For the longest time, Sean and I have said how we wished we had a teenage girl that could babysit for us. Someone that we can pay, that we don't feel bad calling because they have a family of their own...you know, someone that's not family or a friend. :) Where would we find such a person.
About a week ago, we were introducted to Jeff...he is our "handyman" who happens to live 2 blocks away from us. My phone rang while he was at our house and my ring tone is a Superchick song. Superchick is a Christian group. ANYWHO...Jeff made a comment that he liked my ring tone. We started talking about K-LOVE, my favorite radio station that is a Christian station and then started talking about church. He invited Sean and I to his church and was just really a nice guy.
Somewhere in the conversation he mentioned that he had 2 teenage daughters. I put that tidbit of information in my memory bank. In my mind I saw neon lights flashing BABYSITTER! BABYSITTER! I didn't say anything to him though...afterall, I just met him about 20 minutes before that. I thought it may be weird.
Fast forward to this evening...Jeff returned to our house to fix a couple of things. Sean and him hit it off and were chatting and then I joined in the conversation. The topic of his daughters came up again and I couldn't hold it in anymore...I said, "do either of them babysit?" He said they do! YAY! I asked if he thought they might be interested in babysitting Tate on occasion just so Sean and I could go out now and again. He said he'd talk to them! I am super hopeful that one of them would be interested and that we would like her and more importantly, that Tate would like her!
After Jeff left, I realized that maybe my question to him was weird. Is it weird that I would have someone babysit Tate for a couple of hours that I never met? I don't even know her parents for that matter...you know, aside from just a bit of chatting I did with her father while he was at our home. I need reassurance that I am not crazy...or tell me if I am! We've NEVER had a babysitter before so I really don't know the protocol for hiring a babysitter. Should I KNOW the person? Should I at least KNOW the parents of the person? Am I just so excited about the possibility of having a babysitter that I am unknowingly avoiding appropriate protocol?
3 comments:
I have wished that I had someone like that too. My cousin is that age but lives in Waukee and no drivers license yet. I would say you would have her come over and "interview" just as you would for a daycare or something else. Maybe invite her over for lunch one day to ask her some questions, have her meet Tate, and see if you think it would work. Maybe have your first outing be short, and maybe show up before the expected time so you can 'drop in' and see if she is making out with her boyfriend on the couch or something you know. :)
I feel the same way. Tyler's babysitter is just a few years younger than us and is a teacher. I feel weird paying her and now she has a life of her own. I think that maybe going with one of the girls to a park or something would be good so you can talk as well as see how they interact with Tate. Good luck... I want to find someone too!
I say invite them over to "play" while you work on something (a sewing project, baking ,etc). That way you can meet them and see how they interact with Tate. He can get comfortable with them and that way it wont be a big deal when you would invite one to babysit.
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