit into thier 2nd car, that they'll have me drive in order to make sure she makes it to school and back. We live so close to the school so there is no bus route.
I guess I would have no problem with this, except the fact that the kids don't normally wake up till way past the time school starts and they normally are napping at the time school should be letting out...so that messes up my whole entire routine that I have gotten my children accustomed to. And she's such a spoiled kid that she talks back to me and doesn't listen, when I tell my dad, he threatens day care on her, but yet there is no real solid discipline....
Granted, I will be getting paid 40 dollars a week to do this and the car that I'll have access to will be filled with gas by parents, but I just don't think that it's worth it to ruin everything that I have accomplished as a happy stay at home mom with my own two kids and I don't think it's worth having to put up with her attitude. I don't want to hurt my dad's feelings, because I am her sister and I do love her, but I chose to be a stay at home mom for my own kids.... Not to be a convenient babysitter for my little bratty sister.
What do you guys think about this? Can someone give me some insight as to what I might be missing, or do you think I should just tell my dad I can't do this and have him place her in a day care like he threatends? :/
4 responses
@Ohara_1983 (4117)
• Kuwait
16 Aug 08
hello friend, you say a good word to your dad & he will understand your situation, special if you cannot do all like pick & drop in the school, they will understand because you have your own kids too.it is not bad to talk to them. just one kid & the mother can handle to her children even they are dozen.
@DKQANS143 (48)
• United States
17 Aug 08
I agree, and I think I will atleast give it a try with this new school routine before I completely give up, but if in the end it still doesn't seem to be working out, I will let him know. thank you so much for your comments :)
@youngsweetheart (772)
• United States
16 Aug 08
Wow, that's a tough situation. I feel for you.
Honestly, your first responsibility is to YOUR kids. If you think that messing up their schedule to that degree will cause more harm than whatever good could come of it, you'd be absolutely right in telling your parents that you can't do it.
If you don't take her to school and pick her up, would she be walking, or would the day care come and get her? If she's walking, there's really no reason she couldn't come to your house after school instead of daycare - if you want to watch her.
It's not going to be easy to tell your parents no - it's possible they will lay a lot of guilt on you. But you need to be firm (if you decided not to do it) in that you understand they're trying to do the best they can for THEIR child, but you need to focus on what is best for yours - and messing up their routines, if they have a solid routine, at their age CAN be disastrous. Best of luck in whatever you choose!
@DKQANS143 (48)
• United States
16 Aug 08
This exact thing is what has been weighing on me for some time now, leading up to the beginining of school. I was hoping to have made a decision by now. I know my kids come first in my life before my sister. I think the daycare would actually take her to school and pick her up, so that is a major plus, wouldn't you think? I honestly think it comes down to my parents not wanting to fork out the extra money, because it is very expensive. I think I'll give this school routine a try for a week and if it seems like something that's hard to handle, then I'll definitely let my dad know it. Thank you for your comments!
@greenglitterturtle (2750)
• United States
16 Aug 08
hi dkq....i feel for you. if you have the nerve to tell your father to go ahead and put your sister in childcare, that looks like it would be best. you need to take care of your own kids first and your dad made your spoiled sister. maybe being in childcare with other kids will unspoil her a little. it's hard cause she is your sister, for sure. but you had a nice thing going with your own kids and you don't want your sis to be a bad influence. it is your decision and it's a tough one. hope things work out for you.
@DKQANS143 (48)
• United States
16 Aug 08
I 100% agree with you on the fact that it was my dad (and stepmom) who is making her spoiled to begin with...and I don't think I should be the one to deal with it. It started out as a favor for my parents and now it's becoming such an inconvenience for me. It's a very tough decision and though I am terrified of breaking my dads heart or budget for that matter... I have to do what's right for me and my family. Thank you for your comments!
