Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

I can't do it either. My mom would babysit when ever we wanted but we feel bad always asking her. We go out very infrequently. Dh wants to hire someone but im paranoid. I wish i could because id love to get out for a dinner once on a while. All I think about is that nanny in the city who killed those poor babies and I can't get past it. My younger dd also has horrific seperation anxiety and would cry for hours. I'm overly paranoid and admit it so for me there is no way.

Message edited 4/21/2013 9:50:46 PM.

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Message edited 4/22/2013 6:56:48 PM.

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Posted by NervousNell

I can't do it.
I don't trust anyone in my home who is a stranger and I certainly dont' trust them with my DD.
You just never know.
Also- at 2.5 DD won't stay with a stranger. She is old enough to know the difference.
If it's not a family memeber that she spends a lot of time with- or a teacher from daycare- she wouldn't be comfortable alone with them.
I wouldn't be able to relax.
So for now, it's just my parents and sister who can watch her.
We rarely get out alone but I don't care.
I was never big into "date" nights.
We are married- we don't date anymore!

Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Yes, I do - I have used teachers from daycare to babysit here and there when no family was available.

Also, when we go on vacation, I have used a babysitter that my friend recommended (who she uses).

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

I would be Ok with it as long as the babysitter was reccomended and used by someone I know.

DH on the other hand is totally against it.

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Yes. We hadn't done it up to this point because DD has some eating issues and I was not comfortable with it. However, my MIL watches DD two days per week, has other grandchildren to take of, and understandably cannot always be available. I always planned on finding a babysitter through recommendation or DD's daycare...as it turns out, we were kind of forced to, because DD's daycare is unexpectedly closed this week (long story). DH and I are each taking off 1 day, but today, one of the girls from daycare is at my house with DD. I am SO nervous, but I know she'll be fine.

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

We haven't, our kids have never had a sitter ( only family occasionally)

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Yes, we do now for DS a few mornings a week.. everything has been great so far. I could totally see your point about being nervous about leaving your DC with someone who you don't know, but I would ask for references to make you feel better/at ease.

Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

We have a full time nanny that we found on sittercity. Is it hard to leave your child with a stranger at first, but we did a background check, checked her references and had her come a few times while I was home to get to know her. At 18 months you will know if your DC is happy with the sitter, even if they can't speak!

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

I'm not really sure what the level of difficulty getting pregnant or going through a pregnancy has to do with anything .......I had 2 uneventful fairly easy pregnancies and my kids aren't any less precious and important to me, as someone who went through years of fertility treatments or months of constant morning sickness ..........

Leaving youir kids w/ a babysitter to go out with your husband doesn't make you a bad mother - No one gets a medal for never leaving the house for the first x number of years olf your child's life .......

That being said, my kids have been in daycare since 6 months old. I didn't really HAVE to hire anyone until recently (b/c my sister also had a baby so now we share my parents time ) but I would have left them at 18 months, or a year, or even 6 months with the girl we currently hire ocassionally - She was their 'teacher' in the infant room @ daycare and we love her -

A lot of the daycare teachers are young college or masters program girls who are looking for extra money - If you can confirm a reputable daycare in your area, that may be an option for you as well! Good luck! - And enjjoy your date !!

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Posted by PregowithTwins

Posted by NervousNell

I can't do it.
I don't trust anyone in my home who is a stranger and I certainly dont' trust them with my DD.
You just never know.
Also- at 2.5 DD won't stay with a stranger. She is old enough to know the difference.
If it's not a family memeber that she spends a lot of time with- or a teacher from daycare- she wouldn't be comfortable alone with them.
I wouldn't be able to relax.
So for now, it's just my parents and sister who can watch her.
We rarely get out alone but I don't care.
I was never big into "date" nights.
We are married- we don't date anymore!

I am with you I can't do it either.
My Twins are 18 months & I have never been out alone with my husband ssince they have been born. I have accepted this though. I had a VERY HARD time getting pregnant. Now that I have them.... they will always come first.

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

My DD is almost 6 and my DS is 7 mo, we don't have any family to help us other than my MIL who can't handle 2 kids, we hadn't been out on a date since I was 3 mo pregnant , we used to go out 1 a month before we had 2nd one and had my MIL watch my DD. never used a babysitterr or anyone but my MIL. BUT last week we decided to hire a babysitter. She is my DD's ballet teacher and we have "known" her for 3 yrs now, I spoke to bunch of people -in person- who have used her as a babysitter and they had nothing but great things to say about her. I also know the director of daycare she works for, I also spoke to her in person and asked bunch of questions. . So we hired her for occasional babysitting , maybe 1 every few months or so. We also got a nanny cam.
Honestly I could never leave my kids with someone from the internet , someone I have never met before and someone no one knows. But that's just me, I' paranoid like that and a control freak. I do not trust references from just random strangers because it is very easy to get fake references and recommendations.
Maybe ask around at local church or school ?

Message edited 4/22/2013 1:53:31 PM.

Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

We have a baby sitter who watches DD everyday. I understand your fears. When you interview you should see how they interact with your LO and if they get a long then you know its the right person. Thats what we did with our baby sitter and our DD LOVES her!

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Do you mean at night when you go out to dinner or something? If so, I am waiting for my 2 babies get a little older. If they are both screaming I would be nervous that a teenager wouldn't be able to handle it! Regardless of rare instances of extreme horrific events I still have trust if someone was recommended and I would not live in fear. My neighbor just told me that her daughter babysits and I got really excited ! I personally wouldn't use a website but a recommendation I have no issue with.

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Posted by MarisaK

I'm not really sure what the level of difficulty getting pregnant or going through a pregnancy has to do with anything .......I had 2 uneventful fairly easy pregnancies and my kids aren't any less precious and important to me, as someone who went through years of fertility treatments or months of constant morning sickness ..........

Leaving youir kids w/ a babysitter to go out with your husband doesn't make you a bad mother - No one gets a medal for never leaving the house for the first x number of years olf your child's life .......

That being said, my kids have been in daycare since 6 months old. I didn't really HAVE to hire anyone until recently (b/c my sister also had a baby so now we share my parents time ) but I would have left them at 18 months, or a year, or even 6 months with the girl we currently hire ocassionally - She was their 'teacher' in the infant room @ daycare and we love her -

A lot of the daycare teachers are young college or masters program girls who are looking for extra money - If you can confirm a reputable daycare in your area, that may be an option for you as well! Good luck! - And enjjoy your date !!

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Re: Would you hire a babysitter outside your family?

Posted by Wishing4ababy

Posted by MarisaK

I'm not really sure what the level of difficulty getting pregnant or going through a pregnancy has to do with anything .......I had 2 uneventful fairly easy pregnancies and my kids aren't any less precious and important to me, as someone who went through years of fertility treatments or months of constant morning sickness ..........

Leaving youir kids w/ a babysitter to go out with your husband doesn't make you a bad mother - No one gets a medal for never leaving the house for the first x number of years olf your child's life .......

That being said, my kids have been in daycare since 6 months old. I didn't really HAVE to hire anyone until recently (b/c my sister also had a baby so now we share my parents time ) but I would have left them at 18 months, or a year, or even 6 months with the girl we currently hire ocassionally - She was their 'teacher' in the infant room @ daycare and we love her -

A lot of the daycare teachers are young college or masters program girls who are looking for extra money - If you can confirm a reputable daycare in your area, that may be an option for you as well! Good luck! - And enjjoy your date !!

The only reason why I said how many years I TTC was because of the above poster comment. Even if I didn't have trouble TTC I would love my babies the same exact way.