babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

If you leave your toddler with a babysitter during the day, what is your expectation as far as the sitter leaving the house with your child to go to Target or run other non-urgent errands? Do you specify that the sitter not do this? Do you think it should matter that it is cold and flu season?

thanks for your input!

babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

Coming from someone who used to babysit for many years, the families used to let me take the kids out all the time, that being said it all depends on if you yourself are comfortable letting your sitter take you child out!

Re: babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

My babysitter would take the kids to the park, the arbiritum (sp) etc, and I loved it bc they enjoyed it. She had to go to target once to get her daughter some womanly things, as an emergency, but she asked if it was okay first.

babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

Personal errands?no way!

babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

As far as taking my son places like the park, I would have no problem with it. Personal errands...as long as she asked first and it wasn't an every day thing, I wouldn't care.

Re: babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

For me, it being cold and flu season would have nothing to do with it. I personally am not comfortable letting DD drive with anyone but me and DH. She's 17 months and my sister drove her for the first time recently, but I was in the car. So errands would be out for me. Go for a walk, go to the park, run around outside...but don't put my kid in your car. And yes, I'm paranoid and own it.

Re: babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

Driving or walking? Our nanny takes the girls out every day (weather permitting). We are in a very walkable area so they just go to a few different parks, the library, play dates (that I plan). Once in a while I will see a CVS bag when I get home and assume she had to run in to get something with them and it really doesn't bother me. It's not like I ever see bag loads of stuff like she had a shopping spree with my DC.

I would NOT be ok with her driving my girls to a Target for her own personal errands (not that this is an option in my situation anyway).

babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

I'm very laid back..so when DD was with a sitter (she's home with my Dh now that he's unemployed)- yes, I let her take DD out. She went to Target or Stop&Shop as well as the park and walks, etc.

While I know that I'm paying her to watch my DD- I know that I can't stay in all day or I'd go nuts. DD enjoys the shopping trips (target is now her favorite store) and I don't really see any issues with it. I trust her completely and let her drive with DD in the car- she has three older children herself and has been caring for kids for over 20 years- I often ask her for advice! To me, she's not just a "nanny" or "sitter"- she's like an extra aunt or grandma to DD.

Re: babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

cold and flu season wouldn't bother me at all. After all its proven we get MORE sick in the winter BECAUSE we are all couped up and recirculating germs. Go out, get some fresh air, take care to wash your hands and you should be fine.

Taking a toddler out wouldn't bother me 'too' much but it would need to be close to home not miles away, etc. I worry about accidents (haha) and I feel better knowing they'd be close to home. But that's just up to your level of comfort.

I wouldnt see why I should pay you to take my child shopping for YOUR errands. I wouldn't ask you to run errands for me either (as a babysitter). To me, babysitters, sit with the baby and the baby should be their only focus, period. Want to take them to the library or park, sure. Target or Bank? meh not so much

babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

I have to say that me being a serious paranoid control freak I don't even have a baby sitter. If my sister or mom comes over, on a rare occasion that I have to go somewhere, I prefer they come here and stay here for the 1-3 hours I am gone. Ok I will admit I even get anxious when my mom takes my babies out for a walk in the stroller.

However, with that said... my sister who is 5 years older than me, has 3 children including 10 year old twins and she now babysits a 2 year old boy. She has him from 8 am to 6 pm monday to friday. The parents of the boy are super laid back and they live around the corner. My sister does a ton of extra stuff for them including driving her and her other children places since they do not have a car. My sister treats this little boy like he is her own. Everyone loves him. We have play dates several times a week. He comes over and we all hang out or go out. He loves my girls and loves to socialize. We go to the park, the zoo, the game farm. The babies have picnics where they eat lunch on a blanket in the living room. We go to target once a week. We go out to lunch. They are thrilled he is not just sitting in her house watching TV and with the same pile of toys day in and day out.

The parents do not have a ton of money and they pay her a very low salary. She never asks them for gas money, and they do not give her money for his meals or milk. My sister has bought him several sippy and snack cups. She buys him toys, and even bought a stroller when theirs got stolen. They work long hours and are barely getting by.

So I really think it depends on the situation, especially how many hours a day that they are watching and quite frankly I think it depends on how much you are paying someone. I think if you are paying super high prices and hiring a professional nanny they should do whatever you want. But a great babysitter who you have a more casual relationship with might get a little more latitude with how she spends her day.

I used to be a dog walker and dog walkers get paid $15 for a half hour. It was always a running joke between my sister and me that I got paid more to walk someone's dog than she does to watch their most precious possession.

Re: babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

When I worked as a nanny, I use to take the kids to the library, parks, out for a lunch at mcdonalds or burger king. I went to Target or the mall on occasion with them.. The mall was usually for the inside play area... They never had an issue...
I babysit 2 other boys on occasion and I have taken them all over the island.. Their mom is laid back.

I tell people that they can't expect me to be stuck in the house for 9+ hours a day and not go out, whether it was in a car or on foot. If you trust me to drive your kid to school or on play dates, then there really isn't an issue. I trust my babysitter driving my son more then I would trust a school bus driver!!!

Message edited 12/16/2012 6:03:25 PM.

Re: babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

No way.

No driving my kids anywhere.

They will survive cooped up. It's a lot harder to get hurt inside my house than on the road, in a parking lot, etc.

Re: babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

Re: babysitter taking toddler out during the day?

i am personally not OK with it. when i had my nanny, she was allowed to walk to the library/park with the boys whenever it was a nice day. if she ever wanted to walk to starbucks/king kullen (they are only around the block from me), she had to let me know first.
i wouldnt be comfortable with a nanny/babysitter driving with my kids anywhere though and i dont know how i would feel about her doing her personal errands when she is working....