What do you Think?

kerrib11

I posted this on my wedding month board sorry if you've already read it

So this summer I'm babysitting two girls.  They attend the school that I teach and I actually had one in class two years ago and the other is supposed to be in my class this coming year. 

Their ages are 7 and 9.  I go to their house to watch them and that's fine.  What's weird is that they cry/sob when their dad leaves to go to work.  Their mom wakes them up early so she can see them before she goes to work.  They text their mom all day because they miss her.  Dad comes home from work at lunch and they listen for the garage door and run to it when they hear it open.  Immediately start talking like babies and are glued to his hip wherever he goes the entire time he's there.  They have stuffed animals that they make their parents kiss when they leave and the parents actually kiss them (the animals.)  I have to ask before I do anything with the kids and usually it's a no because they don't want to do it.  They do the same thing when mom comes home from work.

Today, the oldest text mom and complained of a stomach ache (never mentioned a word to me) and mom called me, asked if I thought she was faking (which I said yes) but came home anyway.  You should have seen the smile on the girl's face when they saw that they got what they wanted.

The whole relatioship is just weird to me.  And I'm not the only one they do it with, they have another sitter two days a week and do the same thing with her.

What do you think?  Would you say something?

AllAboutTheBenjamin

Yeah, I think it's weird.

But say something?  To who?  Their parents?  Because truthfully - kids don't just start acting that way.  They were brought up to act this way.  You can't really tell the parents that they're bringing their daughters up to turn into fragile and bizarre people.  I'd say that part is out of your hands.

luckyme502

I wouldn't say anything.  Parents never want to see the things they are doing wrong and they will most likely just blame you. 

katiewhompus

Honestly , no. The parents either know exactly what is going on and have given up/don't know how to stop it, or they love the attention and are enabling.

mocha beans

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_think-5?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:a471b309-94ad-4903-8b8a-ea033e3fe1e0Post:33c25af7-fb27-4b28-a212-642e4d685177">Re: What do you Think?</a>:
[QUOTE]Yeah, I think it's weird. But say something?  To who?  Their parents?  Because truthfully - kids don't just start acting that way.  They were brought up to act this way.  <strong>You can't really tell the parents that they're bringing their daughters up to turn into fragile and bizarre people.  I'd say that part is out of your hands.</strong>
Posted by AllAboutTheBenjamin[/QUOTE]

This.  You're the babysitter/caretaker, it's not really your place to comment on their parenting techniques, even when you think it's going to make some weird ill-adjusted kids.  That's their decision to make.

If you say anything, at best you'll probably lose the job, at worst you'll lose your job and they'll tell everyone they know and give some bad references.  Not something you want.

SarahPLiz

I think they are spoiled. Do you think this job, and they way they treat you at home, is going to affect how the younger child acts in your class next year ?

kerrib11

It doesn't really bother me if I lose the job.  I'm thinking about quitting anyway because it's just plain annoying.  I'm also thinking of moving the youngest from my classroom this year to the other 2nd grade class.  They don't know who their teacher is yet, so it will be fine and I won't have to deal with it for the entire school year


Thanks for the advice

tidetravel

It seems inappropriate to me that the kids' former / potential teacher is babysitting in the first place.  But, maybe that's just me.

september's bride

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_think-5?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:a471b309-94ad-4903-8b8a-ea033e3fe1e0Post:ebd0d84d-e22d-4b66-a613-19c997996b89">Re: What do you Think?</a>:
[QUOTE]It seems inappropriate to me that the kids' former / potential teacher is babysitting in the first place.  But, maybe that's just me.
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]

No, that's me as well. Unless I'm misunderstanding something?

tidetravel

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_think-5?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:a471b309-94ad-4903-8b8a-ea033e3fe1e0Post:03b50dcb-2448-4db4-9276-d6f1b6bc8c4f">What do you Think?</a>:
[QUOTE]I posted this on my wedding month board sorry if you've already read it So this summer I'm babysitting two girls.  They attend the school that I teach and I actually had one in class two years ago and the other is supposed to be in my class this coming year.  Their ages are 7 and 9.  I go to their house to watch them and that's fine.  What's weird is that they cry/sob when their dad leaves to go to work.  Their mom wakes them up early so she can see them before she goes to work.  They text their mom all day because they miss her.  Dad comes home from work at lunch and they listen for the garage door and run to it when they hear it open.  Immediately start talking like babies and are glued to his hip wherever he goes the entire time he's there.  They have stuffed animals that they make their parents kiss when they leave and the parents actually kiss them (the animals.)  I have to ask before I do anything with the kids and usually it's a no because they don't want to do it.  They do the same thing when mom comes home from work. Today, the oldest text mom and complained of a stomach ache (never mentioned a word to me) and mom called me, asked if I thought she was faking (which I said yes) but came home anyway.  You should have seen the smile on the girl's face when they saw that they got what they wanted. The whole relatioship is just weird to me.  And I'm not the only one they do it with, they have another sitter two days a week and do the same thing with her. What do you think?  Would you say something?
Posted by kerrib11[/QUOTE]

pooh8402

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_think-5?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:a471b309-94ad-4903-8b8a-ea033e3fe1e0Post:ebd0d84d-e22d-4b66-a613-19c997996b89">Re: What do you Think?</a>:
[QUOTE]It seems inappropriate to me that the kids' former / potential teacher is babysitting in the first place.  But, maybe that's just me.
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]
ehhh, not me. in the small town I grew up, everyone knew each other. it was highly likely that a teacher would babysit former or potential students at some point. my sister babysat for kids that she eventually ended up teaching.

lleavell

Unfortunately, this is America where you have a constitutional right to raise your kids to be dysfunctional (Wisconsin v. Yoder 406 U.S. 205 (1972)). (disclaimer: that statement is not meant to reflect on the Amish in any way)

Seriously, though, this isn't abuse and you can't tell the parent's that they aren't doing their jobs.  I might mention it to the younger girl's teacher, though (assuming you move her out of your class), discreetly, just so she'll know what's going on.

vegasgroom

Sounds like my step sister; when only I was around, she was into all kinds of things a 10/11 year old shouldn't be doing, when mom was around, they'd talk baby talk to each other like she was still 5.  It turned into a mess for me as I was a few years older and would get blamed for most of the things she did since she was so 'sweet and innocent'; maybe it was for the best, got me out of there to live with my mom and things turned out fine.

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_think-5?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:a471b309-94ad-4903-8b8a-ea033e3fe1e0Post:ebd0d84d-e22d-4b66-a613-19c997996b89">Re: What do you Think?</a>:
[QUOTE]It seems inappropriate to me that the kids' former / potential teacher is babysitting in the first place.  But, maybe that's just me.
Posted by tidetravel[/QUOTE]

Nope. Not just you. I don't think that it's appropriate for a teacher to babysit potential students. It just seems like it opens the door for preferential treatment in the classroom. But maybe this happens all the time and I'm not aware of it. Just seems strange to me.

kerrib11

It happens here all the time.  I teach at a private school.  There definitely is not any preferential treatment