Sorry but I need to rant or I am going to go home and eat my emotions. I have recently started babysitting for a couple that lives close by. She does giveme a few days notice but never tells me when she will be home. This is starting to become and issue. She told me that she was only having dinner with a friend and wouldnt be gone long, so I was thinking 2-3 hours tops. I didnt have dinner since I should have been home by 8, which would have left me lots of time to eat and go to the gym. It has now been 5 HOURS AND I AM STARVING. I cant make it to the gym now either. I am new to this whole babysitting thing I thougt it would be rude to ask for a general idea when she would be home. But now its just getting annoying. It is starting to ruin my other plans on a frequent basis since I never know when she will be home and she also says she wont be gone long but is gone for hours.
How do I ask nicely that they need to start giving me a general idea on how long they need me to babysit for? I still have no idea when they wil be home tonigth but am afraid of sounding like an *** by texting her asking when she will be home. I really need the money so I cant just quit babysitting either.
Can't you just eat something in her fridge? If she whines about it, tell her that basic labor laws allow for a break after 5 hours and since you can't leave the house, you had to eat there. that is super rude of her!!
Yeah, you can raid her fridge. I don't know if I would text her though about when she is getting home.
For next time, I would def ask ahead of time when she would be back and keep her to it. It's just the polite thing for her to do and not take advantage of you which it seems like.
Oh I'm so for raiding her fridge! I'd be pissed if she had nothing in it though...
You can ask her next time she wants you to babysit? I've come to the conclusion when people say a few, a bit or a while you're screwed and there is no time frame for any of that because everyone's perspective of a bit, a while or a few is different. lol Next time you have to baby sit just come to the conclusion that you may be stuck there for a long period of time, and eat before, bring snacks whatever else to entertain yourself. If she has a tredmill go on that or pop in a workout DVD lol. I don't know I hate babysitting. I once baby sat for this couple for 9 hours and the boyfriend came home then asked me if I could come back at 3am and baby sit again when I was leaving at midnight. I was 14 bajesus and not to mention she ripped me off with the payment so I never baby sat again after that.
Don't you kinda need to know start/quit times so you know what you are getting paid for babysitting?
Speak up. If she's not working out, drop her as a client and try to pick up some new. Amybe drop some fliers at churches or daycares that you are available. Or shoot -- your gym!
When you negotiate babysitting her kids, you should ask for a start and a finish time. Pack a snack. And charge extra for each 15" she's late (and by extra, I mean above what she is already paying by flat rate).
midwife is right. Next time she asks you to babysit tell her you need to know definitely what times she needs you. Remind her that you might have other jobs or other plans . If it is openended be sure she pays you for the full time you are there.
She is not being fair to you but if you let her get away with it she thinks it is OK. Speak up up, it is a business .
I was so embaressed last night. By 10:30pm, I finally texted her asking when she would be home and said my husband was just curious on if he should wait up for me or not. She said midnight. I went to text my husband and I wrote "Omg, she said she won't be home till midnight, I have work in the morning. I am going to cry"...... But I ended up texting the woman I was babysitting for. Worst feeling ever. I then thought to myself about how I am going to get fired
However, she came home right away, gave me 1000 hugs, paid me double and said "Your the best babysitter we have ever had, I am so sorry, please don't quit on me!"..... I guess I cant complain. I made a ton of money and the kid is pretty decent most of the time!
It is not unreasonable to as your quitting time. Next time she calls just ask her what times she needs you. You may even say; I have plans at 9 pm, should I cancel them or will you be home before 8:30.
It is not rude of you to ask, but it is rude of her not to let you know.
I was so embaressed last night. By 10:30pm, I finally texted her asking when she would be home and said my husband was just curious on if he should wait up for me or not. She said midnight. I went to text my husband and I wrote "Omg, she said she won't be home till midnight, I have work in the morning. I am going to cry"...... But I ended up texting the woman I was babysitting for. Worst feeling ever. I then thought to myself about how I am going to get fired
However, she came home right away, gave me 1000 hugs, paid me double and said "Your the best babysitter we have ever had, I am so sorry, please don't quit on me!"..... I guess I cant complain. I made a ton of money and the kid is pretty decent most of the time!
aww that's good! (minus the texting accident lol but at the same time that it worked well in your favour!) She probably really likes you and finding a babysitter let alone a really good babysitter is something I'm sure parents struggle with (I couldn't trust anyone with my kids though I'm sure I'd be the most uptight smoother mother when I eventually have kids lol). So woo hoo to the double pay and not getting fired and her being more concerned about you quitting.
Well, it's great that she came home right away! But I always ask to know when they'll be home. If I have somewhere to be early the next day I ask when they ask me to babysit, so I know if I should say yes or not. Otherwise I ask them when they're leaving, because I like to know. That's nice because they usually try to stick to the time they say they'll be home, whereas if they say "not late" you're going on their definition of that.
And you should totally raid the fridge. :P Most people usually tell me I can and they sort of point out what I'm welcome to.
This may make you look more professional and put a stop to the over time: Write a contract that says you will get paid $xx per hour for time of contract and charge her time and a half for anything over per 15 minutes of each hour.
Edited to add: do NOT raid her fridge. That will put stress on her life as she may have planned to use the food you consumed the very next morning. That would p me off as an employer and it is very unprofessional.
Last edited by fitness4life; 03-19-2012 at 10:07 AM.
I agree with others that there should be a set beginning and end time for the job. When you go to your "regular" job they don't tell you you'll get off "in a while." That's unprofessional. Babysitters shouldn't be treated any differently. Daycares operate with the same policy only it's usually more strict. I've seen some that charge a dollar a minute past XX time and if you're 60 minutes late, they call CPS! You will pay in one way or another for tardiness. Not recommending calling CPS as the kids are in their own home but punctuality is very important.
I must admit, I have never used a babysitter because I just can't seem to find anyone I trust enough plus my mom keeps the kids every other week or so. However, I am very careful of my drop off and pick up times with my own mother. I drop them off at 6:30 or 7 and pick them up by 9am the next morning unless she has something going on. I would never dream of saying I'll get them "later" or "in a while." I try to have the utmost respect for peoples' time as everyone has their own life they want to get back to.
I've done that text mistake before, but it ended up looking way worse than yours LOL! Talk about foot in the mouth! I hear your frustrations. I haven't babysat in years, but I have had nothing but MONSTER children to babysit for. The only kids that were perfect were my cousins...they listened to me and I didn't have to fight with them to go to bed.....
Now this other babysitting experience was terrible. Kids running around naked, the other one was humping furniture, shitting outside, and then the little one was putting chips on his junk and EATING them off it! The big one tried to stick his finger up the dogs butt!
Horrible children...I was babysitting so their parents could be at the bar. I was a teen and had no idea what to do. I couldn't slap them or get mean, and yelling did NOT work....OMG psycho kids! They could have used some Nanny 911.
Glad you got paid extra! You are a grown woman and have bills and a LIFE..they can't treat you like your 16!
Random Babysitting Rant
