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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:

Panzee · 16/02/2014 21:28

Maybe she couldn't remember whether she'd been washing the sex toys that evening!

BrianTheMole · 16/02/2014 21:28

Well I wouldn't expect someone to empty the dishwasher. Although it was nice of you to do that. Our baby sitter did the washing up once, I hadn't had time to do it. I did feel bad about that, but she said she was bored.

BrianTheMole · 16/02/2014 21:28

Maybe she couldn't remember whether she'd been washing the sex toys that evening!

Original poster

ahcomeon · 16/02/2014 21:29

I'd have to agree with Brianthemole - surely it's part of the job? As in a given?? And no, not cleaning or doing dishes or anything heavy duty, just a cursory tidy up!
I dunno, id never have dreamed of leaving any living room in that state when I used to babysit, it just wouldn't be right to sit amongst the shit and expect to get paid after!

Pixiepotter, I wrote the original post when I got in last night but it didn't post so I reposted this morning. Sitter was on from 7pm to 1am. Nice earner IMO!

OP posts:

Magix · 16/02/2014 21:31

YANBU . I wouldn't expect her to clean up my mess or the dcs mess they created before she came in , but is expect them to tidy up after themselves and tidy any mess the dcs made while they were in charge .

RaspberryRuffle · 17/02/2014 00:16

Yes she should have cleared away rubbish, but overall YABU, you keep harping on about the mess and the fact that shock horror she accepted money to look after your THREE children for the evening. €54 might be a 'nice earner' or 'handy money' for one child but not for 3.

BrianTheMole · 17/02/2014 01:12

Presumably they are asleep for the majority of that time though raspberry. Not like you actually have to entertain them like you would in the daytime. Where a little mess might be more justified.

YankeeMum8 · 17/02/2014 04:07

How old is the babysitter? Ds had a 14 year old babysitter (a family friend's son) awhile ago. I assumed he would tidy up his mess and the toys he took out and was horrified to the mess I came home to when left an immaculate house.

Next time I would have spelled out my expectations. Turns out I never hired him again because he expressly ignored other much more important instructions I gave him and was so ticked off by that I never bothered to get him again.

TinyTwoTears · 17/02/2014 04:47

Yanbu.

At age 22 she should have tidied up. Especially rubbish. Or got the kids to do it.

Ubik1 · 17/02/2014 05:06

Oh god,who cares.

Next time tell you want her to put the toys away after putting kids to bed.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 17/02/2014 16:43

at OP keeping on saying "nice earner" as if she is doing the babysitter a favour. It is a mutual agreement that benefits both parties and btw the money paid is very average, nothing special about it.

Next time, ask her; to please remind the kids to tidy up (unless they are toddlers and even then, they can help her).

eastmidlandsnightnanny · 17/02/2014 17:03

Def should tidy up i always do been known to empty dishwasher if its been on n finishes while i there.

I am in leicestershire n charge 15/hr n don't think unreasonable as a qualified children nurse but babysit generally for those have night nannied for or children with additional needs either physical or medical or some parents just like the reassurance of a children nurse looking after their children i do have many yrs experience though

Itmustbeme · 17/02/2014 21:04

Crickey....

I babysat last night from 6.30-11.30. I got paid £10 per hour in theory.... I owe my employer some extra hours as a nanny so this was an IOU.

In that time I read to the children, emptied and reloaded the d/washer, disinfected the Worktop, hoovered the kitchen floor, made packed lunches for today, did 4 x washing/tumble drying and putting it away and I ironed and put away 14 men's shirts!

If I was there an extra 30mins I would have cleaned the bathroom too.

I like to earn my money.

winterhat · 17/02/2014 21:08

YABU.

If there are certain things you'd like her to do, mention them beforehand instead of expecting her to be a mind-reader.

Proseccoisnotrah · 17/02/2014 21:12

I wouldn't expect a babysitter to tidy either, except perhaps up after herself. No need for wrappers etc.

NeverKnowinglyUnderstood · 17/02/2014 21:12

yanbu it would have bugged me as well
it wouldn't stop me asking her again but I ould make it very clear next time as I left that I would like the childrens things tidying away before they go to bed.

BrianTheMole · 17/02/2014 23:16

You sound great itmustbeme. If you were local to me I'd just be happy if you cleared up the mess that was created that night and got the kids off safely to bed. I love your attitude. You wouldn't need to do the rest, just eat the pizza I bought you and put your feet up, once the kids were asleep.

BackforGood · 17/02/2014 23:26

I probably would have popped the cushions back on the sofa, and thrown toys into a box if there was an obvious one, if I were the sitter, but I find it hard to believe you are so enraged about it.
You paid someone around £45 to look after 3 children, who were still up when you went out, and to stay until 1am. The dc were all fine. They all like the sitter. You had a good night. Both you and she were happy with the money handed over.
It's really not worth getting all worked up about in the scheme of things.

poopadoop · 17/02/2014 23:39

the snide 'nice earner' asides are ridiculous - she's there to make sure your kids are safe, how much do you think is fair for that? If you're paying her the going rate, then you are paying her the going rate. Just ask her to do a quick tidy after the kids next time, no big deal, and don't make such a mountain out of a molehill!

pixiepotter · 18/02/2014 08:12

so 6 hours for £45 is £7.50 an hour I am not sure it is a great little earner especially as after midnight

falulahthecat · 18/02/2014 08:21

YANBU - when I babysat I used to get a measly £3 an hour (was a decade ago but pfft) and I put away/threw away anything I got out.
worst bit was the woman was a health freak so there weren't even any good nibbles.

Tailtwister · 18/02/2014 08:27

YANBU if the mess was created after you left. If the place was a bomb site before she arrived then I wouldn't expect her to tidy.

candycoatedwaterdrops · 18/02/2014 08:29

"I like to earn my money."

A nanny is different to a casual babysitter. I do earn my money babysitting for my regular family. I do my job; play with the children, encourage them to tidy up if there is a mess, bath time and bedtime, cuddle the little one when she cries during the night. Sometimes I barely get to sit down and the parents have arrived home. I am a babysitter, not a childcare provider. If you want Mary Poppins, then you pay for it and employ accordingly. I do tidy up but I don't do housework.

ScarlettMantleplume · 18/02/2014 08:37

To all you posted who think that the babysitter is underpaid, nine euros an hour is bloody good money even where I am. It's way over the minimum wage for a 22 year old, and presumably tax free which bumps it up even more. You can't just convert the euro into Stirling to make a comparison. You have to remember that different countries have different economic conditions. If the OP is in Ireland it's decent money, if she's in Spain the babysitter is laughing all the way to the bank.

ZenNudist · 18/02/2014 08:37

Should have said something at the time. 'We always encourage the children to tidy up before bedtime.The amount of mess you've left would discourage me from employing you again.'

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