I remember there was a family I babysat for as a kid that had 5 kids including a toddler. The toddler was NOT easy and a real crier. Pretty sure we did the early-to-bed thing out of desperation because the kid probably should not have been without his parents in the first place.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know the kids didn’t ASK to go to bed an hour early. She’s a bit sketchy

This.

Agree. This is sketchy.

Yup. I sit on evenings and if a parent says in bed by 8, I start routine at 7:30. Let's be real; she wanted them in bed early so she could relax and do her own thing. Heck, I love that for myself too but I actually follow the schedule set out by parents.

Anonymous wrote:8 sounds late for that age so I'm guessing they were genuinely tired at 7 and she made that observation and the final call.

This. 8 is very late for that age.

Some people are just never happy!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the sitter, I think I would interpret 8pm bedtime as "you need to get them down by 8" rather than "you must keep them up until 8." If your preference is the latter, I would just let her know next time.

+1
If your kids fell asleep quickly after 7:00, then they likely needed to go to bed that early.

This. When I was a sitter I always started bedtime early in case it took a long time to get them through it. Kids sometimes act up when they are with a sitter, so it can be a really long process. And 8 is so late for kids that age, I don't blame her for taking it to be the time for lights out. Next time tell her "We go upstairs at 7:15 and lights out at 8."

If I had a sitter who got the kids down so early I would tip her well and ask how she did it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know the kids didn’t ASK to go to bed an hour early. She’s a bit sketchy

This.

Agree. This is sketchy.

Nanny here.

I know my charges (pre-I to mid elementary age) and I do bedtime at least 4 times per week. For them, I know that the routine takes 10-20 minutes for the youngest, 30-45 for middle and the oldest needs a minimum of an hour. So, even though bedtimes (time they need to be asleep) are spaced out, the routine starts at the same time for all three.

With three kids I don’t know, I would have started the routine around 6.30 for an 8pm bedtime, absent parent indication that they self-soothe and have no books or songs. I can always add more books or songs to bedtime. What I can’t do is rush kids into sleeping if they are wound up or anxious because they don’t know me. For me, it’s worth it to get to know the kids, and if the sitter only got there at 6, well, that means 6.30 and tons of books/songs.

Anonymous wrote:I likely would not use her again unless my kids were just tired earlier & actually requested to go to sleep early.

It all would depend on the circumstances involved.

This generally, but what 3 year old do you asks to go to bed? They whine because they don’t want to go to bed. Even if they are truly tired, they play till they drop and fall asleep midplay whichever room they are in.

These are not older kids. If the sensor picked up movement at 7, they were already brushing their teeth and all that by 6:40pm the latest. Sitter was being lazy. If I heard bedtime is 8pm, you do start the routine before 8 so they are in their beds by 8, but who starts it way before 7 to get them in bed by 8? Super Inexperienced sitter or someone who wanted Me Time early.

Anonymous wrote:I know the kids didn’t ASK to go to bed an hour early. She’s a bit sketchy

This.

Anonymous wrote:Interesting, I would think of bedtime as the time they start getting ready for bed, not the time they fall asleep. How do you guarantee being asleep by a particular time?

you don’t. That is why people start the routine early...to make sure they’re asleep at or close to bedtime.

Interesting, I would think of bedtime as the time they start getting ready for bed, not the time they fall asleep. How do you guarantee being asleep by a particular time?

I'm a nanny afnd if I'm told bedtime is 8, I'm going to do my best to make sure they're asleep at 8, not keeping them awake until 8 and then a r sorting the bedtime routine. Sometimes kids can take a long time to get to bed if they don't know you and you don't have their routine down pat, so yes, I'll start bedtime 30-60 min before I think they need to be asleep. Also, 8 is extremely late for those kids ages. I don't usually see kids I up that late until kindergarten. 6:30-7 is the more common bedtime for 1-3 year olds.

Anonymous wrote:As the sitter, I think I would interpret 8pm bedtime as "you need to get them down by 8" rather than "you must keep them up until 8." If your preference is the latter, I would just let her know next time.

+1
If your kids fell asleep quickly after 7:00, then they likely needed to go to bed that early.

Anonymous wrote:I think what you are really upset about is that you feel she shorted you an hours worth of work/babysitting.

This. Plus OP couldn't sleep in. Wah!

The babysitter took the better safe than sorry approach to make sure the kids were down by 8.

My kids always stay up way too late when there’s a babysitter, then wake up at the same time and are cranky. Your kids got the exact same amount of sleep as they always do—why is this such a huge deal?