To not want my TV dismantled by the babysitters brother?

[deanychip]

We are out tonight for tea, 6-8.
Babysitter is 15 very sensible but is bringing her brother who is 10.
The boy is always on those hand held computer thingies and last time he came he had the back of my telly round plugging it all in.

1. no ONE could watch telly because he was hogging it with this machine thingy
2. buggered upo my telly channels
3. I dont like those things, you barely get a smile out of the kid, let alone conversation, he is always head down on one. So, am i BU to say actually, no its not ok?

Its your house you set the rules

Why is she bringing her brother?

And no, you're not unreasonable to say no. But tbh, as soon as you are out of the house, he'll probably be on it!

YANBU - it's your tv! Make a sign to stick on the top of it to say 'please do not use for anything other than watching tv' or something similar!

Just tell her she can't bring her brother - problem solved.

I gave permission for my 15 yr old babysitter for her boyfriend to come round 15 mins before I was due back (from a yoga class) because he was taking her out, but I found out from my dc that there 9 other teenagers in the house eating takeaways and leaving the rubbish on the floor and my dc were scared, as they were up. A swift phonecall to her and her mother and it didn't happen again but then she didn't last long after then either. Don't let them have the run of your house they are not respecting it.

I'd say she shouldn't bring her brother - why is he there anyway? If she's "minding" him, what happens if there's a problem with your children? He doesn't sound like he's there as company either for her or for your children.

I'd say that if he comes, he is not permitted to plug anything into your TV, because of the reasons you gave - it's not available for others to watch, and it messed up the setting when he did it before.

If she's been told clearly this is not permitted, and it happens again, I'd bar him from coming with her.