Babysitter issue-- what would you do?

Question

I have a babysitter that picks up my daughter from school each day, and I pick her up from her house after I'm done at work.

Today I got to her place a little early, and SHE wasn't there. She had left my daughter (6 years old) with her teenaged son, because she had a doctor's appt.
Just her son watching my daughter. No one else at home.

I was quite upset, but haven't talked to her yet... how should I handle this?

Answer 1

I would suggest you tell her what she did was unacceptable she should have either cancelled her appointment or called you immediately and asked you what she should do first...

I say you give her another chance if you have no other options...but make sure you are clear that she did was wrong and she shouldn't leave your child in someone elses care without your knowledge



If she doesn't get the concept...fire her

Answer 2

Well it may be frustrating, but not that unreasonable. She was in an uncomfortable situation and called the person she was most comfortable calling- her mother, who is also the baby's grandmother. You can't really blame her for that. Even if your mother in law's solution wasn't the right solution, your SIL didn't make a bad decision. Next time why don't you leave a schedule so that the babysitter knows exactly what time to lay the baby down for a nap? And actually, since the baby needed a nap immediately after you left the house, you could have laid him down for a nap yourself, before you left home.

Answer 3

I try to be open minded in situations such as this. But for the life of me I can't think of any good reason this babysitter would do something like that. If it was a doctors appointment. then she had plenty of time in advance to inform you about it. She could have taken her teen son with her & your child. & the teen could have watched the child in the waiting room. If it was an emergency. Same answer but with a phone call to you informing you whats going on & where they're @. All this situation took to be resolved was just a little common courtesy on the part of the babysitter. I would definitely find a new one.

Answer 4

First off, ask if it was an emergency, or something that couldn't be postponed. Sometimes doctors think something is urgent enough to be seen right away, or need to give test results in person. She should have called you if she was called away, of course, but if she didn't have any other choice, maybe she gets some slack.



Second, ask if the boy is on her license as a child care provider. If he has care of your child, he needs to be finger printed, CPR certified, and have a TB test. It varies by area, of course, but she could get into plenty of trouble for leaving someone else's kid with her son.



Third, ask if anyone else has been in the house while she's away.

(HINT: If she's done it once, she's done it before. If she doesn't admit to other incidences - she's lying!)



I'd make my decisions on her answers.



If you decide to leave your daughter in her care, make it CLEAR that you want to be notified when she has appointments that take her out of the home.

Answer 5

hire a new babysitter. no questions asked. and i am sure this is not the first time she messed up either. you are not paying her son to watch your children on her time. you are paying the babysitter to watch your children on YOUR time.

make this abundantly clear to her, when you do tell her about the incident and how irresponsible she was to do this to your children. tell her you left your childrens' lives in her hands and when you came back they were in someone elses' and i am supposed to be pleased with your actions?

please find another sitter. immediately. i am sure she had second chances, and when it comes to children? there should be NO second chances.

things are hard enough as it is right now due to the economy and we are trusting others to watch our children while we go to work.

this babysitter sounds like she is not trustworthy or worth your time and hard-earned money. find someone who will be there for your children when you cannot be.

-Wolf Mother.

Answer 6

Has she ever done this before? Did she tell you about the appt.?

I'd give her a call and explain that you were upset she didn't tell you, because you could have found another sitter for that day. I say give her one more chance though.

Answer 7

I would take her out and look for somebody else to watch her that I can trust..you dont know how many times she has left her alone with him it is not safe to leave her there...no matter how much you know this family or how nice they are your daughters well being is more important than anything...good luck.

Answer 8

the babysitter should have told u. but how old was the son ? if he was about maybe 14- 15 she would have been fine. but it was still wrong for her to not tell u but u shouldnt make a huge deal out of it. just adress that to her that u dont EVER want that to happen again

Answer 9

Time to find a new sitter.



You hired her. Not her teenaged son.



And no, I'm not going to jump on the "since he's a male he must have molested her" wagon. He might be perfectly nice and capable, but he's not who you hired to watch your child.

Answer 10

You find a new sitter.



This wasn't the first time. Are you sure your daughter hasn

Answer 11

I wouldn't talk to her I would just fire her and get a new babysitter.

Answer 12

Tell her to shape up or ship out!