If you're asking my high school and college-aged daughters to babysit, what are you thinking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish everyone would stop with the PSA crap. If you don't think it is safe for your kids and the kids they would be watching, say that directly to whoever is asking and have your kids decline to work as babysitters. Really not that hard.

Well, the entire neighborhood is asking. Because they want cheap labor.

So its faster to post a PSA on Facebook or NextDoor than to deal with Susan asking on Monday for her twins and Rebecca wanting to know on Tuesday morning about her 4-year-old and Mary chiming in on Thursday for 3 kids for 2 hours a day.

Blanket policy notice.

Post a note on your front door. Or teach your daughters that saying no politely to each person is... shocker... polite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post is weird as hell. Your daughters are welcome to say no. For my part, I am facing down accepting the risk of letting a babysitter into our house, or my H or I quitting our jobs. Those are my choices. If you are not juggling two full time jobs and multiple small children, maybe you cannot fathom what this situation is like, but don't tell me I can or cannot make the choices I have to make. This whole situation is a lose-lose.

For my part, we found a teen who is also socially distancing, we talked to her openly about who we are and are not exposed to, she told us, we laid a few ground rules, and everyone feels comfortable. And my H and I have been able to keep our jobs. We are paying her more than her asking price (she said $15, we pay $20) because of the circumstances and because of our expectations around social distancing. It's been going on for a month, the mental health of our entire family has improved, she has made more in a month than she would in an entire summer at her normal job, and it worked out.

Like I said, your daughters can say no but to act like considering this is irresponsible is just ignorant on your part. Not to mention you OWN UP TO also accepting risk to do activities such as protesting. There is no binary "good / bad" decision making here, it's all just risk weighing.

Right. Tell yourself that fairy tale.

Quoted PP here and lol, fair. Although for what it's worth the teen watching my kids seems to be a total dork. I honestly think she really might be distancing. But your point is taken. I'm doing the best I can here ok?

[Anonymous]

I’m a liberal and find this post obnoxious in every way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re letting your kids go to protests and mingle with hundreds of strangers in close proximity, but you can’t handle the risk of having them sit for a family that has likely been hunkered down since mid-March? Okay, Crazy.

+1 OP is a privileged twat.

Some kids need to work for gas money, clothes and shoes. +1 OP is privileged twat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- So sorry that many of you did not understand what I stated clearly -- i.e., that my daughters have no problem telling people, "No, I can't babysit". And, yes, as I stated (in the first sentence of my post), I know that life is difficult right now for parents of young children. To those who note we are financially fortunate, yes, that's correct, and I apologize for not acknowledging this. All that said, folks who are asking teens and college students to babysit are acting irresponsibly and irrationally.

So when it’s something you want to do “we are stretching our bubble for essential activities -- most notably BLM demonstrations -- but also other activities, which we deem to be an acceptable for our family.”

But working parents with young children who need childcare are “acting irresponsibly and irrationally.”

Seriously?!

OP is in LALA land to think protests are safe but babysitting is not.

Risk of getting raped and/or shot at protests. There were a lot of rapes at CHOP.

[Anonymous]

Note to self when interviewing and hiring young people:

Ask, "What did you during the summer of 2020, the summer of Covid?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- So sorry that many of you did not understand what I stated clearly -- i.e., that my daught ers have no problem telling people, "No, I can't babysit". And, yes, as I stated (in the first sentence of my post), I know that life is difficult right now for parents of young children. To those who note we are financially fortunate, yes, that's correct, and I apologize for not acknowledging this. All that said, folks who are asking teens and college students to babysit are acting irresponsibly and irrationally.

Some folks would say that going out into shouting crowds to protest is also acting irresponsibly. Yet you somehow deem it an essential activity. Huh.

I don't think it is irresponsible and irrational to ask teenager to babysit so that the parents can work a job to buy the food for the family and keep the family housed and clothed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- So sorry that many of you did not understand what I stated clearly -- i.e., that my daughters have no problem telling people, "No, I can't babysit". And, yes, as I stated (in the first sentence of my post), I know that life is difficult right now for parents of young children. To those who note we are financially fortunate, yes, that's correct, and I apologize for not acknowledging this. All that said, f[b]olks who are asking teens and college students to babysit are acting irresponsibly and irrationally.[/b]

My boss would disagree. So would my bank, as I need my job to pay the mortgage. Op, this is your “Let them eat cake” moment. Frankly, it’s pretty galling that you would pat yourself on the back for attending BLM protests, but remain obstinately ignorant of the circumstances that would lead people to need babysitters during a shutdown of childcare services during a global pandemic.

Teenagers have taken care of younger children for thousands of years. It would be irresponsible for the family not to work a job to provide food housig and clothing for their family.

[Anonymous]

Fine, they can just say no, then. Good for your family that they don't need to make money. Don't know why you need to shame people for asking.

[Anonymous]

What if I were to tell you that I think folks who let teens and college students go to protests are acting "irresponsibly and irrationally"? Have you not heard about the shooting and violence at several of the protests, OP?? Not to mention the lack of masks or distancing...SMDH. What the heck are you thinking, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So don’t OP. People are thinking that they need to work and it’s near impossible with little kids.

My teen is looking for babysitting jobs. If you don’t get it, move on. No reason to try to make other people feel like they are compromising their health because they need a sitter.

So you don't care if your kid gets Covid,?

[Anonymous]

People should think about emergency child care before having kids,!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People should think about emergency child care before having kids,!

Most people had emergency plans that covered up to two weeks. Those plans usually included back up sitters, drop in daycare, daycare at work, relatives or a grandparent. Most of those have fallen through, and most weren’t available for the months this has dragged on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm thinking that if I am speaking to a college student, then I am speaking to an adult who can drink, vote, buy a gun, serve in the military, drive, serve as a nurse, become a lifeguard, fly a plane, get a tattoo, go parachuting, hire an attorney, operate a forklift, buy marijuana, sign over power of attorney, become an organ donor, participate in an orgy, and take a knee during the National Anthem.

In other words, if I want to make a phone call to another adult, I will, and it has nothing to do with you.

Whether they accept my offer is between me and them.

Well said...from a mom of college students.

[Anonymous]

Most of our kids are working this summer, OP.

Some are just spoiled and lazy, I suppose.