Parents, don’t be me. I waited until my daughter just reached the year-and-a-half point before finding a babysitter. And it’s not because my family was around to help with the responsibilities of a toddler — both sides are actually out of state. It was because as a first-time mom, I was so terrified of leaving my child with a stranger. Because you hear stories.
However, it’s a road that needs to be traveled. You need to trust your best instincts and realize that the majority of people out there won’t be kidnapping your child the second you reach your dinner destination. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t be a little choosy when it comes to hiring someone. But note, I say a little choosy.
One mom’s ad went viral because of her list of demands, and it seems like she’s really just looking for a magical unicorn instead of a reliable babysitter. And they’re looking for someone to do it very, very cheaply.
Posted in the Reddit forum titled ChoosingBeggars, people on the internet can’t believe how much this lady is asking for. For one, she’s only paying $10 an hour to watch three kids (which is ridiculous), but also expects the babysitter to chip in for snacks on occasion. Kids eat a lot of snacks, so that wage immediately just decreased.
Nine years of babysitting care is a little crazy (and oddly specific), but in the case of watching three kids at once, it’s understandable. But why do they have to support Trump?
Card
The ad also wants English to be the candidate’s primary language, but know another to teach the kids. Which is great, and makes sense — but would the sitter be paid any extra for teaching three kids a brand new language? That’s highly unlikely.
Card
But there’s more to it. This woman wants their babysitter to drop everything for them.
Card
Sometimes there’s a last-minute emergency, which is understandable. But based on the language of “must be okay with,” I’m guessing that relates to “you must cancel your plans for my plans.”
Now, let’s talk about those snacks a little more. Because it’s always good to chat about snacks. As mentioned above, snacks can be expensive — especially when there are three kids in the house.
Card
It also looks like the mother just doesn’t have a child-friendly home. Because who has young kids and isn’t always prepared with snacks?
Card
Back in the day, babysitters were usually treated in a “my house is your house” kind of way. If the babysitter wanted a soda or some iced tea, they felt welcome to peek around the fridge.
Card
Don’t you want the person watching your kid to be well fed? And not feel uncomfortable, feeling like they’d lose a gig if an apple went missing?
Card
Plenty of people were also confused by the requirement of “no public pictures” — does she mean NSFW photos or any general pictures? Would you have to scrub your entire Facebook account for $10 an hour?
Card
It makes sense to seek out someone with a squeaky clean reputation, but it’s also hard to find someone without any tattoos, or a minor speeding ticket, or something at all to their name. Even something harmless that might pop up on a database.
Card
Especially since this woman wants people to be free of a record, but is looking to pay under the table. Something just doesn’t compute.
Card
It’s so ridiculous that people even thought it might be fake. But the truth is, there are people out there who assume that watching three young children isn’t work at all. Remember the recent case where the mom tried to pay her babysitter in ice cream?
Those who work in childcare should always remember their worth, especially if they’ve gained qualifications. It’s great to have someone available to be on-call, but that kind of responsibility requires a much higher rate.
Card
And if she’s expecting to get free pet-sitting out of this as well, with the line about the two pit bulls, the rate is even worse.
Pit bulls are cute, and often get a bad reputation for the wrong reasons — but they’re also two more things to pay attention to at $10 an hour.
Babysitters, just know that you should immediately avoid clients like this. If they’re that difficult in an ad, just imagine what they’ll be like in person. You’ll find someone who’ll treat you more like a human if you keep looking.
