Anonymous wrote:I only expect them to return my house in approximately the same shape they found it. I prefer the babysitter make the kids clean up, but it's up to her.
Our house is sometimes messy in the morning with toys left out. I don't expect an afternoon babysitter to pick those up. It's nice if she makes the kids do it, but I don't expect it.
That being said, sometimes you have to take what you can get, especially in one-off childcare situations. There's one babysitter I have who leaves a mess like you describe sometimes, but I don't complain because my kids love her and she's often available when others aren't.
OP here--this is what I would like to see too. The babysitter doesn't have to clean up anything that was messy when he/she arrived. but any mess that was made while the parents are out should be cleaned up (in at least basic way).