AIBU? Babysitters

You probably haven't experienced OP's DC's nursery though.

We’ve used nursery staff as babysitters - a lot of policies against it, but most do it if you ask on the down low at a pick up. It’s the only way I’ve been able to do it and now we have support as and where we need it (ad hoc nights out.) Usually only when the kids are in bed, but recently she put them to bed and it worked very well as they knew her and were super excited to see her. You could even pay for a few hours while you’re at home for her to come and play with them to ease your mind (and get them used to them) xx

That is one Nursery.
I have experience of quite a lot more than one Nursery.

The few teens that work at DC's nursery are students and are always supervised. They are only there a few times a week too.

@YourPinkBeaker you’ve literally said in one of your previous posts … “and the only friends who would be able to manage a crazy toddler have kids of their own and wouldn't be able to unless in an emergency. ” - so you’re literally in the exact same position as @CarpetKnees (and many other mothers) so I don’t know why you’ve attacked her for her comment.

OP has asked a valid and reasonable question which has sparked quite a good debate I think. Everyone has a different situation. You’ve stated you have a toddler that still requires lots of settling overnight and that’s part of the reason you wouldn’t feel comfortable getting a babysitter until they’re older. Completely understandable. I also wouldn’t want my child waking up to someone they didn’t know well in the middle of the night especially if they woke up frequently and would only settle with bf. Personally I can be quite confident that most nights my child will be asleep from 7-7 so even though I’ve never done it, I wouldn’t have an issue with someone I’d booked online and vetted in person to come to my house for 5-6 hours whilst my child was asleep so I could enjoy an evening out, and Ofc they would call me as soon if any issues I’d be happy to down my vino and return home asap 🤣

It’s ok and actually more interesting for us all to have differing opinions. I’m hoping this thread will actually empower more people who are feeling burnout / struggling with parenting to get that babysitter - no matter how they source them

I have a toddler and the idea of a teenager caring for them is just wild to me. Different if my kid was school aged maybe.

Yet you send your child to nursery where...teenagers work?

You recognising that your friends and family are the biggest risk right?

I have a toddler and the idea of a teenager caring for them is just wild to me.

Yet you leave your child at Nursery.
Part of my job used to involve going in to different Nurseries. I could visit 40 or more in a year. Believe me, there are many, many teenagers working in Nurseries. Not uncommon for them to be in charge or 5 toddlers, or 8 pre-schoolers.

What a really nasty thing to write.

The post was valid.
We used babysitters when ours were small. We have plenty of friends. I don't see how you make a leap from using babysitters to having no friends
I mean, we sometimes used babysitter to go out with our friends.

When we had an emergency when our dc were young, involving both my parents being hospitalised at the same time unexpectedly one day, I was glad to know that my dc were happy being looked after by different people, as friends stepped in to help us out that day. Would have been even more difficult if they'd never been left with anyone else.

What an obnoxious response.

So... exactly how people find babysitters. Find them online, interview, get references, employ them and leave your children with them.
No difference whatsoever.

Ha, i was sarcastic? just read your first reply "You know what nannies are, right?" If i was sarcastic then so were you, although it doesn't bother me at all, just having a discussion i wont take things to heart.
Anyway, so as you say that's what normal people do (don't know what makes you abnormal if you chose not to) but it's not something i'd do or anyone i know has done

Our nursery staff would do babysitting

Only if you hire a different sitter each time. Normal people find a “stranger” and use them over and over therefore making them a trusted person. Hence my previous post you sarcastically replied to.

Yep thanks i've heard of nannies, find them online, get to know them, hire them to look after your child and pay them. Bit different to going on sitters website and arranging for someone to come out so you can have a date night.

No, it wasn't.

I have plenty of friends but most work full time and have their own children. It's far more convenient to me to book a babysitter than ask a friend. Especially as then I would need to reciprocate in due course and I don't really want to give up the time.

I think it’s because you are a parent to one DC and people think more like that for their first born. Get a bit less anxious with more children as they’ve more experience

Hope that clears things up guys n gals, have a cracking Wednesday

That's just lovely, using a Jimmy Saville phrase in the same post as babysitting

I have a toddler and the idea of a teenager caring for them is just wild to me. Different if my kid was school aged maybe.

Like many, many people, as a teenager I often cared for my toddler sibling.
Caring for other people's toddlers while getting paid was excellent.

I have a toddler and the idea of a teenager caring for them is just wild to me. Different if my kid was school aged maybe.

We only ever used babysitters for the evening, after the children were in bed (until they were old enough to just put themselves to bed when asked). We didn't use babysitters until our children would reliably settle in bed at a reasonable time for us to go out.

Is there any need for the sarcastic bitchy reply?