Babysitter
One of my first priorities when I got to Japan was to find a babysitter. I told myself that THIS time, this duty station, we would have a reliable babysitter that we would use. Key word being use.
To this end, I joined a Facebook page called Sitterclub and found a sitter to come sit with the kids at the Navy Lodge on 8/15 and 8/16. On 8/15 in the a.m., she wrote to ask me if she could bring her 7-year-old sister along. To the Navy Lodge--where my three kids were already crammed into one room. So, I cancelled. But I truly needed her on 8/16, when I was taking my driver's course and getting my license (no children allowed in class), so I just rolled with it. She showed up and the kids had fun. My only bone was that her phone "wasn't charged", so I couldn't text or contact her directly.
Anyway, today I took a class at FFSC called "Getting Started Teaching English"...thought the class was from 10-2, so I scheduled with babysitter from 9:30-2:30. She showed up, good sign. This time, she had no minutes on her prepaid phone, but she could call from my landline to my cell phone, no problem. I left mac-n-cheese, the pan, the butter, everything out for lunch. I told her that she could take Will to one of two parks nearby and that she could try to lay him down for a nap after lunch. Oh, and that he got one 30 minute turn on his Kindle.
Went to class, which was fun and informative...I'll have to write more about that later. I have to wait until our household goods show up to get my resume and a college transcript in order to start working. I had written the end time down incorrectly: NOON, not 2:00. Joy! I got to take the class AND get William on the preschool waitlist, visit the NEX and the NEX furniture store and do my grocery shopping AND get home an hour early (hey, I'm cheap).
Get home. No one is there...door is unlocked, which makes sense since babysitter doesn't have a key. Not that big of a deal, after all, we don't really have anything here...just my computer, a little TV and maybe my engagement ring. Probably some sensitive information-type paperwork. I really doubt anyone would break in, but it still bothers me that babysitter is gone. The parks that I had authorized were close enough to still keep an eye on the house.
No one is home. How nice, I think...she has taken him to the park. I walk to both the parks: no babysitter, no Will. I ask the neighbor if she has seen Will and babysitter. Yes, she did see him outside with a girl. 1:15 passes, 1:30. I unload the groceries and try not to panic. After all--I have no way of contacting this girl because her phone is out of minutes. I don't even know where she lives! Yes, I'm stupid, thank you for pointing that out.
Finally, at 1:45, here she drives up with her parents in their van.
So...my child was driving somewhere without a carseat, without my permission. She claims that she sent me a message through Facebook, but according to the FB timestamp, she sent me that message asking if it was OK to take him to her appointment WHILE she was at our house. After I had left. She didn't say a word about it to me. Like "Do you mind if I take Will to my ID card appointment?".
She claims she called my cell phone and it was busy. Nice try...I was in class. No messages, no missed calls.
I just shudder to think of what might have happened. Thankfully, there are very few accidents here on base. The fastest we can drive on base is 40 kph. Obviously, people can still get hurt at 40 kph, even 30 and 20 kph. Especially an unrestrained 3-year-old.
I was just happy to have him back. I pretty much snatched him out of the car, handed her her money (and yes, the clock stopped at 1:00) and asked her what the deal was and why she had followed ONE of my instructions (ie: the mac-n-cheese). That's when I got the whole "I Facebooked/called your phone, but it was busy..." runaround.
I just wish I could get into her head and figure out why she would think this was the right thing to do...and her parents: what the hell?!
Time to move on to the next sitter. Maybe we will try an adult with other kids this time. Sheesh. At least he/she would understand that you don't take someone's child away without their permission, without a carseat, without an active phone.
I should have reported them. Grrrr.
To this end, I joined a Facebook page called Sitterclub and found a sitter to come sit with the kids at the Navy Lodge on 8/15 and 8/16. On 8/15 in the a.m., she wrote to ask me if she could bring her 7-year-old sister along. To the Navy Lodge--where my three kids were already crammed into one room. So, I cancelled. But I truly needed her on 8/16, when I was taking my driver's course and getting my license (no children allowed in class), so I just rolled with it. She showed up and the kids had fun. My only bone was that her phone "wasn't charged", so I couldn't text or contact her directly.
Anyway, today I took a class at FFSC called "Getting Started Teaching English"...thought the class was from 10-2, so I scheduled with babysitter from 9:30-2:30. She showed up, good sign. This time, she had no minutes on her prepaid phone, but she could call from my landline to my cell phone, no problem. I left mac-n-cheese, the pan, the butter, everything out for lunch. I told her that she could take Will to one of two parks nearby and that she could try to lay him down for a nap after lunch. Oh, and that he got one 30 minute turn on his Kindle.
Went to class, which was fun and informative...I'll have to write more about that later. I have to wait until our household goods show up to get my resume and a college transcript in order to start working. I had written the end time down incorrectly: NOON, not 2:00. Joy! I got to take the class AND get William on the preschool waitlist, visit the NEX and the NEX furniture store and do my grocery shopping AND get home an hour early (hey, I'm cheap).
Get home. No one is there...door is unlocked, which makes sense since babysitter doesn't have a key. Not that big of a deal, after all, we don't really have anything here...just my computer, a little TV and maybe my engagement ring. Probably some sensitive information-type paperwork. I really doubt anyone would break in, but it still bothers me that babysitter is gone. The parks that I had authorized were close enough to still keep an eye on the house.
No one is home. How nice, I think...she has taken him to the park. I walk to both the parks: no babysitter, no Will. I ask the neighbor if she has seen Will and babysitter. Yes, she did see him outside with a girl. 1:15 passes, 1:30. I unload the groceries and try not to panic. After all--I have no way of contacting this girl because her phone is out of minutes. I don't even know where she lives! Yes, I'm stupid, thank you for pointing that out.
Finally, at 1:45, here she drives up with her parents in their van.
So...my child was driving somewhere without a carseat, without my permission. She claims that she sent me a message through Facebook, but according to the FB timestamp, she sent me that message asking if it was OK to take him to her appointment WHILE she was at our house. After I had left. She didn't say a word about it to me. Like "Do you mind if I take Will to my ID card appointment?".
She claims she called my cell phone and it was busy. Nice try...I was in class. No messages, no missed calls.
I just shudder to think of what might have happened. Thankfully, there are very few accidents here on base. The fastest we can drive on base is 40 kph. Obviously, people can still get hurt at 40 kph, even 30 and 20 kph. Especially an unrestrained 3-year-old.
I was just happy to have him back. I pretty much snatched him out of the car, handed her her money (and yes, the clock stopped at 1:00) and asked her what the deal was and why she had followed ONE of my instructions (ie: the mac-n-cheese). That's when I got the whole "I Facebooked/called your phone, but it was busy..." runaround.
I just wish I could get into her head and figure out why she would think this was the right thing to do...and her parents: what the hell?!
Time to move on to the next sitter. Maybe we will try an adult with other kids this time. Sheesh. At least he/she would understand that you don't take someone's child away without their permission, without a carseat, without an active phone.
I should have reported them. Grrrr.
Comments
The "Getting Started Teaching English" sounds like an excellent opportunity for you. Would you be teaching Japanese folks from around Yokosuka?