Babysitting Tales

[VioletEyedCat]

As I've been becoming more and more familiar with this site, I think I've actually come up with a thread that no one has posted on. Plus, I think its something that quite a few of us do on a regular basis. See, for some reason, I seem to get into the most embarrassing fixes when I'm on a babysitting job. Weird stuff just happens to me. For example:

I once was mistaken for an alcoholic unwed teen mother who mistreated her baby. Yeah, I know. What happened was, I was taking this two year old I nanny for out in his stroller to the park. I did this quite often in the summer to make him take his nap. If you read under my avatar, you'll learn that I live in South Florida. So, its 2:00 in the afternoon on a hot summer day in South Florida- 85 degree heat minimum. Plus, this walk to the park was no treat- twenty minutes there, twenty minutes back. So I'm on my way back, the boy is asleep in his stroller, and suddenly, I get an insane headache. You know, the 'I better lay down before I pass out' kind. So that's what I do. I lay down on the sidewalk under the shade of a tree and rest for a little bit. Of course, five minutes later, a guy stops his car and asks if I'm alright. I tell him I'm fine, just a little tired- at least, I think that's what I said. The whole episode is kinda fuzzy. So he gives me an odd look and drives off. By this time, I have come to my senses enough to realize that maybe I should stand up and go home before any other concerned citizens offer me some help. (by the way, thank you, anonymous dude, wherever you are, for caring) So I get up and go home. It is only after I get up that I realize that this entire time, I've been holding an empty glass IBC cream soda bottle (for those who don't know, they look suspiciously like beer bottles) that I had filled with water. I'm so weird.

Please let me know that I'm not the only goober on the planet. Post your crazy babysitting stories- share your pain with the world. Anything babysitting-related's allowed.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I love babysitting, its great fun.
Often when I go over to babysit a twelve year old girl and her 10 year old brother I bump my head on the ceiling fan in the lounge room (I'm 6 foot 4 and 3 quarter).

Sometimes we would play Crash Bandicoot games on the Playstation together and I'd always lose. Embarassing.

I often helped them look for skinks (small Australian lizards). We would search everywhere: under rocks, tree bark etc and find several. But many times we would find nasties like spiders and centerpides and I would run off screaming. The kids would laugh. Very embarassing.

I can't think of any more.

[Felix]

Um...I don't really have any WEIRD stories. But I have to babysit for this DEVIL child sometimes. He can be a real pain...I won't go into details.

What felt kinda weird was that yesterday, I had to babysit for my 17-year old brother and his girlfriend. Ya see, My parents were gone and I had to watch them and make sure that they didn't start making out or something like that. It was kinda strange having to babysit for your older brother!!

[VioletEyedCat]

Awesomeness- did you get paid? I have a friend who gets paid to babysit his little sister. I think its totally unfair- I have three brothers- two younger than me- who I have to babysit all summer and I don't get paid a cent! Sigh....

Another crazy story (but not as long):
I babysit for a five year old whose greatest aspiration is to be like Chucky from Child's Play. His favorite holiday is Halloween, and I actually attended a mock funeral he held just for fun. It's really crazy the creepy stuff he loves. He listens to Kiss, and his favorite TV show is Goosebumps. His favorite movie is Nightmare Before Christmas. His mom is a modern art museum curator, and his dad is an actor- I guess they really support him in this.

[Ashley]

Oh goodness, the stories I could tell....well, growing up the oldest with a Mom that slept in the daytime, I learned to babysit real quick.

My usual charges were these next door neighbor kids--ages 9, 5, and 3. The 5 year old, Chad, was such a little sweetheart. He absolutely adored me and followed me around everywhere--and when we watched movies, you better believe he wanted above all else to sit in my lap. He's the main reason I kept coming back--his mom told me Chad asked for me every single time. XD The youngest didn't speak much, but he loved buzz lightyear and LOVED taking off his diaper. More than one time I would be watching a movie with the boys and see a 3 year old go streaking across the room diaper flying behind him. The other two and I would then take off after him, hold him down, and put his diaper back on.

He also loved spiderman, so often I would pop around corners holding my wrist out like Spidey did, and make a "psssssst!" sound. He burst into giggles every time.

Tell you what, kids really get me and I love being around them. They can be frustrating, sure, but there is nothing like hearing "I love you Ashley" from a 6 year old who really means it.

[Arbre]

I miss some of the kids I used to babysit. Now, they're old enough not to be babysat, but I miss them.

There was a brother and sister I used to babysit. We'd play video games together. They're the ones who introduced me to Pokémon. They were some of the most intelligent kids I've ever met, too.

I usually bring art supplies with me when I babysit. One time a girl I was babysitting asked to look through my sketchbook. I let her. Then she started drawing on my pictures. ._.
(getting scared)"What are you doing over there?"
"I'm drawing more hair on this girl's head."
:O
I'm more careful with my sketchbook now...

[soul alive]

lol - living half an hour in the middle of nowhere kind of limits ones babysitting experiences. i have however, babysat my mom's friend's "babies" a couple of times.

Max and Bobo... her dogs. *sigh* the woman refuses to leave the dogs alone for more than a couple of hours, and when i babysat them, i had to go with them outside to make sure no 'evil mountain lions' decided to jump in the yard and eat the dogs... seriously.

[Ducky]

I babysat. Practically non-stop at home considering I have baby siblings (7 year old brother and 6 year old sister) Kamryn calls me her evil babysitter, they're sooooo adorable lol. I'm probably the biggest pushover in the world too. It never failed that kam wanted her nails painted or that body glitter goop from bath and body works put on and it never failed that I would oblige and then I never failed to be chastised for this by her father lol.

That and baths. They always wanted me to give them their bath because I fill the tub to the top and do funky things to their hair with the shampoo, and give them ample time to play in the water. I also babysat for some other kids, but my sibs are my favorite(obviously) but I know their parents won't hurt me for making them eat their peas and go to bed on time lol.

'Course I was blessed to have better behavior from the kids than my brother and I displayed for our babysitters...we were wretched...some of the stories are just plain babysitting nightmares.... those poor souls....our goal and greatest joy in life was reducing a babysitter to tears, except the few who played video games with us or took us to get candy at the little conveniance store down the road.

[Mangafanatic]

I once had a nine year old tell me that he'd shoot me and/or cut me with supposed weapons he had under his pillow. When his parents got home and I explained what had happened, they insisted that he apologize. He just looked up at his mom and said "I'm not apologizing to the worst babysitter in the world."

But I'm not really the worst babysitter in the world. Honest.

I did have a somewhat enjoyable experience babysittin gmy pastor's children one. Their son is four and he's absolutely adorable. Well, one night as we were having dinner, he said "When I grow up, you know what I'll call you?"

"Um, yo'll probably call me by my name, right?"

"No! You know what I'll call you!" No, I didn't know.

"My name, of course!"

"No! I'll call you bea. . ." he prompted me to finish the phrase. Unfortuneately my name doesn't start with a "bea. . ." so I was at a loss as to what I was to say.

I finally just said "I give up. What will you call me?"

"Beautiful! I'll call you beautiful." *insert a a chorus of "Awwwww"* Yes, I told him he could call me "Beautiful" whenever he wanted. That was probably the highlight of my babysitting experiences.

[christianfriend]

Aww...such cute stories!! I wish I could babysit..I realy enjoy being around little kids..they are so adorable!! But..some thing I do is work with Special E.D Kids..they are very nice..I love helping them and working with them..At our school dances I always dance with all the special kids..Its one of the greater joys in my life to help them and hang out with them!

[VioletEyedCat]

I usually bring art supplies with me when I babysit. One time a girl I was babysitting asked to look through my sketchbook. I let her. Then she started drawing on my pictures. ._.
(getting scared)"What are you doing over there?"
"I'm drawing more hair on this girl's head."
:O
I'm more careful with my sketchbook now...

Ahhhh yes.... Dumpsters are filled with all the toys broken by the kids I babysit. I always have a canvas bag full of old action figures, card games, childrens books, and puzzles- cast offs of my little brothers, since most (no, make that all) the kids I babysit are boys. It's always more fun to play with other people's toys- its like getting new ones for a while. Once, I had the bright idea to bring my bag to a day care my class has sometimes for a fundraiser- that night we had a memorial for Wolverine's left leg. Oh well.

[Gypsy]

I used to babysit ... but the money was rarely ever worth it. I don't even really like kids below the age of 4. If they can talk to me in my own language, go to the bathroom themselves, stay out of the road, tell you why they're crying, and, last but not least I'm not completely responsible for them - only then do I like kids. ^^ Oh, and I'll think your baby is the cutest thing on earth, but please don't ask me to hold the infant - I'll repeatedly refuse until you think I'm insulting you and your kid.

[Ashley]

I'm just the opposite--I like holding babies.

And the younger the are, the more I like them. I don't have to worry about them getting bored with me or having to explain why they can't run inside or shoot a dart gun at their brother over and over. Babies just want attention, and I can give it to them. ^^

[VioletEyedCat]

I also find it more pleasant to babysit toddlers and infants. Even though they are often quite a bit of work, I enjoy the sincerity and affection of little ones. Older children are often too cool for that. But then, older kids can play cool games with you. Hmm... Decisions, Decisions.

[Cognitive Gear]

*shudders*

So many people love kids... and I just don't get it. I can't stand kids. well, unless they're old enough to do somthings on thier own... and so long as I'm not responsible for them... and they are not crying...

Haha.. I'm never gonna have kids.

The only kids I ever babysat were my little brother and sister. I remember hating it, lol. I'd usually sit them in front of the TV so I wouldn't have to deal with them. I also remember thinking "I can't wait til they are old enough to take care of themselves."

Now I find myself keeping a relativly close eye on all guys that get close to my sister... I have the shotgun ready. I can't believe she's in high school.

Oops.. I don't know where that came from, but since I typed it, might as well post it.

[VioletEyedCat]

Oi! Excessive posting on my part, but you brought up something, ikimasu, that I just can't resist. Well, my father says that the day I bring a guy home he'll be polishing his hunting rifle in the living room and my older brother will be sharpening the mongo sized knife the Marine academy gave him. Yep. Fun Times.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Little boys are a pain in the butt. But little girls are so awesome. I wish i had a little sister. Id give her a piggy back ride. And she'd laugh like crazy.... then shed bump her head on the ceiling and cry. My baby cousin dennis, whos 6. Is a pain. Keeps hitting me pretending to be a power ranger.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I'm most comfortable babysitting 4 year olds to 12 year olds.

[Arbre]

I prefer watching kids who are old enough to talk. Ages 6 and up are my favorites. ^_^ Most of the kids at that age are into cartoons or games that I enjoy, so it's easy to keep their attention. I draw their favorite characters or animals and let them talk my ear off about why that's their favorite. With babies, you just can't do that. Not all babies like me. Actually, most don't. I don't know why.

My now 16 year old sister has always been more liked by infants than me. Shes better with younger kids and I'm better with the slightly older kids.

I don't like playing house or with dolls or any of the girly pretend stuff. Little boys are more fun to babysit 'cause they don't ask me to play house for hours on end. They're more violent to their siblings generally, though.
Seeing a 6 year old boy tackle his 2 year old brother and drag him to the ground is not fun.

Oi! Excessive posting on my part, but you brought up something, ikimasu, that I just can't resist. Well, my father says that the day I bring a guy home he'll be polishing his hunting rifle in the living room and my older brother will be sharpening the mongo sized knife the Marine academy gave him. Yep. Fun Times.

My dad's job requires him to have a shooting test every month or something. The targets are cardboard with the lifesize silhouette of a person. He brings them home, so we have quite a few in the garage. My dad's shooting is very accurate, and almost every single bullet hole is in the heart. The rest are like in the lung area. Morbid. ._.

He always joked that whenever me or one of my sisters brought a boy/boyfriend over, he'd have one of those cardboard pieces set up (full of holes), maybe even with a warning written above the silhouette.

[shooraijin]

I love pediatrics. I love it even more because I get to hang out with the kids for a brief but important period, and then they go home with someone else to scream and make a mess there instead of my office.

Last week I had a four month old with a persistent cough giggle and stick her fingers (which had been in her mouth) in my mouth while I was trying to look in her ears. Heavy on the zinc lozenges ... probably they don't work, but I don't want to get sick either!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

oh woah. That seems like a handful shoo. A girl sticking fingers into your mouth, scary

[Felix]

Little boys are a pain in the butt. But little girls are so awesome. I wish i had a little sister. Id give her a piggy back ride. And she'd laugh like crazy.... then shed bump her head on the ceiling and cry. My baby cousin dennis, whos 6. Is a pain. Keeps hitting me pretending to be a power ranger.

Heh...The kid I babysit for does that ALL the time...and worse! *Shudder* Little girls are angels though. I love babysitting for them.

[Ssjjvash]

Oh, man, once I was baby-sitting for two kids and a baby and we made a huge mess that night. I never cleaned up--I'm not sure why. Then the oldest boy wanted to show me his blood under a microscope.

The thing about that was he had a scrape already and, yes, it isn't smart to make it bleed again, but being myself, I really really really wanted to see blood under a microscope.
Don't worry though, because we were interrupted. Um, after that night, I felt seriously irresponsible and just plain stupid.
I've learned my lesson since.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I've found little girls can be as much a handful as little boys. Not all boys are devils and not all girls are angels.

[christianfriend]

I would have to agree with Warrior 4 Jesus!

[Kkun]

I used to babysit this kid, well, actually, my siblings and I would as a favor for this single mom (read as: my parents said "babysit her son while she and we go out and have a good time. You won't get paid, but it's a ministry to a single mother! Yeah!"). This kid didn't get ANY discipline at home and his favorite word was no. So, what does he do? He throws food everywhere and breaks my stuff. Fun times. Fun, fun times.