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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

VegetariansTasteLikeChicken · 16/02/2014 11:19

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

Yeah, but its up to the babysitter to make them do it. Either way it should have been done under her watch

pigletmania · 16/02/2014 11:28

It is unacceptable to leave your rubbish around in somebody else's house and not clear it up, it's basic decency and pride, I haven't got a clue why some on here find that U, mabey they like living in rubbish!

BrianTheMole · 16/02/2014 11:31

She should clear up her rubbish and help the kids tidy the toys. Yanbu.

Chivetalking · 16/02/2014 11:37

I have babysat surrounded by mess but it wasn't my doing so I left it. If I'd made the mess I'd have cleared it up.

She sounds like a bit of a diva. I'd be looking elsewhere next time I wanted an evening out.

macdoodle · 16/02/2014 11:38

How old is the babysitter. I have had a number of reg babysitters as I work one evening a week (single parent) ranging in age from 17-25, not a single one even tidied or even took snack dishes to the kitchen. The only time a babysitter tidied was when my best friend helped out, she tidied cleaned the kitchen hob and floor and did a laundry wash :-D but she is a bit ocd!

Original poster

ahcomeon · 16/02/2014 11:45

Sitter is 22, very sensible and kind girl. I gather they played some kind of game when we went out that resulted in cushions and toys everywhere, followed by popcorn and drinks and some tv before bed. Kids are 7, 5 and 3 and will always do tidy up but only if prompted!
Was so surprised that she would happily sit in that chaos all evening!

OP posts:

pigletmania · 16/02/2014 11:46

That's schocking mac doodle, we expect young children to clear up their rubbish and teach them as such, I am disgusted that adults cannot do this, basic pride and manners. I would not hire them again!

pigletmania · 16/02/2014 11:48

Ahcomen she should have definitely tidied or prompted tge dc to tidy up, mess resulting during the evening

Borntorun25 · 16/02/2014 11:48

I would expect babysitter to tidy any mess made by her, eg. popcorn packet in bin, cups/plates put in kitchen, not washed up though. Toys where they were before.
I would not expect any pre existing mess to be cleared.

MissDuke · 16/02/2014 12:31

YANBU, I would always have cleared up when babysitting, or encouraged the children to do it. I would never leave a mess for the parents to come home to, common sense surely! I am amazed that posters on here think it is fine for her to leave rubbish sitting!

Panzee · 16/02/2014 12:34

I'm just trying to remember what it was like being a teenager.

pigletmania · 16/02/2014 12:37

Panzee she is 22 not a teenager, at that age i was living independently away from home,!and most certainly tidied up after myself.

DarlingGrace · 16/02/2014 12:39

Yes she should tidy up the mess she created.

Panzee · 16/02/2014 12:49

Oh I missed that! Was imagining a 15 year old :o

Strokethefurrywall · 16/02/2014 12:50

DH and I went out last night, came back $60 later and our baby sitters (sitter and her girlfriend) after managing to get 2.5 year old DS into bed without a fuss, had put away all our washing up dishes and tidied the kitchen!

Completely didn't expect that and will be increasing her tip but definitely when I used to baby sit I would tidy up any mess the kids made and put rubbish in the bin. That's just basic isn't it??

blueemerald · 16/02/2014 12:59

I occasionally babysit a 12 year old girl with profound and multiple learning difficulties (non verbal, wears nappies, cannot feed herself etc).

A certain amount of mess is created over the evening. Due to her needs I don't feel comfortable tidying up and taking my eye off her so I always tidy up when she's in bed (wash up dinner plates, put toys away, sort out the bathroom, straighten sofa cushions). I get paid £10 an hour. I would never leave the house in a mess.

bragmatic · 16/02/2014 13:02

YANBU. Any babysitter who sat and watched telly when the kids went to bed leaving toys and a mess that could have been cleared in 15 minutes is lazy. And I don't think that should need to be spelled out to a reasonable person.

Pregnantberry · 16/02/2014 13:06

I used to babysit while I was at university. I used to tidy up any mess that was made while I was there (so I would have put away the toys/snack stuff in your case), but I didn't start cleaning the mess that was already there - for example if the family had left dirty dishes in the sink, they would still be there when they got back.

I'd expect the same from a babysitter myself so I guess YANBU if you left the house ok and came back and it was a tip. The pp's are right that she is not a cleaner but it's common courtesy to leave the house the way you found it.

sadbodyblue · 16/02/2014 13:08

my dd is 15 and regularly babysits wouldn't dream of leaving a mess.

mind you she lives in a tidy house so one persons bloody awful mess is another persons normality.

krasnayaploshad · 16/02/2014 13:11

I may have misunderstood but I don't think the OP is expecting the babysitter to clean the house, only tidy up any mess created while on babysitting duties.
OP - YANBU & I would have been tempted to mention something to the babysitter. Maybe next time you'll need to state expectations as the babysitter seems a bit clueless?

coldwater1 · 16/02/2014 13:45

I used to love tidying up other peoples houses when i babysat for them. Lol

She should have at least tidied up the mess that was made while she was babysitting.

nearlythere22 · 16/02/2014 14:32

YANBU - she could reasonably be expected to clean up any mess created while she babysits. However, at least she plays games with the children. Does she also put them to bed at a reasonable hour, make sure teeth are brushed etc (I used to babysit as a teenager - one of the mothers told me that her children told her I was the only babysitter who had ever made them brush their teeth - she was horrified at the the other babysitters!).

IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece · 16/02/2014 16:20

Even when I was 15 and got paid £3ph I tidied up!

I now get £10ph -though am considerably older then 15!...and always tidy toys away, stack the dishwasher and wipe the sides down...it takes all of 15minutes..

CromeYellow · 16/02/2014 16:27

I used to babysit a lot as a teenager, I never tidied up and no parent ever suggested I should. The babysitter is paid to make sure the kids are safe until you come home. If they were providing a maid service on top of that, they'd tell you and charge extra.

You keep repeating that you wouldn't be able to sit in chaos, so what? Many people can and a lot of younger people wouldn't even notice.

Sortyourmakeupout · 16/02/2014 16:29

Yanbu

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