SitterCity

[L.Jane]

I think thats a good plan. I always ask my new families to give me a day that they are home so I can shadow them and know their routines. Each family does things differently and I like to know how their routines work.

[Vishenka69]

I've had all potential babysitters come to the house. I wanted to see how they interact with DD and I'm not sure how that would work in a coffee shop setting. It never occurred to me that it would be weird for them. Now I'm curious as to why?

[MarissaNicole]

I think its the thought that you are emailing them and talking on the phone. It could potentially be a middle aged serial killer luring you into their home.

[L.Jane]

I think its the thought that you are emailing them and talking on the phone. It could potentially be a middle aged serial killer luring you into their home.

This. Who knows if they are really who they say they are and what you are walking into.

[SuzySunshine]

There was a death in MN when a prospective babysitter was lured in by craigslist.

[MrsK]

That was my thought. If I was a 19 yo babysitter contacted via e-mail, I'd be scared to go to a stranger's house.

[PrincessFiona]

People do that stuff at the coffee shop here all the time. I sat back and watched a husband/wife interview one sitter after the next and tried to ask myself who I would hire. One of the girls showed up in super duper shorty shorts (college-aged) and the husband was falling all over himself. I have no doubt that the woman said "hell no" when they got home!

Kris

[Vishenka69]

So far none of the babysitters I spoke with had a problem with coming to the house. And they all turned out to be exactly who their profile said they were. I guess I got lucky. It never even crossed my mind that they might consider me a serial killer.

Some of our babysitters wore short shorts and tanks when they came over. Didn't really bother me but DH prefers as little interaction with them as possible.

[MrsK]

OMG, I've been contacted by 3 sitters. One of them sat for us at temple last year! We had gotten her number at the time but misplaced it.

[MrsK]

Okay, so I interviewed a sitter today. I was supposed to interview 2 sitters today but one sitter cancelled because her car broke down. The sitter I interviewed today . . . 17yo, homeschooled/self taught (i.e. claims her parents never participated in her education and that she dropped out of school at 13 to help support her mom who "had trouble with money"), lives with 2 sisters, mom, and a disabled grandma in a trailer park behind a Subway sandwich shop, says she had skin cancer when she was 15, she's engaged to marry a boy she "met at school" -- later revised that statement to say she met him through her sister who is school, she's afraid to set a wedding date because she wants to get her life in order first, she's dated the fiance for 3 years, her father is dying of lung cancer, she wants to go to medical school and (after I told her DrK is a psych resident) says she wants to be a psychiatrist. She quit her last nanny job after the mom went to jail for drug use/sale (not clear) and the dad, who used to beat mom, threatened to kill her. "They had 4 kids aged 13, 11, and 8. . . . and, oh yeah, they had a 2 yo also." The cops were there every day she was living there, she was afraid to get involved so she just quit -- but then, of course, she called child protective services. She friended me on FB (at my request). She has a skanky picture and her wall has a lot of statements about illnesses/hospitalizations/surgeries or just cussing out the pizza delivery guy. The fiancee looks like those creepy guys on Jerry Springer. Thing is, I *like* her personality. I just can't tell if she is making the best of a bad situation or if *she's* a bad situation. Truthfully, if we met our current 60ish sitter when she was 17, her life would have been just as messy if not more so and the woman is an awesome babysitter. Do I give her a shot? I mean, these are my children so I want to be careful . . . but not paranoid or snotty.

[scrub-jay]

She sounds like way too much drama and instability for my taste. You could give her a shot, but if it were me, my instinct would be to keep my kids as far removed from someone living amongst that drama.

[v-girl]

I don't think I'd want that kind of drama around my kids.

[MrsK]

Yeah, that's my thought too. Interesting that you used the word "drama" since one of her FB friends described her as a drama queen. It's too bad. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being a jerk. Our current sitter (who is not available weekdays) was a mess at 17 having dropped out of school and given up an unplanned child but she's had about 40 years to work it out. I've met her parents, her children, even the grown daughter she gave up and they are all lovely. I hope the girl I met today finds her way since she did seem very genuinely sweet.

I talked it over with DrK. He was reluctant to look at the FB profiles but he was unimpressed when he did. Naievely, he was shocked that she used profane language in her FB status updates. I just figure that when I was 17, I babysat and did not have any of that drama in my life. Surely I can find someone who is more like I was at that age, right?

[PrincessFiona]

No. There is a long gap between 17 and 60. As someone who can speak to a truly chaotic and abusive life as a child I will say that I was a *good* kid, but that I screwed up a lot despite myself. Maturity, growth and healing take time. She might have it at 40 or 60 ... not now.

Kris

[Vishenka69]

I agree too much drama. I generally feel more comfortable with college girls. I think high school ones are still generally a bit too immature. I always check out FB profiles of my sitters, if they're public then it there for everyone to see.