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babysitting etiquette - advice needed please

6 replies

oxocube · 07/06/2004 13:32

We are going out later this week and have booked a babysitter from about 6.30 pm. She is lovely and an au pair to a little girl in my son's class. As an au pair, I presume she would usually eat dinner with her host family. I had planned to feed my kids before I left as it would be one less thing for the babysitter to do but am worried that she will not have eaten and will probably be too polite to help herself to anything in the kitchen, even though I will of course ask her to. What do you think? Should I make a big dish of something for kids and sitter (ie pasta) and let the kids eat later than usual or should I order a couple of pizzas to be delivered. I will ask her when I see her tomorrow, but she is so sweet that I know she will say not to bother about her and I worry that most au pairs seem to earn so little for a lot of work and don't want to take advantage. The hourly rate for babysitters here is ridiculous - 5 euro per hour- and thats for a 20 year old. What do other mumsnetters usually do?

OP posts:
codswallop · 07/06/2004 13:39

oxo you are eworrying too muvh about this!

ask her host family!

oxocube · 07/06/2004 13:40

You can tell we don't go out much, Coddy!!

OP posts:
Soapbox · 07/06/2004 13:42

My babysitter is an old family friend who I know will help herself to food. However, when we have used other, shier ones in teh past I have laid out a tray for them, with coke, juice, water, some chocs etc on it, I put out knife and fork and plate and then just as I am leaving I stick a ready meal in the oven and put a post it note on the tray saying when it will be ready to come out. Its much harder for them to say 'no thanks' when it is already in the oven!

If you are unsure as to what she will eat, I would put a couple of packs of pre-packed sandwiches on a tray, with crisps and drinks, and clearly label it for her consumption before you go out.

codswallop · 07/06/2004 13:42

leave some nibbles and go out and have a nice time

as dh would say about me " oyu are talking morea bout this than the lenght of time for which youa re going out"

Blu · 07/06/2004 14:02

Or if you're making pasta for the kids, make extra and tell her she can heat it up when she's ready. And to help herself to drinlks from fridge etc.

Jennisaurus · 07/06/2004 16:51

Leave out drinks and tea and coffee and some biscuits.

When I used to babysit some parents left money for a pizza and a takeaway number, some left sandwiches, and some told me there were pizzas/ready meals in the fridge if I wanted

I always felt bad going into other peoples cupboards, and so I would probably leave things out for her.

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