Most folks who are simply babysitting do prefer just being payed cash, especially as many of them take it on as a second job and it makes things easier, but for those of us who do want to stay legal, it’s much more of an issue of parents not being educated about nanny taxes or simply not being willing to pay us legally.

As to parents being late, it does come with the territory. In my 10 years sitting I’ve seen it as much more the norm than the exception, so I rarely am able to plan anything for an evening when I work during the day, as I don’t want to risk letting down others by being late. In fact, 3-4 out of 6 days that I work I’m not even given a range of when parents will be home. On rare times when another family really does need me, I have a school responsibility, or a family event, I let the family know and usually give a time twice the time I would need to get there. Every now and then it still doesn’t work (such as times I need to catch a bus, or when the parent is quite late), but, especially with a family that really does respect me, it usually is fine. Mostly I try to just give the parents flexibility to do what they need to get done, and keep my schedule clear, but I know that not everyone can/will do this.

And no, I don’t have really any sort of a social life, lol. I just make sure to always have Sundays off so I can have some time with folks and to get out/relax.

When I was in college, I got out of class at 12 one year and so was home by 12:30. One family asked me to baby-sit at 2 regularly. I would have preferred to have arrived around 1 because then I wouldn’t have had time to sit down and relax. Oftentimes, I just wanted to stay and go to sleep or read, but my day could’ve ended sooner if I’d gotten to their house sooner.

For day jobs, a closer estimate is nice in case I have another job or something afterwards. I work at a preschool on weekdays but often do baby-sit on weekeends. The family for whom I most often baby-sit on weekends typically needs me until 2, but she’ll sometimes ask when I get there if I can stay til 3 or so.

I cannot imagine not keeping in communication with the person who is watching your children.

It’s difficult enough to find a sitter - why would you mess it up once you have someone? It’s not like Starbuck’s where there’s one on every corner and everything is the same with every one.

First off, you are you to say we as sitters are not in the “real” world of the working class? Making babies is the easy part - raising them and caring for them - is the HARD work and takes MANY skills.

That is what I have to say on your latest comment. On the comment you posted about how sitters want to be paid in cash - it goes with the territory. This is a CASH business - for the most part. Again, you have the right to go over your requirements and no one is stopping you from requesting to put your NANNY or FULL-TIME childcare giver on the books but be prepared to pay the standard rates of a childcare facility if not MORE because you are requesting FULL-TIME attention to your child/children.

As the saying goes - “It takes a village” and being a sitter is a greatly needed service. Especially if you want someone loving, caring and honest.

Respect is needed to go both ways and communication is a must. I’m very forthcoming with my families that I will work with them but I expect the same in return. That being said::

Sitters::
1] Always communicate up front about what duties you will and will not do. i.e - light housekeeping like:: cleaning or organizing the children’s playroom/bedroom, doing child’s laundry, meal prep - ect.

2] Set up reasonable boundaries of arrival times and when you need to leave.

3] Advise parents on your expectaions of their arrival times to be home and how you wish to be paid if they are to go over the expected time of arrival in advance.

4] Explain in advance about payment and payment types/schedule.
[I had a family that I worked for where I wanted to be paid each week on the last day I worked for that week - I worked with them because that made it hard for the husband to get to the bank - we decided on a different pay schedule but I was flexible with that - however, I didn't have to be. As a babysitter I could have requested to be paid EVERY day I worked at the end of each day.]

5] Advise parents of what activities you have planned to make sure there are no conflicts about items or crafts or games being played in the house.

After those 5 things have been discussed in advance before you take the job - you won’t need to worry or question the “what-ifs” - and furthermore you will know in advance if you are a good match with the family.

Another job was a friday night…first time sitting for a family, they said they’d be home by 11….nope! At 1:30 I finally called (something I have NEVER done) and told them I needed to get back to catch the shuttle service at school. The lady e-mailed me the next day asking me to sit the next week and I didn’t even respond. RESPECT is the main issue. I think parents think just because we’re not working a real job that its ok to take advantage of us.

I do have to say though, I have 3 awesome families I sit for, and I could not ask for better people to deal with! Remember, always speak up, in the end it’s worth it!!