Babysitting my brothers and sisters was a chore as I grew up. It seemed that once a year the great family fight broke out without Mom or Dad there to referee. Those were some of the bad memories of growing up and we tried to change that at our home. I will look forward to your thougts to see if we were moderatly successful as we settled on paying everybody if they were good. I have one memory in our first home in Aurora where we had one of my scouts as a babysitter. We left, had a great time and came home about 10:30. Megan and Christian were fast asleep and as we came into the house we saw the babysitter fast asleep on the cough as well. I slammed the front door shut and he did not move. Sharon and I talked quite loudly and still no movement. Finally I shook him awake and he woke up. He had brought a bike so I told him I would follow him home as he peddeled his bike. He lived about 1/2 mile away so I followed him home without incident. The next morning he called me as he was getting ready to ride his bike to school wondering if I could bring him to my home so he could pick up his bike that he had left the night before. I told him to check on the side of his home, which he did, then he just said thanks and hung up.
We only left our darling children in the care of qualified, loving and dedicated people.
I have enjoyed babysitting for a few families in the ward. I remember playing lots of fun games with the Hoffmans and also dealing with the rambunctious Gustin boys. Quintin fell in live with me and wanted to marry me for a while and that was fun. As far as being babysat I mostly remember Darren being the worst babysitter ever. He would watch TV and make us do his laundry or be his personal foot rests. It was torture!
i never got to babysit for anyone in the ward. i only babysat the girls a few times, but eventually mom and dad but becca in charge. i guess she was more fair after going through the babysitting style of darren.
Being on the younger end of our family, I didn't get any training in babysitting. Then the neighbors needed me to babysit. "Dad, what shall I do? I don't even know how to change a diaper!" He assured me I would be fine then called for my dog, Fritz. He had Fritz lay down on his back then had me put a diaper on the dog. I am amazed Fritz let me do it. We both felt silly but I got it done. The only problem was his tail.
Apparently I was a bad babysitter. I will admit to control over the TV (just natural for being the oldest) but I have serious questions about the laundry and feet holding. It's possible I could believe the laundry issue assuming it has been exaggerated but I know for a fact Christian was the one that created and instituted the feet holding thing. Not me. Preston was a punk to babysit and he knows it. He would do whatever he wanted and wouldn't listen. When the hammer came down and turned off his TV or computer game he would go crazy. Hence the hallway bathroom door. I am guessing the girls were innocent bystanders most of the time. As far as babysitting for other people I can admit to making mistakes. I used to babysit for the Butlers. One night before the parent came home all the kids thought it was a good idea to turn off all the lights and scare their parents when they walked in the door. Sounded like a fun enough thing to do so I said okay. Well the Butlers were not very amused. Apparently they were really worried when they came home and the house looked empty. Everyone screaming at them when the walked into the door probably didn't help. I can't remember if I was invited to babysit for them again. I'm guessing no. For the record I've had many other successful babysitting encounters though can't report anyone falling in love with me. You win Bec.
I am the youngest in my family and never had to deal with little kids, so the first time I babysat I put the diaper on the little girl backwards. Here mom came home and laughed. She new it was my first time.
I remember one babysitter doing summersaults down the stairs. To this day I don't know how he did it. I remember one time I was babysitting and I got the kids to help clean the entire house. I babysat the Stephens a few times. I got them to clean the entire house once too. A mission companion later pointed out that I clean when I am bored. I do remember that the babysitter chose the TV show of the evening. I am also a little upset that Rebecca thinks Darren started the holding of the feet. Totally me. Other than that I can't really remember a lot of babysitting.
Babysitting is unavoidable when you are the oldest sibling. I have babysat all the kids many times, some of those times turned out OK. Others were disasters. Christian and I would butt heads, which made him think I was awfully bossy. I didn't know how else to be in charge of several kids just younger than I. After one really bad weekend when Mom and Dad were away, I told them I would never babysit again. They offered to pay me. I think I got $100 for a long weekend away. Babysitting time usually meant Christian and Darren played Nintendo and wouldn't let anyone use the television for anything else, or give them many turns. I guess that is just how it goes.
Aside from the family I babysat for a lot of other families in the ward and for mom and dad's friends. The Baylough (?) family had me babysit a lot for them. They had one boy and they paid really well. I remember watching Current Edition and other stupid TV shows at their house. I also baby sat for the Eckhardt's across the streat. Andrew was easy and entertained himself. There was a family back in the 7 Hills ward days that had three little boys. I was their frequent babysitter, and the boys were normally good, but still boys. Basically I babysat a lot. It was my main source of income through middle school and I could make some good money. Being the oldest of six was great marketing for babysitting jobs in the ward.
I do recall one of the best babysitters we ever had. Dad would remember his name, he was one of his scouts. He would come over and he would let us ride him down the stairs. He would lay on his stomach, we would sit on his back and then we'd go down the stairs. It was super fun. He once made popcorn and burned it, which made Mom and Dad freak out that the house was burning when they got home. I don't think they had him come over after that.
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Babysitting my brothers and sisters was a chore as I grew up. It seemed that once a year the great family fight broke out without Mom or Dad there to referee. Those were some of the bad memories of growing up and we tried to change that at our home. I will look forward to your thougts to see if we were moderatly successful as we settled on paying everybody if they were good. I have one memory in our first home in Aurora where we had one of my scouts as a babysitter. We left, had a great time and came home about 10:30. Megan and Christian were fast asleep and as we came into the house we saw the babysitter fast asleep on the cough as well. I slammed the front door shut and he did not move. Sharon and I talked quite loudly and still no movement. Finally I shook him awake and he woke up. He had brought a bike so I told him I would follow him home as he peddeled his bike. He lived about 1/2 mile away so I followed him home without incident. The next morning he called me as he was getting ready to ride his bike to school wondering if I could bring him to my home so he could pick up his bike that he had left the night before. I told him to check on the side of his home, which he did, then he just said thanks and hung up.
We only left our darling children in the care of qualified, loving and dedicated people.
Dad
I have enjoyed babysitting for a few families in the ward. I remember playing lots of fun games with the Hoffmans and also dealing with the rambunctious Gustin boys. Quintin fell in live with me and wanted to marry me for a while and that was fun.
As far as being babysat I mostly remember Darren being the worst babysitter ever. He would watch TV and make us do his laundry or be his personal foot rests. It was torture!
i never got to babysit for anyone in the ward. i only babysat the girls a few times, but eventually mom and dad but becca in charge. i guess she was more fair after going through the babysitting style of darren.
Being on the younger end of our family, I didn't get any training in babysitting. Then the neighbors needed me to babysit. "Dad, what shall I do? I don't even know how to change a diaper!" He assured me I would be fine then called for my dog, Fritz. He had Fritz lay down on his back then had me put a diaper on the dog. I am amazed Fritz let me do it. We both felt silly but I got it done. The only problem was his tail.
Apparently I was a bad babysitter. I will admit to control over the TV (just natural for being the oldest) but I have serious questions about the laundry and feet holding. It's possible I could believe the laundry issue assuming it has been exaggerated but I know for a fact Christian was the one that created and instituted the feet holding thing. Not me.
Preston was a punk to babysit and he knows it. He would do whatever he wanted and wouldn't listen. When the hammer came down and turned off his TV or computer game he would go crazy. Hence the hallway bathroom door. I am guessing the girls were innocent bystanders most of the time.
As far as babysitting for other people I can admit to making mistakes. I used to babysit for the Butlers. One night before the parent came home all the kids thought it was a good idea to turn off all the lights and scare their parents when they walked in the door. Sounded like a fun enough thing to do so I said okay. Well the Butlers were not very amused. Apparently they were really worried when they came home and the house looked empty. Everyone screaming at them when the walked into the door probably didn't help. I can't remember if I was invited to babysit for them again. I'm guessing no. For the record I've had many other successful babysitting encounters though can't report anyone falling in love with me. You win Bec.
Thats not why the hallway door got busted.
I am the youngest in my family and never had to deal with little kids, so the first time I babysat I put the diaper on the little girl backwards. Here mom came home and laughed. She new it was my first time.
I remember one babysitter doing summersaults down the stairs. To this day I don't know how he did it. I remember one time I was babysitting and I got the kids to help clean the entire house. I babysat the Stephens a few times. I got them to clean the entire house once too. A mission companion later pointed out that I clean when I am bored.
I do remember that the babysitter chose the TV show of the evening. I am also a little upset that Rebecca thinks Darren started the holding of the feet. Totally me. Other than that I can't really remember a lot of babysitting.
Babysitting is unavoidable when you are the oldest sibling. I have babysat all the kids many times, some of those times turned out OK. Others were disasters. Christian and I would butt heads, which made him think I was awfully bossy. I didn't know how else to be in charge of several kids just younger than I. After one really bad weekend when Mom and Dad were away, I told them I would never babysit again. They offered to pay me. I think I got $100 for a long weekend away. Babysitting time usually meant Christian and Darren played Nintendo and wouldn't let anyone use the television for anything else, or give them many turns. I guess that is just how it goes.
Aside from the family I babysat for a lot of other families in the ward and for mom and dad's friends. The Baylough (?) family had me babysit a lot for them. They had one boy and they paid really well. I remember watching Current Edition and other stupid TV shows at their house. I also baby sat for the Eckhardt's across the streat. Andrew was easy and entertained himself. There was a family back in the 7 Hills ward days that had three little boys. I was their frequent babysitter, and the boys were normally good, but still boys. Basically I babysat a lot. It was my main source of income through middle school and I could make some good money. Being the oldest of six was great marketing for babysitting jobs in the ward.
I do recall one of the best babysitters we ever had. Dad would remember his name, he was one of his scouts. He would come over and he would let us ride him down the stairs. He would lay on his stomach, we would sit on his back and then we'd go down the stairs. It was super fun. He once made popcorn and burned it, which made Mom and Dad freak out that the house was burning when they got home. I don't think they had him come over after that.
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