DD Babysat Last Night: Disturbed by Something

[ugadog99]

My older DD is leaving for the WDWCP in January. Now that her classes are finished, she's using sittercity to look for some babysitting jobs so she can have a little money built up before she moves. Last night she babysat for a family she found from sittercity.

The family has fairly recently moved to our town and lives in a beautiful new Craftsman style home in a lovely neighborhood. The couple has two sons: 6 and 8 who attend a private Christian school. The boys were very well behaved, well mannered, and extremely respectful. Heck, they were even in bed before 9:00 on a Saturday! The couple paid my daughter very well and were home at the time they said.

Sounds perfect, right? Well, it was. She would babysit for this family anytime. What, you may ask, disturbed us? My DD was told the family has a hard time finding sitters because.....they are gay. WTH?? What in the world does that have to do with anything???

Every time I think that we, as a country, are moving forward in the struggle of acceptance of ALL people, something like this happens. Couple this with the recent suicide of the teen in TN this week, and I am just sad and disappointed. I wonder if this has to do with living in the Bible Belt south, or is it just ignorance everywhere? I don't know, but I know I don't fit the image of the "good Southern girl." I'm liberal, a supporter of LGBT rights, pro-choice, not a fan of organized religion (but am spiritual), and I see nothing "wrong" with interracial relationships. Sometimes I love living in a rural town in the deep South, but other times, not so much!

Okay, vent over now....back to everyday Sunday activities....

 

[metalis4ever]

Unfortunately ignorance is everywhere I live south of Boston, Massachusetts and I feel eyes on me and sometimes receive a rude attitude because I am in an interracial relationship. Thankfully I'm 6'4 230lbs so it usually just takes a dirty look back from me or a step in their direction to turn their frowns upside down.

Your DD is going to have a blast participating in the WDWCP!!! I participated in the WDWCP January-May 1999 and trust me your DD is going to need all the extra cash she can get her hands on from now until January

 

[clh2]

That situation is "just wrong". Families are no longer "mom, dad, plus their 2.3 kiddos".

Hopefully - this couple will be going out "lots" between now and when your DD leaves. And...hopefully - your DD can possibly suggest friends of hers who may be able to babysit for this family when your DD is gone.

 

[roxysmum123]

I wonder if this has to do with living in the Bible Belt south, or is it just ignorance everywhere?

*sigh* it's everywhere.

 

[momof1princess]

good grief! ignorance really is everywhere! i can't believe any teenager would pass up an opportunity to babysit two well-behaved, well-mannered children, have the parents get home on time and pay well, just because the parents are gay! that's ABSURD, IMHO.

 

[Uncle Remus]

There's some organized groups out there that say gays are child molesters so I can understand why some may be reluctant to allow their children around gays 'n lesbians. And of course, there's the "recruitment" myth.

 

[HonnyDipp]

Ignorance is everywhere. I was at Toys R Us the other day and there was a gay couple holding hands. I could care less, I was more interested in buying video games at half price. But I was amazed at all the heads that were turning. All because an openly gay couple was holding hands and smiling in a store. An older woman even said they should have been ashamed coming into a toy store with kids everywhere holding hands. Wow.

 

[hereyago]

Closed minded, ignorant, intolerant people are all over the world, it can't be narrowed down to the south in the U.S.

 

[ugadog99]

It just makes me sad. This has been bothering me a lot this week. My younger DD will, hopefully, be their babysitter after my older daughter leaves. It's just wrong. And, yeah, I know ignorance is everywhere, but I do wonder if it's even worse here in the south.

 

[dngnb8]

My older DD is leaving for the WDWCP in January. Now that her classes are finished, she's using sittercity to look for some babysitting jobs so she can have a little money built up before she moves. Last night she babysat for a family she found from sittercity.

The family has fairly recently moved to our town and lives in a beautiful new Craftsman style home in a lovely neighborhood. The couple has two sons: 6 and 8 who attend a private Christian school. The boys were very well behaved, well mannered, and extremely respectful. Heck, they were even in bed before 9:00 on a Saturday! The couple paid my daughter very well and were home at the time they said.

Sounds perfect, right? Well, it was. She would babysit for this family anytime. What, you may ask, disturbed us? My DD was told the family has a hard time finding sitters because.....they are gay. WTH?? What in the world does that have to do with anything???

Every time I think that we, as a country, are moving forward in the struggle of acceptance of ALL people, something like this happens. Couple this with the recent suicide of the teen in TN this week, and I am just sad and disappointed. I wonder if this has to do with living in the Bible Belt south, or is it just ignorance everywhere? I don't know, but I know I don't fit the image of the "good Southern girl." I'm liberal, a supporter of LGBT rights, pro-choice, not a fan of organized religion (but am spiritual), and I see nothing "wrong" with interracial relationships. Sometimes I love living in a rural town in the deep South, but other times, not so much!

Okay, vent over now....back to everyday Sunday activities....

Look at it this way. You raised your child not to Hate. Doing so puts your child in a preferred position of income because she isnt a bigot.

Additionally, if she is trusted by the parents, they will probably pay a premium rate because they appreciate the fact that she isnt filled with blind hatred bred by ignorant people.

 

[Shelly888]

I don't know if you saw the video circulating on FB and online about the young man that was raised by 2 lesbians...it's worth watching if you haven't. http://front.moveon.org/two-lesbians-raised-a-baby-and-this-is-what-they-got/#.TtjjH0Diuyl.facebook

Anyway, my friend comments,"Anybody know where I can find a couple of lesbians to raise my kids? I'd be damn proud to be that boy's mother".

I do not get it either, but kuddos to you for raising such a good kid

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I wonder if this has to do with living in the Bible Belt south, or is it just ignorance everywhere? ..

Ignorance is everywhere no matter the gender, culture, and income levels all over the globe.

 

[Princess_Meghan <3]

I just don't understand people

I would jump all over the opportunity to babysit well behaved children who go to bed that early It shouldn't matter that the parents are gay; if they're a nice family, there's no reason not to babysit for them

 

[npmommie]

It just makes me sad. This has been bothering me a lot this week. My younger DD will, hopefully, be their babysitter after my older daughter leaves. It's just wrong. And, yeah, I know ignorance is everywhere, but I do wonder if it's even worse here in the south.

I think ingnorance can be anywhere, but when you have one of the presidential candidates putting out ads that clearly give his stance on gays , that makes the south look bad imo.
can't say more than that without turning political. so I will leave it at that.

you are doing something right mom, keep up the good work!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

There's some organized groups out there that say gays are child molesters so I can understand why some may be reluctant to allow their children around gays 'n lesbians. And of course, there's the "recruitment" myth.

I know, and this has always ticked me off. I mean, I was young and impressionable once. I could've been recruited if teh gay had offered me enough. A free college education and I would've signed on the bottom line! Where were the lesbian recruiters when I was 19?????

Also, I keep hearing talk about a gay agenda. I have yet to find this agenda. I figure it must be really, really nice. Leather bound with gold on the edges, probably spiral bound too with nice thick parchment paper. But I can't find one ANYWHERE.

I just don't get what people are blathering on about because I have yet to see any notices in the paper that so-and-so's child was recruited by the Gays and will get a scholarship; and I've looked, but the gay folks I know do NOT have this legendary agenda; heck, some of them can't even work the meeting function on Outlook properly!

 

[honeydiane1953]

People can be so ignorant. I would have let my daughter babysit for a gay couple in a minute. My DD is grown now. I pray this job works out for all concerned!!!

 

[ugadog99]

Thanks for all the kind words. It's nice to be able to come to the DIS and vent a bit.

 

[cornflake]

It just makes me sad. This has been bothering me a lot this week. My younger DD will, hopefully, be their babysitter after my older daughter leaves. It's just wrong. And, yeah, I know ignorance is everywhere, but I do wonder if it's even worse here in the south.

I think it's worse places it's less tolerated and/or less prevalent and those two things may feed off each other. In many of the larger cities and in much of the northeast and northwest, it's hard to be shocked by openly gay couples holding hands or whatever, because they're not at all uncommon and that's not new, if you see what I mean.

 

[Styx Fan]

My parents were from the south( TN), moved to MI in the mid 1950's. My mom always said there was just as much or more racism in MI than in her small home town. She said it was just out in the open down there, but more quiet and hidden up north. Wonder if that is still true and includes all kinds of bigotry?

 

[cbg1027]

OP - I'm glad you raise your children to be kind and accepting to all people. Too bad there aren't more parents like you around.

I hope that in 40 years, equal rights for GLBT people will be seen the same way as equal right for Blacks are now....as in "I can't believe we had to have such a movement just so people can be treated fair and equal - who would oppose fairness and equality?"