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

[Anonymous]

OP, everyone is being mean to you because they're projecting. They wish they were affluent themselves. 100% of the bitchy responders also missed that one or more of your daughters isn't actually an adult. For all they know, she's 13.

Also, I think they live in places like Des Moines. My siblings in the Midwest sound exactly like all these posters (problem? what problem? the pandemic is OVER hahaha like there ever was one … since nobody's gonna git deadly ill we don't need to wear masks, duh …)

[Anonymous]

OP, when your kids were little was there a stretch of months with no end in sight where childcare was basically outlawed unless you could pay for a nanny or convince a friend or relative to take care of them for free while you work? And you boss expects you to continue to show up and produce as if nothing was going on? No? Then you really don’t understand at all. You kids can just say no to inquiries. It’s not unreasonable for people to ask if they are looking for work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The last person I would ask to babysit my kids is a teenager! The only people I see regularly gathering in large groups are teenagers. My own teenager swore he always wore his mask and stays six feet from his friends came home with a hickey on his neck. Not sure how that happened from a distance.

OK, that’s hilarious. I hope you mocked him.

Agreed. Hilarious.

+3. Teenagers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

? What does "serve as a nurse" mean? A college student can't work as a nurse. Nor can a college student work as an accountant, middle school science teacher, spokesperson for the DoD, civil engineer, etc.

Not a *registered nurse*, but college students can definitely work as CNAs. My daughter has been doing at a hospital it since late May. Same with many of her friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The last person I would ask to babysit my kids is a teenager! The only people I see regularly gathering in large groups are teenagers. My own teenager swore he always wore his mask and stays six feet from his friends came home with a hickey on his neck. Not sure how that happened from a distance.

OK, so don't ask a teenager to babysit for you. Other people are free to ask

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

They are compromising their health though. Perhaps they've done the risk calculation and feel it is worth it, but let's at least be honest about what we're doing and are in turn asking of others.

Working as a babysitter for a family that is being good about social distancing is a far less risky proposition than going to a BLM protest. By a huge factor.

+1 It's also safen that the other job options my teens have -- grocery stores or restaurants. So, they are each babysitting but keep to social distancing when not working and limit their work to two families who are comfortable with that arrangement.

[Anonymous]

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?!

[Anonymous]

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.

If both families are social distancing it would be fine to bring in a sitter so parents can work. Many teens and college students need the money unlike yours.

[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, 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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“Get a teenager...” is common advice here for all those who don’t have teenagers. And then they want to underpay them, make them walk home alone in the dark, and not let them eat.

Underpay?!!? Babysitters get $15 an hour, which is double what minimum wage is... and it's cash. I had a mom like you try to haggle with me for her daughter's pay. It was one of the weirdest helicopter mom interactions I've had. The girl had an ad out, I responded to it, and the mom called me. The mom kept saying "well what do you think she's worth?" Umm $15 is what I'm paying for watching a sleeping child. I said it twice. And the mom asked me about food, cameras and if I would drive her home instead of my husband...

[Anonymous]

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.

It’s sooooo irresponsible and irrational to need to work and pay rent/mortgage, buy food and pay the electric bill. Privileged tw@t.

[Anonymous]

Omg ... my college age daughter is dying to get a babysitting job!

[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, 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?!

+1 OP is stretching her bubble for protests, which is great. I'm glad that she is leveraging her obvious privilege for the benefit of Black Americans.

The problem is where OP judges those of us who are "stretching our bubble" in order to accommodate childcare that will allow us to keep our jobs. Whether it's a daycare center, an older nanny, or a teen, we have decided it is worth the risk to not be unemployed/lose our homes.

[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, folks who are asking teens and college students to babysit are acting irresponsibly and irrationally.

It’s sooooo irresponsible and irrational to need to work and pay rent/mortgage, buy food and pay the electric bill. Privileged tw@t.

Ha, right?? My teen DDs are looking for babysitting jobs so parents, please keep asking!