nanaSue

I was honest with my children and told them not to expect that they'd be able to park their little ones on me every day and go off doing their own thing. When my children left home I was glad to have time with my husband. I had seen other grandparents, frankly, being taken advantage of and I wasn't having that. I do love my grandchildren and I do babysit, but it's not a right that my children have, they ask me first and I don't feel in the least guilty.(I don't often refuse!)

Beebah

My children are close and I think it's because I carried them with me when I ran errands. So I have a rule. If you need a sitting for emergencies, work, anniversaries, no problem. If you need to go shopping, run errands, fishing, picnicking, take them with you.

And no, I don't feel guilty.

pettypro43

saw a neighborhood posting for "NEW BABYSITTERS" today. Is that a selling point? I want EXPERIENCED babysitters, not teens. How do I figure if they're responsible enough?

alexis

I would start by interviewing both the teen and the parents. Check out where the person would be sitting your child, your home, their home, where? Those are great starting grounds, otherwise you would be walking into it blind.

rose

I hate the idea of the babysitter hostage negotiation era, it seems like in the past 15 years its taken over more than I could every imagine hearing hearing about years ago. Now mind you I love to babysit, but I am a salve to no one - kids included.