That is what teen sitters did back when I was growing up as well (in the early 80’s!)
Sitters usually sat on the couch, watched TV, raided the refrigerator and talked on the phone while ensuring their charges stayed alive until the parents came home.
But back then sitters were only paid a buck an hr.

Nowadays babysitters, even neighborhood teens are making at least $15-20 an hr. so I think most parents expect the sitter to engage/interact with the kids a little bit.

Anonymous wrote:Your neighbor may find that complaining about last minute sitters makes it hard to find last minute sitters.

I was a reluctant last-minute sitter for the family across the street twice. Once I watched only the older baby who cried himself to sleep because he didn't know me. I tried to comfort him but he didn't want to be held by a stranger.

The second time all the kids were home and had been put to bed. Parents had a date night. I sat in the living room and read.

5 minute before the parents came home, the three year old got up and I met her on the stairs and sat there talking to her to figure out why she got up and what it was going to take to put her back to bed. Parents came home and found a kid out of bed with me and were grumpy about it.

I later found out they paid the teen boys across the street more per hour than they offered me for emergency babysitting. I never agreed to babysit for them again.

Don't do favors for unreasonable bosses.

Tweens don’t need a sitter to be alone for two hours. This mom should have been embarrassed to ask.

Are they still alive?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think I’d call you to tell you this, but yes I would expect a babysit to try and engage. Ask the kids if they want a snack, need help with homework, want to play a board game. She probably got paid at least $20/hr. She could have made an effort. But it isn’t a big deal. Just tell your daughter the feedback and move on

And what if the kids said no to snacks, homework or boardgames and just wanted to be in their rooms on their screens? That's okay with you? FYI when I was 10 I cooked dinner for the family once a week. I sure as hell didn't need a babysitter getting me a snack.

Of course, if the kids said no, fine. The point is, if someone is paying you $20/hr, I couldn’t in good conscience plop on the couch and literally do nothing and make no effort. I’d at least check in with the kids and see if they wanted/needed anything as a bare minimum.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think I’d call you to tell you this, but yes I would expect a babysit to try and engage. Ask the kids if they want a snack, need help with homework, want to play a board game. She probably got paid at least $20/hr. She could have made an effort. But it isn’t a big deal. Just tell your daughter the feedback and move on

Disagree. As a parent, you have no ground to stand on when you already know that your kids are going to hide out in their bedrooms.

If the kids were in elementary school the sure, offer them a snack and games but these are tweens, self-sufficient.

And I think that if a snack, board games and interaction were so important to that parent then they should’ve planned ahead for a two hour delay.

Anonymous wrote:I would ignore and never let my DD sit for them again. What entitlement!!!

Yes she sounds crazy

It is pretty wild she complained to you. After I would expect my kids to be alive when I get home and that's about it.

Anonymous wrote:What I’d expect from a last-minute sitter? For my kids to be alive when I got home. That’s it lol

Seriously!!

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think I’d call you to tell you this, but yes I would expect a babysit to try and engage. Ask the kids if they want a snack, need help with homework, want to play a board game. She probably got paid at least $20/hr. She could have made an effort. But it isn’t a big deal. Just tell your daughter the feedback and move on

And what if the kids said no to snacks, homework or boardgames and just wanted to be in their rooms on their screens? That's okay with you? FYI when I was 10 I cooked dinner for the family once a week. I sure as hell didn't need a babysitter getting me a snack.