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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed about this?

33 replies

Bluey124 · 14/08/2023 21:46

I had to go to a last minute appointment today, hospital, and had no sitter for my goddaughter who is 7 months. My colleague suggested her sitter who she said had a level 2 childcare qualification and was nice so I arranged for her to sit today. Firstly she couldn't find my house even though she was down the right road. It isn't obvious as such as lots of houses and not clearly marked so was a little surprising. She was obviously then quite flustered and stressed. I did a tour round the house and asked her to prepare a bottle (formula for the baby) at around 4PM she looked a bit panicked but agreed.
When I got home 3 hours later, she said she was really sorry but couldn't open the childlocks on the cupboard to get to the formula milk! I had only been away 3 hours so not a massive issue as baby had food and she had given her water but aibu to be a bit pissed off? She is 30 so not a young woman. I also think even if she had been able to open the cupboard, she wouldn't have known how to make up formula.

OP posts:
GreggingIt · 14/08/2023 21:50

Do they not teach childlock picking on these courses?! 😂 Yes I would think that was very odd.

Original poster
Bluey124 · 14/08/2023 22:01

It was very odd....

OP posts:
MorningOclock · 14/08/2023 22:08

Surely you would have got the formula out and everything all together for the sitter to make it up, did you explain which method you use to make the bottle?

Hellocatshome · 14/08/2023 22:15

Have I missed something, why is it necessary for you to arrange childcare for your goddaughter? Anyway I would have left the formula and the bottles etc on the side so they were easily located. But yes she does sound a bit useless, is she used to older children maybe.

Original poster
Bluey124 · 14/08/2023 22:18

I had already arranged to have goddaughter , hospital appointment came through last minute.
Would have thought making up a bottle was self explanatory, especially for a childcare qualified sitter?

OP posts:
sproutsandparsnips · 14/08/2023 22:28

I'm not sure why you would leave the formula in a child locked cupboard?

panko · 14/08/2023 22:30

You should have left the formula out

YouAndMeAndThem · 14/08/2023 22:32

The obvious thing would be to ring you and ask how to open the cupboard?! Very odd.

Original poster
Bluey124 · 14/08/2023 22:32

She said she didn't want to disturb me during my appointment.

OP posts:
lanthanum · 14/08/2023 22:38

Nothing on preparing formula milk in the standards:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-practitioner-level-2-qualifications-criteria

I would not assume anyone to be familiar with what is required, and would (if possible) leave the bottle ready-prepared, or very clear instructions. It's also understandable that not everyone has seen every type of childlock, and some are not easy to fathom. Unfortunately it's all too easy to forget they're even there when you're used to them. (I made this type of mistake - I didn't think to show a babysitter how to open the stairgate!) She must have been very embarrassed about not working out how to open the cupboard. Did she try to call you?

Early years practitioner (level 2): qualifications criteria

The criteria for the minimum qualification content of level 2 early years practitioners qualifications.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-practitioner-level-2-qualifications-criteria

TeaKitten · 14/08/2023 22:51

I would have made the formula bottle for her in advance. Her looking flustered because she was late doesn’t make her rubbish.

FlamingYam · 14/08/2023 22:55

I'm 40 and often struggle with child locks that aren't familiar to me. Hope that's ok with you.

You're a bit fucking mean to assume she wouldn't be able to make formula. It comes with instructions plus she is a child carer.

Original poster
Bluey124 · 14/08/2023 22:56

No, she just looked really embarrassed when I came home and said that she was really sorry but she couldn't get into the cupboard to get to the formula. I was out for 3 hours 30 and baby was due a feed, sometimes has two in those time periods. She said she didn't want to disturb me during my appointment.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bluey124 · 14/08/2023 22:58

Not being mean. It was her panicked expression that gave it away.

OP posts:
Testina · 14/08/2023 23:04

All this says is that you chose to leave a child (not even your own child!) with someone you didn’t know. So I’m not sure I’d be criticising her.

Could you not have told her your house isn’t clearly marked and is tricky to find, and to give you a call when she was on your road and you’d come out and wave?

Testina · 14/08/2023 23:06

She sounds fine though… it was 3.5 hours and she used her brain enough to decide that food and water was fine at 7 months to get through instead of disturbing you. You seem very critical.

WhateverMate · 14/08/2023 23:06

YANBU

For goodness sake I'm sure she could've Googled how to open a child locked cupboard.

LisaD1 · 14/08/2023 23:09

I’d be furious as the child’s mother if I found out the godparent left them with someone they didn’t know, had never met. If I were you I’d worry less about her inability to open a child lock and more about your lack of judegement in using random childcare.

bridgetreilly · 14/08/2023 23:09

I don’t really understand the bit about not finding your house. You say it’s hard but then are surprised she struggled? None of which has anything to do with feeding the baby.

bridgetreilly · 14/08/2023 23:10

But, you’re fine, the baby’s fine, you had an emergency sitter, you never have to ask her to do it again. Just let it go.

Original poster
Bluey124 · 14/08/2023 23:13

My friend, the child's mum was fine with using the sitter. Obviously I didn't make that decision off my own back.
It's a bit tricky I guess to find the house but the doors are all labelled with numbers clearly displayed. So maybe seems petty to mention but alongside the other stuff it was just a bit much.

OP posts:
Shinyandnew1 · 14/08/2023 23:13

It isn't obvious as such as lots of houses and not clearly marked so was a little surprising.

If you live in a non obvious place which isn’t clearly marked, why are you so surprised she couldn’t find it?

Why didn’t you just tell the child’s mother that you had a last minute hospital appointment so couldn’t have her child? Did the parents know you were leaving their child with the random babysitter of your work colleague? There’s no way I’d have wanted that to happen to my child!

mbosnz · 14/08/2023 23:17

The only people I've found that can reliably navigate child-proof locks, are children. Anyone beyond 13 quite often has problems.

Testina · 14/08/2023 23:18

Bluey124 · 14/08/2023 23:13

My friend, the child's mum was fine with using the sitter. Obviously I didn't make that decision off my own back.
It's a bit tricky I guess to find the house but the doors are all labelled with numbers clearly displayed. So maybe seems petty to mention but alongside the other stuff it was just a bit much.

But what do you even mean, “a bit much”?
She got there in time.
She kept baby fed and hydrated despite you locking the formula away.
Presumably you’d mention if you came home to a screaming baby and a soggy nappy?
The L2 childcare course isn’t necessarily that relevant. My mid did one cos she didn’t do well in her GCSEs and had to pick something. She actually worked in a nursery for a short while - but in the preschooler room, no bottles.
You just seem very picky about someone who hasn’t actually done anything wrong.

Runnerinthenight · 14/08/2023 23:18

Oh lord.

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