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do you provide dinner to your occasional babysitter?
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Anonymous
| I'm a novice to the babysitting world-we will be having a babysitter that will be taking care of DS on occasional weekend evenings so DH and I can get some time off. Do you provide dinner for your babysitter or are they on their own? If you provide dinner, do you cook something or provide them with a bunch of take-out menus (and pay for the dinner)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! |
Anonymous
| In 2+ years, I haven't yet, although I may if the circumstances call for it. I do tell the sitters to help themselves to anything but alcohol. And the times that we've used a sitter for the good part of a day, I'll stock up on lunchmeat, etc. and tell them to help themselves to lunch. |
Anonymous
| Yes, I have dinner prepared or $20 on the counter for her to order pizza or chinese. I also try to have snacks and ice cream in the house for her. Maybe it's because it wasn't that long ago that I was babysitting myself but I'd never ask a babysitter to "fend for herself" in a strange kitchen. |
Anonymous
I leave $20 too. |
Anonymous
|
good question... i usually leave something like a frozen pizza that can go in the microwave or something else microwavable...
1- dont' want her operating the oven -- no need to allow for potential burns, etc 2- don't want her opening the door to a stranger/delivery man maybe i am paranoid... but i want her in the house, concentrating on my kid, and not cooking or juggling a ringing door bell/kid/dog.... |
Anonymous
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We provide dinner, usually what the kids are eating. Also tell her to help herself to any snack or (nonalcoholic) drinks in the house.
But most sitters say they already have eaten. I'm not sure if they're just being polite, so I always cook enough food for everyone. |
Anonymous
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Generally yes, I feed them. I will leave $20 and a pizza menu.
Unless they come well outside of mealtimes, in which case it's help yourself to snacks, which should be around in abundance. |
Anonymous
| Way back in the day when I used to babysit, the parents always left dinner for me (or money for take-out) if I was babysitting during dinner time. If I was cooking/reheating dinner for the kids, they'd be sure there was enough for me, too. They also always welcomed me to eat anything in the kitchen, unless there was something they were saving or whatever. I sat for maybe 5 or 6 families, and they all did this. It would suck to be a teenager (or adult) with little cash flow and be expected to pay for your own take-out dinner while working during a meal time. |
Anonymous
| We're good to our sitters - we always provide dinner if they're sitting during dinner hour. Usually take-out pizza, but have occasionally cooked pasta or something like that. |
Anonymous
| OP here-thanks for the responses! |
Anonymous
| We always order pizza. One large cheese for the sitter and the kids! |
Anonymous
We do the same, or sometimes I will make a pan of baked ziti or lasagne ahead of time and have them microwave to reheat. |
Anonymous
| We usually go to the market and buy some prepared foods... a salad, sandwich, etc... and let her choose what she wants. |
Anonymous
The last family I babysat for told me to even get a glass of wine after the baby fell asleep.
Yes, I was shocked! and I didn't drink it 
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Anonymous
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I always cook dinner (for the kids and enough for her too) and if they already ate then I make sure there are a few options in the fridge - deli meat, or I buy pre-made food.
I know what snacks she likes and always make sure to have them (she come a lot, ha!) |