I don’t think encouraging a teenage babysitter to NOT focus ALL her attention on actually watching your very young children is the smartest idea, OP.

LOL to pillows in disarray. You’re being ridiculous.

Teenage babysitters don't clean up unless they're really good. If you want someone who can babysit and clean, get an adult.

After the kids go to bed, I would expect a sitter to clean up toys they played with and put dirty dishes they used in the sink. But if the kids are awake, when is she supposed to be cleaning? I would say wiping down the sink is way outside the bounds of what I would expect from a sitter, even after bed time. She isn’t a maid!! You expect her to clean and put away dishes?? That’s not something I would even do in my own house, I do all that kind of stuff after they are in bed.

When you’re playing at home with the kids, do you have them clean up as you go along? I think you can tell the sitter that you’re working with them on putting away their toys when they’re done, so she can encourage them to do the same. But you’re paying her to keep them safe and entertained, not organize your house!

Maybe tell her this is your expectation or train your kids to do it. My kids needed a bit of a reminder, but they always put things away - even when they were preverbal.

I’m guessing you want her to kind of clean as she goes along. Maybe that’s what you do. But because she’s just the babysitter, she is probably more vigilant about not leaving them alone while she cleans up. She should have them help her, put the toys and books away. And if you want her to clean up, maybe just let her stay an extra half an hour and pay her to do it?

Anonymous wrote:If it takes you 60 to 90 minutes to clean up after them, how do you expect her to do it while she is watching them?

THIS

It also sounds like your children are wild. Which is fine, but they obviously need constant supervision.

Anonymous wrote:If it takes you 60 to 90 minutes to clean up after them, how do you expect her to do it while she is watching them?

This. You’re the parent. If they have no idea how to clean up after themselves (yes, even at 2.5 years old!) then that’s on you.

Yeah if they aren't sleeping . . . When is cleaning supposed to be happening?

Dishes in the sink and unless we arrive after the kids are in bed, then that's about it. Even when she doesn't put the toys away because shes playing with them, she's not creating massive messes. Your kids have way too much stuff if it takes an hour and a half to clean up.

If it takes you 60 to 90 minutes to clean up after them, how do you expect her to do it while she is watching them?

Be glad she's willing to watch your hellions. Toys put away would be a bonus.

Dishes stacked is fine
Water in bathroom NBD
pillows - GMAFB
I’d ask her to put books away and clean up toys if there is downtime but if there isn’t well that’s life.

Your kids have too many toys if it takes you an hour to clean up after a babysitter.

Put some in a bin and put them away and rotate them.

How about toy clean up? I do not think it is unrealistic for her to lead them in cleaning up toys just before you get home. She gets the dishes done. I would just tell her you are working with the kids on cleaning up after themselves so you will text 20 minutes before you get there so she has time for it.

I’m curious, when is she supposed to clean up when your very young kids aren’t napping and still very much need constant supervision? Seems they’d just make more mess while she was cleaning up the other one.

We occasionally hire a teenager to babysit our young children, ages 2.5 and 3.5, while we take care of errands on the weekend. In her defense, our kids are a little wild and don’t nap or sleep when she’s there. But we pay her well ($25 an hour) and she can easily make $200 plus tip on a Saturday afternoon. But she leaves our house a total disaster area. Toys and books everywhere, in every room. Dishes, while clean, stacked on one side of the sink. Pillows in disarray in both the family room and living room. Water splashed all over the bathroom sinks. It’s like she doesn’t even try to pick up as they go. Am I expecting too much? We spend a good hour/hour and a half cleaning the next morning. I’m just wondering what level of clean you expect to come home to when you have a sitter watching your kids for the day.