Babysitter requesting beers?

[N0tNowBernard]

Sorry if this is a well trodden path but I'm fairly new to MN. I've arranged a babysitter (family member) for our 2 year old DS tomorrow night. I've just text to see if they want any snacks getting in and they've asked for beers. As they're babysitting I wouldn't have expected them to be drinking. I am pretty uptight about things so don't want to kick up a fuss over nothing but I don't really like the idea of this. AIBU?

If I was the babysitter I'd be totally fucked off if a few beers were refused. Unless there's some back story, it's a completely reasonable request.

When I babysit for friends I'm always left a bottle of wine and chocs. I drink the lot and stuff my face without DH or my own kids getting under my feet. It's heaven.

Nospringflower "I don't get people's paranoia that a few drinks and they will be incapable of looking after a child."

They are looking after your child, or in the case of the OP's child, her child. Doesn't her child deserve a sober babysitter? If you dropped your kid at the nursery and the nursery nurse came out smelling of beer would you be happy to leave them?

What is the difference?

The fact you pay for a nursery?
I would expect anyone looking after my child to be sober. Like I say I might have a drink, so might dh but to be honest we don't drink much at all, and we know our house, our kids and what to expect/not expect.

If you offer to babysit I would hope it is to be helpful not to get a few beers.

OP, if they want beers buy them, keep in the car and present as a gift when they leave the house.

italian do you never have a drink when you're looking after your children?

I am a mother and I babysit for friends. I would be well pissed off if wine was not involved. Jeez!

PS I am not a paragon of virtue. I once nearly set a sofa on fire with a cigarette when I was babysitting! I was about 15 at the time. I wouldn't be made about people smoking in my house either!

I'd not be comfortable with it. When the children were younger dh & I never drank at the timeI or if we were alone with the children have one small glass of wine with a meal & that would be it.

purple yes I do, I just said as much. I drink in my own home with my kids present. Not a lot these days. I know my kids and they know me. I know where the medical kit is, the phone is, basic first aid and what to do in an emergency. You can call me paraoiond Pete but my kids are the most important thing in my life and anyone looking after them needs to be able to deal with an emergency! including me!

I wouldn't be happy about it. I'd certainly never have a single drink if I was babysitting and I've babysat hundreds of times over the years.

Personally I'd be blunt and say "sorry but I'm not keen on anyone drinking while looking after dc"

As parents, when we have a drink at home, one of us will have only one drink and the other will have a few. And vice versa on a different night. I would feel very uncomfortable about both of us being drunk or even tipsy.

N0tNowBernard it doesn't matter if others babysit and drink - it matters what is important to you.

I'd find some friends who parent like you/share your concerns etc and swap babysitting with each other.

The other thing is if you have not drunk anything you can drive yourself home afterwards and not wait for lifts etc.*

I would buy one or two single bottles and just say in case of an emergency they need to be able to be under the legal limit to drive?

It's pathetic that this thread was even started, let alone kept going. Family member babysitting a presumably sleeping child, free of charge would appreciate a couple of beers whilst doing so. Big whoop. Jeezo...

This is one of those issues where MN opinion diverges massively from RL.

If I was paying a babysitter I'd prefer no alcohol but probably wouldn't bat an eyelid at one drink. Family/friends doing a favour or parents staying in and drinking whilst responsible for DC is completely normal.

Italian, if I had a sad view of families I would have written "outcast" instead of "joke".

Bloody hell. I think it's massively uptight and hypocritical to say no to beer for babysitting relative.

People have a drink all the time when they're parents. Having a couple of beers does not mean someone will be incapable of looking after your precious baby.

Oh, apologies italian I missed that you said in your post that you have a drink at home.

My view of this is that if someone is sober enough to drive, they are sober enough to deal with an emergency.

I'm a nanny if I babysit I don't drink. It's not professional.

Bring the beers in when you arrive home and give them to the sitter as a thank-you when they leave (or are chatting after you're home.).

"I'm a nanny if I babysit I don't drink. It's not professional."

Or relevant to a thread about a family member doing someone a favour

Hang on, 50 year old relative babysitting for free? Yes, beers. Teenager be

Depends a lot on the person, but I wouldn't be happy. And quite frankly, I wouldn't be able to look after a child after 4 beers, but I have very low alcohol tolerance so I'm in the minority in this.

And no, I don't drink anything when I'm alone with my son (DP works some nights).

How I'd go about it depends on the person and how responsible they are.

Posted by accident: teenager being paid. No beers.

Get the babysitter some low alcohol beer there are some quite good ones out there now zero ones or just 2-3% vol won't get a grown man drunk.

Oh for godness sake. A 50 year old is giving up their Saturday night to allow you a night out. The absolute least you should have done is gotten in wine and /or beer depending on what the person prefers.

Cannot believe anyone is posting such crap. I would say you wil find free sitters are not that plentiful!

Sorry Etgylred was it a joke, I down't see that.

King how do you know how capable anyone will be after a few beers. Do you think babies seen't precious?