Poor babysitter...good grief

Maria - posted on 07/09/2010

oh my god poor baby!

Aura - posted on 07/08/2010

That poor baby! That poor girl!
When you are a teenager babysitting, you don't know what is "best for baby". The only time I looked up any information about childcare was when I was pregnant. Sure, I knew how to take care of children, but mostly I had to follow a parent's orders. Thankfully I never babysat a child younger than 8!

The poor girl, she HAD to do what the parent's wanted. I guarantee she won't be back. It would be the same as one of us passing our child off to a caregiver only to find out they didn't listen to instructions and let our child cry. Babysitters have to follow orders.

Sylvia - posted on 07/07/2010

Wow. That's awful. I can tell you that if I'd been that teenager, I (a) would've gone in and comforted the baby anyway, because after about a minute and a half I wouldn't have been able to stand it, and (b) would never ever have agreed to babysit for those people again. OMG.

There was a little girl in the Infant Room of my DD's daycare years ago whose parents had told the daycare teachers to put her down for naps at certain times and not rock her, pat her back, or pick her up if she cried. They all felt awful about it -- they knew they should do what the parents wanted, this is their child after all, but these are women who have made a career of taking care of babies, and it broke their hearts, so quite often I think they "forgot" those instructions. (This little girl, by the way, sleep-trained and "taught to self-soothe" from early infancy, was the worst napper in that daycare centre, bar none. My full-time co-sleeper who nursed till she was four? Excellent napper. Funny thing.) I confess that I sometimes did, too. I felt a bit bad about violating the parents' wishes, but I'd have felt worse letting the baby cry ::shrug::

Marcy - posted on 07/07/2010

Must be one of those wonderful self soothing families that brag about the fact that their kiddo can put themselves to sleep. I would have called them and told them to come home. How horrible for her.

Taralee - posted on 07/06/2010

I suppose they are working towards having their daughter feel the crippling emotions of fear brought on by KNOWING that someone will not be there when you need them. You know what, I don't care if my daughter was to become "needy" and "clingy", at least she would know that the ppl who love her will always be there when she needs us.

Geralyn - posted on 07/06/2010

That is awful. I can't believe that a couple could do that.... Horrible, horrible.... What the hell have they worked towards, destroying their child's spirit and faith in being responded to and having her needs met? And to think it was funny that their daughter cried practically the whole time that they were enjoying themselves.... How nice.

Brenda - posted on 07/06/2010

I've never had a babysitter except for super close friends or family, so I've never had one I had to "pay" that was a stranger. And they've been instructed to hold the kids if they needed it. I'd have picked up the baby, but then again I would have told them find a new babysitter when they said that.

Taralee - posted on 07/06/2010

It is horrible , I agree. And April, I agree yes I of course agree that this little baby was who I felt bad for. I was just saying that "poor babysitter" because I guess this teenager was in tears herself when they came in, and she was scared to respond to the baby, because of these horrible parents. Needless to say these are not ppl we socialize with....too cold and unfeeling for me.

Debbi - posted on 07/06/2010

Wow this brings tears to my eyes... poor baby. So my question is - what was the point of the babysitter if she didn't have to do anything? Heck, the parents might as well have just left the baby on her own whilst they were out - from baby's perspective, that's exactly what happened :(

April - posted on 07/06/2010

poor babysitter? i do not feel bad for the babysitter!! she had a choice. she COULD have picked up the child. the only one i feel bad for here is that sweet baby girl who suffered for however long her parents were gone.

i am strongly against CIO and if anyone ever asked me to let their child CIO...i'd tell them to find another babysitter!

Andrea - posted on 07/05/2010

Uhmm, I would have picked up the baby if I had been that baby sitter, and put her down when she was ready.
But then again, I never baby sitted and never had one, I couldn't find one I trusted to do the right thing.

Brenda - posted on 07/05/2010

Wow. I would never babysit for them and would tell all the people I knew never to do so. How horrible.