Anonymous wrote:This would annoy me. She ignored instructions. If I were a babysitter, I would only put the kids to bed early if they were clearly upset and/or asking for their beds, and then I would tell the parent what I did and why. If the kids were mildly cranky or sort of seemed tired but it wasn’t so bad, I would stick with the parents’ plan but then say “the kids seemed tired this time. Next time I’m here, do you want me to put them to bed earlier if they seem tired?”

I don't think that is reasonable unless the parents were very clear that they wanted 8 and not earlier than late absent unusual circumstances. If they just said their bed time is 8 and they were tired enough to actually go to bed at 7, I don't think it is unreasonable for the sitter to do what she did.

As much as people are assuming she did it to have an extra hour free, she may very well have sensed the kids were tired and thought it would be better for them to go down. Lots of kids become a nightmare to get to sleep when they become over tired.

This would annoy me. She ignored instructions. If I were a babysitter, I would only put the kids to bed early if they were clearly upset and/or asking for their beds, and then I would tell the parent what I did and why. If the kids were mildly cranky or sort of seemed tired but it wasn’t so bad, I would stick with the parents’ plan but then say “the kids seemed tired this time. Next time I’m here, do you want me to put them to bed earlier if they seem tired?”

She's one heck of a sitter if she's able to put a 1 year old to sleep one hour before her bedtime (if she's not actually tired).

Maybe she put one kid to bed while she read with the older one?

If only you could control what time kids are up by just shifting their bedtime. It is pretty rare that you have two kids who adjust their sleep time and wake up time according to bed time. Over time, sure you can shift the hours of sleep, but few children shift their sleep time from one early night.

8:00 seems really late for toddlers. I guess they are sleeping in until 8 or 9 in the morning which means an hour early is still 7 or 8.

Anonymous wrote:We have a college-aged sitter we use occasionally. Last night we hired her from 6-12. Kids are 1 and 3. We told her bedtime was 8pm. There is a Nest-style camera in both the kids rooms, right above their beds. At 7pm, she put them both to bed for the night. They went to bed an hour early and were, no surprise, up an hour early today. Would this bother you enough to not hire the sitter again? Or are we overreacting?

LOL. So did they go to sleep? If so, you need to chill and put your kids to bed earlier. If they rolled around and stood up and talked for an hour...you can discuss it. Your kids were probably giving cues that they were sleepy.

Weird. I’m a nanny and if bedtime is 8pm I start putting them down at 7:30, or else they will be asleep by 8:30pm. I’ve worked with kids for 20 years and unless your kids take 3 hour naps, 8pm is too late and they were probably crank y and the sitter was over it!

It would annoy me but if you like her generally I'd give her another shot.

So, my son takes forever to fall asleep and when I was a babysitter I'd always start early because some kids are easier than others to get to go to sleep. I would be more concerned if she kept them up an hour later.

If you use her again, I would just say specifically..unless the kids are falling asleep, I don't like them to go down before 8 because they will then get up to early tomorrow. Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:The replies here are surprising me! I'll be the outlier - yes it would bug me. Probably not enough to say anything, but enough to think twice before hiring her again. I'd be annoyed she "copped out" of an hour of childcare and that I had to deal with it on the other end. And I totally don't buy other poster's interpretations that she used judgement, made a call, whatever. Maybe if ONE went to bed early but both? Nah. My assumption is she just santed to turn on TV an hour earlier.

Without having asked her why she did what she did, you are just assuming. I am generally not one to impute malign intent right off the bat.

The replies here are surprising me! I'll be the outlier - yes it would bug me. Probably not enough to say anything, but enough to think twice before hiring her again. I'd be annoyed she "copped out" of an hour of childcare and that I had to deal with it on the other end. And I totally don't buy other poster's interpretations that she used judgement, made a call, whatever. Maybe if ONE went to bed early but both? Nah. My assumption is she just santed to turn on TV an hour earlier.

I wouldn’t really mind if they fell right to sleep. She probably thought 8 meant you wanted them asleep by 8. I want my kids asleep by 8 so I get them in their rooms by 7:30 and will read them a few books.

Anonymous wrote:They are 1 and 3. That sounds like a reasonable bedtime.

+1

Don't ever let go of that sitter. I hope you tipped her well!

Seriously. say thank you that she got your kids to bed at the time my toddler/preschool kids actually have as a bedtime. 8pm is super late at that age.