So, my friend and I have talked about this several times.  We both did a TON of babysitting over the years.  We love kids and loved babysitting.  But also, we were both taught that part of the responsibility is that you ALWAYS leave the house as neat if not more so than it was when you arrived.  This meant cleaning up the kitchen washing and putting away dishes or loading the dishwasher, and making sure toys were put away of neatly contained.  This was a big deal to me.  To me it wasn't an extra bonus, it was just part of the job to me (although I'm guessing it led to higher pay and more referrals and jobs).  But people don't seem to do this anymore- at least not around here. 

Example- I was gone Friday morning through Saturday evening (at a REALLY awesome women's retreat with my good friend).  Last week I was SO tired but I worked my butt off getting the house ready (I'm not saying it was perfect, but toys were pretty well contained and all the dishes were clean).  When I got home, almost every plate and piece of silverware in our house was piled in and around the sink and there were toys everywhere!  Now I am even more exhausted than I was last week (plus having picked up a really nasty cold bug) and I have even more work to do to clean up the aftermath.  (Now, it's totally not dh's fault- he is in the field all day and half the night with harvest, so the kids were with sitters.)  It's just really frustrating to come home to a train wreck that you spend the next several days trying to undo.  Does anyone else experience this?

"I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.  For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth." -Psalm 57:9-11. 

 

glitter-graphics.com ...

When I used to work I would only have an hour to have an early dinner (3pm) with my family. I would leave making sure that the kids and dh were fed. Later that night I would get home tired and too my surprise I would see the table just the way I had left it. I know my dh is sometimes busy or just tired but a little help would HELP!. I know what you mean about the whole thing. Know I want to go back to work but im not really sure if I could do that and still work at home! lol.

Hope Retreat was WONDERFUL !!! .. Sorry about test on return home ... Yup I was raised same way and taught my daughters same .... So yeah bummer ... Adding you to prayers for healing  and remember this is only a TEST  Musta been some lessons at retreat !! Love to ya Dear

I have experienced both sides of that Lisa. I have come home and just wanted to ask the sitter to move in cause she made the house better then me...lol and I have come home like DANG ppl what the heck happen here?

I think alot depends ont he sitter and how they are brought up. get references when possible.

i didnt babysit at to many ppls houses but when i did i would try and keep stuff cleaned up. most my babysitting was done for the pto so it would be me and one other person watching a bunch of kids in the teachers lounge where there is way to much for the kids to get into and parents would give their kids money for the soda machine so it was really pure chaos. we would stilltry and clean up before we would leave but sometime we would be stuck there with kids till 11pm or later on school nites =/.

havent had simon babysat at home yet.

I always picked up when I babysat.  Which sometimes was difficult as one family I sat for had 5 kids and another family had twin girls.  I always picked up toys, at least rinsed the dishes if I didn't have time to wash them, folded clothes or put them in the laundry, etc.

I cleaned the house I babysat in- one that all I did- the mom left such a mess.  I babysat a lot my first two years of high school- I didn't even have to get a job

I haven't had prob- as I don't get a babysitter much- but the one I had was great!  

If the kids seem well care for and had fun I'd guess I'd let the mess slide, if she didn't do anything with the kids but let them make a mess I 'd be mad.

I cleaned, did dishes, laundry, made sure homework was done, started supper - really anything needed - and then a little extra.

I have had many of babysitters and NONE of them have gone the extra mile.  I actually come home and clean more than if I would have been here.  Even saying something to them did not help.

I had one teenage girl over summer one time and I would come home daily to a HUGE mess.

Hannah is getting ready for a babysitting course, and I have already started talking to her about cleaning up the kids messes, and house before the people get home.  Hopefully it will sink in.

i was babysitting for one couple for two years then they hired me on as a fulltime nanny for three more years. still very close to family.

but part of the reason was because i cleaned the house(vacuuming, dishes, dusting , bathrooms,) , did laundry ,fed the kids, gave them bathes ,put them to bad, took the dog and kids on walks so they all could get exercise, fed the dog, even gave the dog bathes, and toys were always cleaned up. i did any extras they asked to like mowing the lawn, gardening, ironing, running errands. it was part of the job to me. so i think thats why they ended up hiring me as there fulltime nanny after high school.

i had loads of familys asking to hiring me.

my mom raised us to take care of everything. and me and my sister were considered top dollar sitters with very great references from some of the most powerful people in our city. we took classes , always certified, and most of all dependable. because we were taught to be the best and to provide the parents and children with only our very best.  my mom and my sister take care of my boys and will take care of the new baby too.

I always did the dishes and made sure the toys were picked up when I babysat.  My 13 year old has started babysitting this year for our neighbors and she was taught that way also.  You are right though, different priorites, children seem to be raised differently now.

i think ppl that dont pick up after themselfs are just wired different. i cant stand messes so i pick everything up and can be a cleaning fiend, my sister on the other hand is a big slob and leaves messes everywhere she goes. we were raised by the same 2 parents but we turned out totally different. my sister currently lives with my mom with her 7 year old son and my mom is constantly cleaning up after them, they share one bedroom and my sister will leave clothes all over the floor, shoes and socks get left random places , dirty dishes left wherever they ate, toys all over the place and she will even do thier laundry. my mom cant stand messes so she cleans it up it would drive her insane if she didnt. my mom and her husband are amazed that simon will pick up his toys and put them away since my sisters 7 year old still hasnt grasped the concept hes just following in my sisters slobbish ways his dad is a slob to.