My 17 year old, i.e. babysitter extraordinaire, with my 3 year old
Over my 21 years of parenting 10 children, I've had quite a few babysitters.....some good and some, well, you know. Hopefully none of my beloved babysitters of the past are reading this, but some of these things happened quite a long time ago : )I do have my older children babysit but I don't like to burn them out. I usually give them a choice if they want to make some extra money, unless it's a real short stint that I will be gone, say running to pick a child up from tennis or something. And yes, some of these things my own children have done while I was gone and I had to chastise them when I returned. But all these things have actually happened. So here goes what not to do if you are babysitting and things for us Moms to look out for and maybe even mention in advance to our wonderful sitters: )
1. Don't tell the children stories of what used to scare YOU as a child, especially in the dark right before bed.
2. Don't let any child or a child's friend on the roof.
3. Don't make fires at all!
4. Don't let the pizza guy delivering the pizza into the house, especially past the foyer and for more then 1 minute.
5. Do not let stray animals or wild animals in the house.
6. Don't lock yourself out of the house with all the kids with you and no key to get back in.
7. Don't spend the whole evening on your computer or phone while the house is in complete disarray.
8. No boyfriends over, period. And really no siblings or friends over unless you ask (yes, I have come home with 6 extra people in my house that the babysitter invited.)
9. No air soft guns or any guns used while parents are gone.
10. No leaving all the kids alone while you go borrow an ingredient for cookies from the neighbor.
11. Don't let the baby "cry it out" especially if you haven't called to tell me he or she is screaming.
So, any crazy babysitter stories from you Moms of many out there?
