Dealing With a Troublesome Babysitter
It’s never guaranteed that you’ll find a good sitter, no matter how meticulous you are in making your choice. Some applicants may come with glowing references, say all the right things during the interview, even get along well with your children, but somehow turn out to be lousy sitters. Here are some of the possible offenses your babysitter may commit and what you can do about them.
1. She brings a guest into your house without asking your permission.
This is a very grave offense, because a visitor will divide her attention. If your child is an infant and requires very close supervision, this can even be fatal. You might let her off with a warning, but in some cases, especially where real damage is done, this can warrant your firing her.
2. She overuses your computer, telephone or television.
Again, not only is she abusing your electricity, she is distracting herself from the task at hand. This is rather common when it comes to teenage babysitters. If you did not stress it much during the interview, you can let it go with a mild warning. If you did emphasize it, but your kid reports that she did nothing else the whole time, or if you previously warned her, but she persists, then it’s time to find a replacement or look into salary deduction.
3. She destroys a valuable or an appliance during her stay.
Sometimes, babysitters try to use appliances or gadgets in your home and end up wrecking them because they did not know the right way to use it. Depending on how grave the damage, you can let it slide, especially if you permitted them to use these devices but did not instruct them how. To be safe, tour the babysitter beforehand and teach them how to use the various appliances.
Sanctions can come in the form of warnings or salary deduction. If she has, however, destroyed something, you may also choose to ask her to pay for it or subtract the object’s value from her salary.
