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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think that CHILDREN should not be advertised as babysitters?

48 replies

ulB · 15/02/2008 11:33

OK, I have changed my name, as there is a MN who sends her child to the school that is associated with this - in fact i think she may even be involved in some kind of franchise arrangement over child babysitters . But I can tell you all sorts of sordid details about Cod's pouch of Douglas and whose DH rubs his hands together like a lamb slaughterer as part of foreplay - I am not a troll.

Earlier this week we had a perky little flyer through our door, advertising a 'Babysitting Service for Roads xx, xx, and xx' by two girls aged 13, who said they were experienced in babysitting babies (from 1 year) to 10 year old children. They said they were from a particlular local private school.

When I mentioned this to the MN-er who sends her child there, complimenting her on the Enterprise Culture that is being instilled, she mentioned, rather casually, that she thought the school might be encouraging it as a way for parents to be able to afford the fees!!

NOW I thnk that this mother herself may be involved!

Is it reasonable for 13 year-olds to be offer

ing a babysitting service?

Is this really indicative of what parents will do to afford the fees?

Or am I over-reacting and should I make use of this service, and encourage these young people?

I hope the mother doesn't take this the wrong way - she does not live in the 3 roads specified, which are the 'nicer' roads in our area (though I say it myself) and ever since that grape threa all those years ago, sjhe has been sneaking swigs from the bottles in Lidl, and it makes her a bit unpredicatble.

OP posts:
Desiderata · 15/02/2008 11:38

I don't understand this post.

Nemoandthefishes · 15/02/2008 11:39

?

colditz · 15/02/2008 11:41

this might help

2bulletsformyvalentine · 15/02/2008 11:41

maybe the girls just want / need extra money

wineisthewaytomyheart · 15/02/2008 11:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ulB · 15/02/2008 11:42

wineis...well, I wouldn't go that far, but yes, that is part of the gist!

OP posts:
wineisthewaytomyheart · 15/02/2008 11:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ulB · 15/02/2008 11:44

and now she's even advertising on MN! here.

Shouldn't she pay a classified ad for that? It's so sneaky.

Like a 'hun'.

OP posts:
RubberDuck · 15/02/2008 11:45

Eh? We have a couple of teens down our road - one who sends out flyers for babysitting, the other sends out flyers for car washing. Neither go to private school. Both I really admire for their hard work and enterprising nature.

Have made use of both services, and they are lovely kids and work really hard and are cheerful and friendly to boot. I bet their parents are really proud of them (I would be).

Can't see what the issue is at all, myself.

So yes, YABU.

colditz · 15/02/2008 11:47

I bet the teenagers are Robinson's Runners.

Robinson's advertise them as babysitters, and then the girls drink fruteshutes in from of your darlings until they are brainwashed.

RubberDuck · 15/02/2008 11:49

Hahahaha at Robinson's Runners

Now that explains a lot...

brimfull · 15/02/2008 11:49

completely confused by this thread

what does a 13 yr old babysitting have to do with school fees?

RubberDuck · 15/02/2008 11:50

Don't worry about it ggirl, I think we are being had - nice one Blu

wineisthewaytomyheart · 15/02/2008 11:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NAB3wishesfor2008 · 15/02/2008 11:51

Maybe using free babysitters saves money for the school fees???

ulB · 15/02/2008 11:51

But 13 year olds?

Colditz - 'Robinson's Runners' makes sense.

A bit like 'Bob a Job' then?

I don't know, though, it still doesn't seem right - I know the 3 roads they cover are the niceer roads, but has anyone seen that film 'Rita, Sue and Bob Too' with George Costigan? He behaves innappopriately with young babysitters, and you never really know what goes on behind closed doors, not even in a row of 30's semis.

OP posts:
Dropdeadfred · 15/02/2008 11:53

Blu is that you?

DualCycloneCod · 15/02/2008 11:54

am ansious that my pouch of couglas comes into this

ulB · 15/02/2008 11:54

ohW?

OP posts:
VictorianSqualor · 15/02/2008 11:57
Nemoandthefishes · 15/02/2008 12:01

doh didnt see other thread and just looked at name...

ulB · 15/02/2008 12:05

Cod, I am sorry to have implicated your PoD - but under the circumstances, child protection has to come first. I can see that people are understandably confused by this threasd, and I apolgise if it causes them to look too deeply into your Pouch of Douglas.

OP posts:
ulB · 15/02/2008 12:07

Sorry - that didn't come out quite rigt.

I know you like to encourage peope to use the archives - and I didn't mean people to look up your pouch of douglas.

OP posts:
wineisthewaytomyheart · 15/02/2008 12:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Reallytired · 15/02/2008 12:11

My private school used to advertise the services of sixth formers who were over the age of 18 to baby sit. (Admitally its was 20 years ago)

The children that I ever looked after were all over the age of 5. The parents put them to bed, went out for about four or five hours and paid me £10 when they got back.

Its no different to employing an Au pair.

I agree that thirteen years old is bit young. But I cannot see the problem if the baby sitter is over the age of 18.

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