worst babysitting experience of my life

[photosynthesis]

I babysat my cousin's kids tonight. It was a purgational experience to say the least. They did all kinds of cute and charming stuff, like smearing blue ink all over their bodies, the hardwood floors and the walls... covering their bodies in maple syrup and pouring it all over my hair, and completely trashing their house. They got into their moms' medication and started feeding it to the dogs, and they cut my arms up with broken glass.

When their parents came home, they acted like this was just normal behavior for their children, and even laughed at it. I mean obviously it's funny, but if they were my kids I'd be furious!

My cousin + his wife seem to exercise no authority over their own children, and a babysitter can't claim to have more authority than the parents. These kids were out of control.

These kids don't even have bedtimes. At the VERY least, children should have bedtimes. When I as their age, I was never allowed to stay up after 8:30. But my cousin + his wife have no problem with them staying up until 11:30. When I was little my mom would always say to me, "I can't make you go to sleep, but I will make you go to bed." She didn't caire if I went into my room and stayed up until 11 playing Barbies and reading books. Just as long as I didn't come downstairs and annoy her. I had a little chart with stickers on it, and the more good things I did, the more stickers I got on the chart. But if I did soomething bad, my mom would take a sticker away. And then, at the end of the week she would tally the number of stickers. If I got to a certain number, like 100 stickers, she would buy me something cool, like a new toy or a trip to the beach. My mom didn't just buy me an Easy Bake Oven, I had to work for it, gosh darnit! And if I did something heinous, you'd better believe I'd get a spanking! Nothing too harsh, just one slap on the tush usually does the trick.

I see kids like this in church too, and their parents seem to think it's totally OK to have their children running up and down the aisles during the consecration. I dunno... maybe I'm naive but I would hope that i would never be like that if I had kids.

ugh, and it took FOR-EVER to get the maple syrup out of my hair.

[Guest Rick777]

I can relate to this story more than you know. I have three sisters and each has a toddler(they were all born within months of each other). Now they are almost all 3. Only one of my sisters has some kind of control over her child. My other two sisters let them go crazy! Especially in restaurants and in other peoples homes! These two kids are just out of control. Ive often mentioned that they need a little spanking so I was allowed once but to my complete and utter shock, after I gave them a little spank (and I mean little they of course cried and ran to thier moms) both my sisters rocked them both and gave them candy to "quiet" them down! I mentioned that I wouldnt have gave them a spanking if they were going to get royal treatment afterwards. Both my sisters said that I would think differently when my kids are their age but I said," Heck No!!!!!!" What is it with parents these days?lol.

Edited January 27, 2006 by Rick777

[alicemary]

Ha, your stories are wonderful examples of child care in the year 2006. And any 16-20 year old who thinks how lovely it would be to have a child...read it again and again.
Sad to say anyone can give birth but it takes alot of skill, knowledge and patience to be a true Mom and Dad.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I babysat two kids when I was young and they just bombarded me my first time. Then I had to get creative...they were still a handful, but I tried to be their friend who could get them to do stuff...like brush their teeth and go to bed...and then at other times, I had to be the adult who wouldn't tolerate disobedience. Babysitting is tough.

My little brother took over for me when he was old enough. They were two boys from a broken home. They asked him once if they could sleep naked. He said no. Then they said, "why not? Mommy does it when her boyfriend's over!"

So yeah...kids are a handful...and I'm convinced that their parenting has a lot to do with it (although, not everything...some brats have great parents).

[prose]

[quote name='Rick777' date='Jan 27 2006, 01:52 AM']I can relate to this story more than you know. I have three sisters and each has a toddler(they were all born within months of each other). Now they are almost all 3. Only one of my sisters has some kind of control over her child. My other two sisters let them go crazy! Especially in restaurants and in other peoples homes! These two kids are just out of control. Ive often mentioned that they need a little spanking so I was allowed once but to my complete and utter shock, after I gave them a little spank (and I mean little they of course cried and ran to thier moms) both my sisters rocked them both and gave them candy to "quiet" them down! I mentioned that I wouldnt have gave them a spanking if they were going to get royal treatment afterwards. Both my sisters said that I would think differently when my kids are their age but I said," Heck No!!!!!!" What is it with parents these days?lol.
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Wow! I would be so angry if anyone (even a family member) raised their hand to my children. In fact, I would ask them to leave if it was my home, or I would leave if it was theirs. This is waaaay overstepping boundaries! No matter what treatment they would get after. Spanking is not an appropriate form of punishment in my home. Having someone hit them would confuse and scare my children.

I don''t spank my kids, and I have no problem with them. Anna is in bed every night by 8:30, and never runs and screams during Mass. I discipline them, but don't spank them.

I can't wait until you have children. What a rude awakening you will have.

[Era Might]

Spanking is good. Puts the fear of God in a kid.

[prose]

Spanking works for some families, but it is not what we chose for discipline as parents.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I think some kids need spanking and others don't. Do what needs to be done.

I was spanked once, but if my parents had done it more, it probably would have been better for me.

At the same time, I think that the eye for an eye approach is excellent for kids. The former head of Boys Town used to write me letters about what was going on and told me about this one child they caught stealing. So while he was at school, the Boys Town Police Dept. "stole" his bike and all his stuff. It drove it home to him that when we steal, it hurts others. Slowly, as his behavior improved, the police started "recovering" the stolen items.

[Sojourner]

In a previous job, we did an after-school program for neighborhood kids, some of whom were quite poorly behaved, largely because they didn't get much discipline at home. We found that setting clear boundaries ourselves and being prepared with ways to keep them occupied was the best way to handle the kids.

[photosynthesis]

Each child is different. Some kids are naturally more obedient than others, some are inclined to overstep their parents authority. Depending on your child's personality, you may not need to spank them, make them sit in the corner, or do anything like that.

But there are some times where just a little spanking can whip a kid right into shape. Obviously as the babysitter it wouldn't be appropriate to do that, but I think it's OK for parents to spank their kids, in moderation. I hear storiest of people getting whipped with belts, or Catholic school kids getting slapped with a paddle or split ruler. I think that's a little too much. One little spanking usually gets your point across without being cruel.

If there are other ways where a parent can exercise authority over their children, then those should be done first. But if it's done as a last resort, spanking can be a proper form of discipline for children.

[prose]

yes, for your own children, but I don't think it is appropriate to spank other people's children.


(Sorry Rick, don't mean to sound attacking I think maybe I am having a rough morning)

[scardella]

I feel awfully tempted to make up a "when I was your age" comment, like...
[i]When I was little, my mom used to spank me with a spiked club[/i]
or
[i]When I would get my blood boiling, my parents made me sit in a freezer until I cooled off[/i]
but I won't.

Actually, my parents weren't very strict at all, compared to most. It's a wonder I'm not raping, pillaging and plundering.

[rkwright]

maple syrup all over you???

crazy!! thats pretty terrible...


Though I'm not going to lie... I was laughing

Its cute when other people's kids do it (sometimes) but if I have kids, no way...

[Cow of Shame]

[quote name='photosynthesis' date='Jan 27 2006, 03:36 AM'] and they cut my arms up with broken glass.
[/quote]

I found absolutely no humor here.

[Quietfire]

He DID have permission first.

I got spanked once, that was all it took.



[quote name='Cow of Shame' date='Jan 27 2006, 03:00 PM']I found absolutely no humor here.
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Agreed. Nor do I find it cute.

Those kids would be toast if they were mine.

[homeschoolmom]

Could you give the ages of these kids? I'm having a real hard time imagining how all of the chaos was done-- were there like ten children?

[Guest Rick777]

[quote name='prose' date='Jan 27 2006, 08:45 AM']yes, for your own children, but I don't think it is appropriate to spank other people's children.
(Sorry Rick, don't mean to sound attacking   I think maybe I am having a rough morning)
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lol. Dont worry about it. Although I'm not just some babysitter off the street, I'm their godfather and I had permission considering that day they made pretty much the whole family want to faint from exhaustion. Everyone has their strong opinions about this subject, but I believe spanking depends on the child.

I wouldnt spank my kids unless they needed a good one. :

[dUSt]

It is times like these when any good babysitter should have a good supply of NyQuil and duck tape.

[Quietfire]

I was duct taped once...that was all it took.

[jiyoung]

When I was a kid, my parents used things like clothes hangers, branches from trees, etc...it wasn't as much cruelty as just how they themselves were raised--they are from an older generation of Koreans (my dad's almost 60). Korean parents tend to be very harsh with their children, almost to the point where one wants to intervene because the child is just frightened to death. I don't really like that and I wouldn't parent the way my parents did, for sure, but I don't think a little spanking will ruin a child. I came out all right, anyway. It really just depends on the child.