Page 2 | To be annoyed about this?

Bluey124 · 2023-08-14T20:46:56+00:00

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.

HeddaGarbled · 14/08/2023 23:32

You were in the wrong. I don’t know anyone who would have thrown a babysitter into the deep end like that. Poor preparation, poor guidance, no support. You should have made up the feeds in advance and given very specific instructions about how to warm them, and checked she was comfortable with how to give the feed.

Level 2 quals are GCSE level and are aimed at youngsters who will be working under supervision in a nursery setting. She’s not a nanny and you were expecting far too much of her. She was probably terrified.

Hankunamatata · 14/08/2023 23:34

We never used child locks so I wouldn't have a clue how to open them

Hawkins009 · 14/08/2023 23:36

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?

I would presume so, then these days there's usually instructions with the items and or google too.

VeridicalVagabond · 14/08/2023 23:38

So you saw her panicked expression, thought she probably wouldn't know how to make up formula, and chose to leave someone else's child with her anyway? A woman you didn't know and had never met and already had doubts about?

Yeah sorry she might be a bit of a doofus but you come off far worse than her.

Scienceadvisory · 14/08/2023 23:41

You should have left the formula out, child locks can be a right pain and she probably didn't want to risk causing damage to your cupboards. Given that you know your place is tricky to locate it seems rather harsh for judging her for struggling to find it.

UpaladderwatchingTV · 14/08/2023 23:52

Apart from anything else OP, you have contradicted yourself in what you've said about her finding your house. First of all you said '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.' Then later you said 'It's a bit tricky I guess to find the house but the doors are all labelled with numbers clearly displayed. Are the houses clearly labelled or not? If not, then it's hardly surprising she couldn't find it easily, and was flustered about being late.

You also say 'My friend, the child's mum was fine with using the sitter. Obviously I didn't make that decision off my own back'. I'm afraid there was nothing 'obvious' about your having discussed the situation with the child's Mum beforehand, because you didn't tell us.

Personally, I think you were more of a failure in this scenario than the babysitter. OK the appointment happened out of the blue, but surely it would have been easier to contact the baby's Mum and tell her what had happened, and let her make other plans for her child. Instead, you employed someone you'd never met, and then criticised her because she didn't live up to your expectations. You seem to have forgotten that she helped you out at short notice, and was actually doing you a favour.

xnalaks · 15/08/2023 00:14

UpaladderwatchingTV · 14/08/2023 23:52

Apart from anything else OP, you have contradicted yourself in what you've said about her finding your house. First of all you said '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.' Then later you said 'It's a bit tricky I guess to find the house but the doors are all labelled with numbers clearly displayed. Are the houses clearly labelled or not? If not, then it's hardly surprising she couldn't find it easily, and was flustered about being late.

You also say 'My friend, the child's mum was fine with using the sitter. Obviously I didn't make that decision off my own back'. I'm afraid there was nothing 'obvious' about your having discussed the situation with the child's Mum beforehand, because you didn't tell us.

Personally, I think you were more of a failure in this scenario than the babysitter. OK the appointment happened out of the blue, but surely it would have been easier to contact the baby's Mum and tell her what had happened, and let her make other plans for her child. Instead, you employed someone you'd never met, and then criticised her because she didn't live up to your expectations. You seem to have forgotten that she helped you out at short notice, and was actually doing you a favour.

Yeah, all a bit weird

Whattheactualwhatnow · 15/08/2023 01:01

OP kindly I think you are projecting here, and blaming babysitter for issues that were either not her fault, or arguably yours.