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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that the babysitter might tidy up??

146 replies

ahcomeon · 16/02/2014 09:58

Just back from a night out. The living room is like a bomb site! Sitter puts the kids to bed and literally sat on her ass all evening without so much as putting the toys away. Not to mention empty popcorn packets and juice cartons etc..
I couldn't sit there amongst all the crap, it would drive me nuts and I wouldn't be able to relax!
But what's pissing me off is that I handed her 60 quid for the night and she couldn't be arsed even tidying up.
Not unreasonable to expect to come back to a somewhat tidy house is it?

OP posts:
Electryone · 16/02/2014 10:25

Im a bit amazed at the £60 thing...how many hours was that for?

JodieGarberJacob · 16/02/2014 10:28

Bloody hell £60! I do a whole evening for £30 and tidy, wash up, clean surfaces etc. Are you in the south east? I could do with the money Grin

Original poster
ahcomeon · 16/02/2014 10:30

Slightly off topic but I just realised I converted the exchange rate incorrectly. I paid 56 euro which is 45 stg (not 60 which I said earlier) for six hours babysitting. Works out at 9 euro an hour.
Handy cash eh? The least she could do is pick up a few toys!!!

OP posts:
FoodieToo · 16/02/2014 10:36

You say you are 'just back' so I assume it was an overnight?

I would definitely have expected her to pick up mess made when she was there,otherwise not really.

I just wouldn't ask her again.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 16/02/2014 10:37

Unless your kids are tinies, why can't they pick up some toys?

SaucyJack · 16/02/2014 10:42

YANBU. Was she a "proper" babysitter? Very slovenly and unprofessional.

TaraLott · 16/02/2014 10:43

£45 for six hours, is that right?
So £7.50 an hour?
YABVU.

TamerB · 16/02/2014 10:43

I would tidy any mess that had been made by me and the children while I was there.

lottieandmia · 16/02/2014 10:44

When my dd was on an ABA programme I expected the tutors to tidy up after a session. This is no different. YANBU, unless the toys were all over the place to start with. And from your post I assume they weren't.

TaraLott · 16/02/2014 10:45

Handy cash?
Well presumably that's why she did your babysitting, nothing at all wrong with her earning some money.

bearleftmonkeyright · 16/02/2014 10:45

Yanbu, I am a midday and regularly get asked to babysit. I always have a quick tidy up when kids have gone to bed. Lazy mare! The children at pre school are expected to help tidy up so I don't think there are any excuses. Babysitting is a massive responsibility. It sounds like you've paid her more than adequately.

Panzee · 16/02/2014 10:45

Maybe ask her next time. Sometimes it's not always clear where things go. Apart from crisp packets of course. :)

ConfusedPixie · 16/02/2014 10:46

I tidy, but that's because I'm a nanny and my babysitting rates reflect that and the extra work implied. Though it also reflects the fact that I can actually get the kids to tidy up themselves before bed these days Grin When I babysat before nannying I never tidied up, that was the children's job and if they didn't do it then they could in the morning with their parents watching over them. Not that I ever really noticed if things were out of place as I was in my own world Hmm

ISeeYouShiverWithAntici · 16/02/2014 10:49

What she should have done is made sure your kids picked up their crap.

I am assuming she didnt leave the wrappers from her own snacks on the floor!

hugoagogo · 16/02/2014 10:52

Sounds cheap to me, especially if your dc were fed or put to bed by the babysitter.

When I have had babysitters I always made sure the dc were in bed before they arrived and expected the babysitter to sit on the sofa, eat biscuits and watch tv-only in an emergency did they actually have to do anything.

Your comment about not being able to sit in mess indicates that you are a certain kind of person that cannot tolerate mess; therefore your idea of mess may be quite different than say mine or your baby sitter.

yabu

insancerre · 16/02/2014 10:55

YABU if you didn't ask her to tidy up.
YANBU if you asked her and she ignored your request.

TidyDancer · 16/02/2014 10:56

I would've personally tidied, but it think all you should've expected was for her to clear any mess she generated, which would've been the food and drinks items.

He many toys etc were out? Maybe she didn't think it was a mess, and it's just irking you more than it would her.

TidyDancer · 16/02/2014 10:56

And yes, insancerre is right. What did you actually ask her to do?

Original poster
ahcomeon · 16/02/2014 10:57

Well she is a very sweet girl and the kids love her which is the main thing. In her own world like most kids her age so I suppose it just didn't occur to her.
Will 'gently' point it out to her next time!

OP posts:
Electryone · 16/02/2014 10:58

Not sure about your "handy cash" remark OP, she earned it by babysitting your children...my income from my job is quite "handy" to!

Supercosy · 16/02/2014 11:02

So people don't even think someone should put their own popcorn packet in the bin? Blimey! I thought I had low standards with regards to domesticity! 6 hours is quite a long stint so can understand the pay. £45 sounds ok for that

MrsBungle · 16/02/2014 11:06

Was it her mess op or the kids mess?

ISeeYouShiverWithAntici · 16/02/2014 11:07

I bloody do, super! There is no excuse for an adult leaving their rubbish on the floor.

I am hoping she put her own in the bin though and where she went wrong was not making the children clear their mess up. That would be a reasonable thing to ask of a babysitter - don't let the kids go to bed without tidying up after themselves.

pigletmania · 16/02/2014 11:09

Yanbu at all, it does not take a few mins to throw toys back in the box and take your rubbish to the trash, basic things we are taught as young children!

VegetariansTasteLikeChicken · 16/02/2014 11:11

YANBU, I always used to tudy up children's toys or dinner mess. ANything that happened while the babysitter is in charge should be tidied by babysitter. Same as any adult