[ver1234]

I agree with everyone that posted before me!

I have babysat many children, my DH was a manager at a store and he would not let an employee miss work due to not having child care, he would set it up to have me watch the kids.

I allways had a contract signed by both the parents and myself, to protect myself and the kids.

If I ever thought a child was being abused or neglected I called child protection, not having a proper child seat is neglect!

[karren tipton]

So glad you got yourself out of that situation!!!

[mommyof1beauty]

Originally Posted by scamelo

I am still wondering if this was the actual mother. I must be watching too much TV, with all the child abductions, talking today about the jaycee dugard case etc. I can't imagine anyone leaving their only child with a total stranger ( nothing personal). Your husband could be a child molester or serial killer for all she knows, she would have no idea.

OK, going to far but still wondering with broken car seat and all, is this really her child?

You know, I really dont know. The girl was 4, the lady was an older mom, looked over the age of 45. I dont know really. I kept telling the girl (when she was being mouthy) "I'll call your mother...stop being mouthy".....and the girl would never call her mom now that I think about it. I dont know. I really dont. The lady called me several times today, unfortunately it was when I was with DS at the doc, left my phone at home and so I just noticed a bit ago when the phone (which was on vibrate) was on my bed moving around (LOL)

[megan12349]

i would tell her to sign something saying your not liable and tell her you cant watch her unless she has a working carseat

[Genuine Jennifer]

What a nightmare! I always considered babysitting but I'm too scared of bratty children and irresponsible parents.

[LRoghair]

Any updates on this? Sounds like a nightmare!

[baybeenurse]

Bail!!!

[mommyof1beauty]

No more updates.....the only update is that the lady called me late Thursday night asking me to watch her daughter Friday. I did not answer. She called me again Friday left a message to find out "what daycare my DD goes to and their number" so she can go check it out. I did not call her back....reason? B/c my daycare wont be happy with someone who CANT PAY. Never did she apologize for not paying....of course.

[poshpoodle]

I think I would completly cut the ties. You owe her nothing- Besides, why does she want info from you about where yoru DD goes to school- She was willing ot leave her with a complete stranger- she might as well have picked someone out of the paper or take her to ANY day care. UGGH THis lady annoys me. And to have the nerve to say YOU are rude. I am sorry you had to go through this. And, if the child was disrepectful to you, jumping on furniture, and not being obedient- can you imagine how she is at home? Mine always seem better when we are at a friend's house- and less behaved at home!

[LRoghair]

Unreal. I wouldn't give out my daycare # either. I'm thinking you'd prefer not to have her daughter around your daughter by her behavior. This woman has a lot of audacity. I'm sorry this all happened to you. Good for you for ignoring your phone. I hope you don't run into her again either.

[roseminxe]

My 2 kids were in a car accident back in 2006;friend driving with her 4 yr old daughter continuing to unbuckle herself from the car-seat.

My 11 yr old son at the time was in the 3rd seat and my 8yr old daughter was in the 2nd seat of the van. They got hit by a teenager "flying" over the railroad tracks... she hit them and my friend's van flipped 5x. My friend's 4yr old flew out and hit the ground and the car that hit them's wheel was on top of the 4yr old.

Results from the buckled:

My friend - minior injury
My friend's 11 yr old son - not hurt
My son, 15 stitches in leg
My daughter: scratch on her pinky and bruises on her chest from seatbelt

Result from unbuckled:

4 yr old girl - severe injuries to her leg because of the tire and has to continue to get skin grafts - but amazingly she survived... when the paramedics came to her she asked, am I dead?

8 yr old boy (friend's 2nd cousin) - my son saw him fly out of the car and he died at midnight that night

Such a tragic story...

My friend still feels the pain and the guilt for not checking to make sure everyone had their seatbelts on....

I feel thankful and my kids told me later on that they were glad that I used to "fine" them money if when we pulled out of the driveway their seatbelts were not on. They used to think I was "mean".

[kimmyann123]

we do not start the car without everyone being buckled,including adults,kids learn by example...

[ElleSquared]

We take seatbelts very seriously at my house (as I'm sure most of you do). My kids know that we do not MOVE until all seatbelts are buckled and there would be heavy consequences for unbuckling them while we are moving (not physical consequences, but definite punishments like no tv, video games, etc). My 8 year old DD is still in a booster seat. It's one of those backless ones, but it's still a booster. I'm pretty sure she is the only one out of all her friends that is still in one. She doesn't even complain....she knows the rules and she knows how seatbelts are designed to work. Until she is tall enough for the seatbelt to sit properly across her chest, she is in a booster. I might be willing to consider one of those seatbelt adjusters at some point, but for now, she's in a booster.

[ElleSquared]

Oh, and don't get me started about this nutjob who let you watch her daughter after only knowing you for, what, 2 hours?!?! I do search and rescue and, unfortunately, the majority of the work that we do is searching for abducted children. Typically, it doesn't end well. The Somer Thompson case is a perfect example...it was horrible. There is no way in this lifetime that my child would EVER go home with someone I didn't know. I'll tell you, though, I'm always shocked at what people allow their children to do. I'm a stay-at-home mom and when the kids are playing outside, 9 times out of 10 I am the only parent out there keeping watch. There are little 4 and 5 year olds running around the neighborhood completely unsupervised. Like I said, don't get me started....

[snapnhappy]

I would just tell the mom that it's just too much to take on right now. That having a NB and a DD schedule on your plate already, You're tired and don't have the energy to divide your attention fairly. Especially if she doesn't have a working carseat. That's irresponsible of the mom and puts you in an unfair possition. Goodluck and congrats on your NB

[DMORTgirl]

Holly Crap, are you kidding me? The only babysitter I had for my kids until they went to kindergarten was my mom and dad. My kids are teenagers now and they still complain that I'm overprotective, but I want to make sure they are as safe. I had other options but I didn't trust anyone to take care of them. I probably watched way too much TV and thought everyone wanted to harm them. I know that there are many parents who must rely on others to help them with child care and I know that we are so lucky to have had my parents so close by to help out. I just can't imagine asking a stranger to watch my kids and when the kids were younger we had lots of play dates with kids and parents before sleepovers started. We still have a lingering rule that if my kids ever feel uncomfortable spending the night somewhere they can call me no matter what time and I will come pick them up. My 15 year old daughter called me this summer at 1:30 in the morning to pick her up from a friends house whose older sister came home with rowdy friends.

My red flags went up when you said you ran into them after leaving the library and my first thought was "stalker". My overprotective reaction would be to block the number from your phone and change your living patterns for a couple of weeks (the way you drive to the store, which days you shop, etc.) I'm not trying to scare you but just thinking the less you give yourself the chance to run into her the more opportunities she may have to latch on to someone else or find appropriate child care options. BTY if her mom or MIL watches her DD why does she need your child care number? The whole thing smells really bad.

[mommyof1beauty]

Originally Posted by DMORTgirl

Holly Crap, are you kidding me? The only babysitter I had for my kids until they went to kindergarten was my mom and dad. My kids are teenagers now and they still complain that I'm overprotective, but I want to make sure they are as safe. I had other options but I didn't trust anyone to take care of them. I probably watched way too much TV and thought everyone wanted to harm them. I know that there are many parents who must rely on others to help them with child care and I know that we are so lucky to have had my parents so close by to help out. I just can't imagine asking a stranger to watch my kids and when the kids were younger we had lots of play dates with kids and parents before sleepovers started. We still have a lingering rule that if my kids ever feel uncomfortable spending the night somewhere they can call me no matter what time and I will come pick them up. My 15 year old daughter called me this summer at 1:30 in the morning to pick her up from a friends house whose older sister came home with rowdy friends.

My red flags went up when you said you ran into them after leaving the library and my first thought was "stalker". My overprotective reaction would be to block the number from your phone and change your living patterns for a couple of weeks (the way you drive to the store, which days you shop, etc.) I'm not trying to scare you but just thinking the less you give yourself the chance to run into her the more opportunities she may have to latch on to someone else or find appropriate child care options. BTY if her mom or MIL watches her DD why does she need your child care number? The whole thing smells really bad.

I am picky also on who watches my kids. My DD who is 3 goes to daycare 8-12 M,W,F but the only person besides daycare that watches her is my MIL - who is NEXT DOOR to me...I trust her. But I would never, ever leave her with anyone else. I have not gone back to the library. Obvious reasons. How sad is that?! I may go tomorrow. But you know if I do run into her then I do, Mesa has millions of people but it's surprising how small it really is.......this lady was a nut.

[esquala]

Eh.........she's probably found another VictimIMeanFriend by now.

[mommyof1beauty]

wouldnt doubt it. I went to the library today (where I first ran into her). For whatever reason I was super worried I'd run into her LOL....but I didnt. Just my nerves getting the best of me