Vent: fired from babysitting

[Forevryoung]

Ok, I'm venting. It's clearly "over" and I'm glad. I'm sorry this is long.

I'm 23, just finished a masters degree and I'm looking for a job to start in September. For now, I was looking for gas money so I found a babysitting job on Craigslist. Three kids, 2,4,6. Not easy but doable.

Seemed to be going great- kids liked me (excited when I came over, wanted me to stay longer...) I babysat a few times over 2 weeks. Mother emailed me to let me know that I wasn't flexible enough and that I don't change diapers. She found someone else. Ok fine. I wrote her a short email wishing her well. Nothing rude, just acknowledging her message.

So she emailed me back that her kid had a dirty diaper and I didn't do anything about it (ETA: she said that she was going to come down and change him, I told her the diaper was dirty). And that even though I wasn't available this past Wednesday (I was available Mon,Tues,Thurs, Fri instead), I had made a commitment to her (she hadn't said anything about needing me every Wednesday before) and at 23 I should become more responsible.

I thought that the initial email was rude and that her response to my email was appalling. We are both adults, call me on the phone. Speak to me about your issues and if I can I'll change things. Show me where the diapers are. Better yet, show me the kids rooms. Tell me what they can/can't eat so I don't have to guess. Tell me that you need me on a certain day. Don't make me guess what days I should keep open just in case you need me.

Let's just say I'm glad it didn't work out. I doubt she will find what she is looking for. I'm fired (better yet, I have a second interview for a real job for Sept. )

 

[Stella3]

You let her kid sit in a dirty diaper all day? Seriously?! I think that woman showed great restraint in not calling you up or meeting you in person.

 

[Forevryoung]

You let her kid sit in a dirty diaper all day? Seriously?! I think that woman showed great restraint in not calling you up or meeting you in person.

NONO

It was for probably 10 minutes. I told the mom that it was dirty.

 

[Stella3]

NONO

It was for probably 10 minutes. I told the mom that it was dirty.

Oh, ok. I thought you let the kid sit in it all day from your OP. So glad that wasn't the case!!!

 

[Mom2Nick]

If a child is not potty trained then there's absolutely no point having a babysitter that refuses to change diapers.

 

[Jennasis]

Sounds like there were some communication issues. She didn't clearly explain what she was expecting of you and you did not explain what you were/were not willing to do. FWIW I have never heard of a babysitter who didn't/wouldn't change a kid's diaper. That's practically the definition of the job IMO.

 

[mjkacmom]

If you didn't have set days, I don't know why she was upset you couldn't do a certain day, unless it was a M - F thing. Since she was upstairs, does she work from home? I think you might've asked where the diapers were, instead of just telling her the baby needed to be changed - actually, at 2, he could've shown you. My sitters have always changed diapers, and they were teenagers.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm confused.. Where were you babysitting that you told the mom the child's diaper was dirty and you didn't know where the diapers were?

 

[hentob]

The mother should have never hired you if she had a problem with you not changing diapers.

Did you make that clear from the start? If so, this is her problem.

 

[dimimi]

I'm just curious what you hired to do? Were you the mom's helper, or a babysitter? I can't imagine a babysitter not changing a diaper? Were you hired just to work on a as needed basis? I am glad you had a second interview, did you get your position for Sept? What type of position are you interviewing for?

 

[mamacatnv]

Whoa - wait a minute - if I read this correctly - You, OP never stated you don't change diapers - the Mother accused you of not changing diapers and in your defense the mother was informed by you that the kid had a dirty diaper and she gave you the impression that she was going to take care of it. Is this correct?

 

[Caropooh]

NONO

It was for probably 10 minutes. I told the mom that it was dirty.

I'm still confused why you didn't change it? Even if you didn't know where the diapers were, I bet the 6yo could of showed you.

 

[hentob]

I'm still confused why you didn't change it? Even if you didn't know where the diapers were, I bet the 6yo could of showed you.

Maybe it was part of her agreement? Some people are not comfortable changing diapers, but are excellent babysitters.

I am assuming she was more like a Mother's Helper with mom in the same house at all times.

 

[Cup Cake]

Babysitters don't change diapers?

I'm confused, also.

 

[HelenePA]

This whole post is so confusing... everything is so out of order lol... Sorry you got fired for not jumping up and changing a dipaper when you didn't know where they even were for that whole 10 min. she was dirty for....

 

[C.Ann]

.

I thought that the initial email was rude and that her response to my email was appalling. We are both adults, call me on the phone. Speak to me about your issues and if I can I'll change things. Show me where the diapers are. Better yet, show me the kids rooms. Tell me what they can/can't eat so I don't have to guess. Tell me that you need me on a certain day. Don't make me guess what days I should keep open just in case you need me.

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I just read this part over again and I'm even more confused than before.. You're saying now that you should have been given all of this information before there was an issue, but what I can't understand is how you could have taken this job and babysat these kids without requesting this information the first day you were there??

And I'm still confused as to why you didn't think you had to change the dirty diaper.. Was that part of the initial agreement?

 

[tinkerbell1967]

I don't the OP is saying that she would not change diapers, she is saying the mother accused her of not changing diapers enough.

 

[Mayl]

Wait, you won't change a diaper as a babysitter?

For real?>

 

[luvindisneyworld]

When you are hired to babysit especially if one is still in diapers you are suppose to change diapers.
If you are not willing to change diapers then you dont need to be looking for a job dealing with children. I dont care if the mom worked from home or what when you are hired to take care of kids then you have to do everything for them. I know that I would have POed if I had hired you to take care of my kids and you called me down from working and told me one of them had a dirty diaper, You would have been gone then.

I just dont understand why you are upset about it.

 

[C.Ann]

So she emailed me back that her kid had a dirty diaper and I didn't do anything about it (ETA: she said that she was going to come down and change him, I told her the diaper was dirty).

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According to this, rather than changing the diaper herself, she told the mom that the kid had a dirty diaper - and then was waiting for the mom to come down and change him..

That's the oddest babysitting arrangement I have ever heard of..

Who changed the diapers on the other days that the children were being babysat?