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

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Cna is not a nurse... They free up nurses from menial jobs like changing bedpans to do actual nursing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Cna is not a nurse... They free up nurses from menial jobs like changing bedpans to do actual nursing.

CNA=certified nursing assistant; Yes a college student can get certified and work as a CNA. The job is currently starting at $33.00 per hour in COVID times not a bad rate of pay for a young person.

[Anonymous]

Also many CNA's, LPN's and RN's are concurrently going to college to advance their education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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...

Babysitters get top pay this summer and going into the fall can command even bigger dollars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Ah, good. Then you're aware that a CNA is not really anything like working as a nurse.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people are thinking that it's an offer that can be refused, and not a summons. No is a complete sentence!

Some people are comfortable with this. Once your kids say no, people can ask others.

+1.

[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.

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.

[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.

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.

+100 I'm sure if OP's teens were preschoolers and she had to work FT, she'd suddenly find it was a reasonable risk to hire a babysitter!

[Anonymous]

The proposition that hiring one babysitter is irresponsible is ridiculous! Having one person you trust to be socially distant in your house is much less risky than sending your kid to camp with 50 people or other alternatives. It’s teaming up with one other family. It can be reasonable safe if you trust each other.

[Anonymous]

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.

Sounds like a win/win to me. Well done,pp.

[Anonymous]

My teen got asked if she'd be interested in babysitting by a neighbor with three kids. My teen said, "It depends on what happens with the coronavirus. I would be interested, but let's see what happens soon." She indicated interest but made no commitment.

I didn't have a conversation with my teen beforehand; she was approached outside and said this on the spot on her own. I think she did the right thing. I think my teen is worried about getting infected, even if she won't say so.

[Anonymous]

You are all kinds of awful, OP.

But keep your spoiled brats at home except for protesting. And if you think they aren't partying with friends, I have some swampland to sell you.

[Anonymous]

Every family with young kids I know has a college kid/teenager/teacher helping with babysitting. So somebody is saying yes!

We have a preschool teacher working for us. Wish I would have hired her sooner but I was guilted by people with older kids and SAHMs who kept saying it was no big deal to work 40+ hours a week while caring for young children.