Oh, well, imagine...
You work at a childcare facility. You have somewhere near 5 years childcare experience, you've taken over 36 hours TECTA childcare training hours, you're certified in C.P.R. and 1st Aid. You deserve quite a bit more than your average 16yr old babysitter, but you have a problem being assertive when it comes to demanding what your worth in compensation. People are constantlly asking you to babysit in your off time, and not ever paying you enough.
So now this is a good 3 years of hating babysitting. But you do it anyway. You do it for that little extra pittance just to have the little extra. So one day after irresponsible parents leave you with terrible kids and are gone 3 hours longer than they said they would and barely pay you half of what you're worth, you swear it off.
But then a young mother of a 3 year old that's your age comes to you. You have kind of taken to her child, because she's very sweet, and you and the mom are the same age. You know she has a hard time anyway and you know you could easilly be in her place. Married with child at 21. Struggling. So she asks you if you could babysit all day on labor day, because her and her husband have to work. You say you'll have to get back to her- you know, because you've sworn it off! But then 2 weeks later she catches you in the hall, with a good 2 more weeks to go 'till the day, and needs an answer. The proceeds to tell you that she may not be able to pay you for another 2 weeks after the day because she's going through a hard time. Her lip begins to quiver. She tells you that her dumbass husband wouldn't get insurance and just got into a wreck, and now has another debt to add to his years of not paying child support for his other kids and another non-insured wreck. Then confides in you with tears that at this point she only has $8 for the little girl's birthday presents.
So what do you do? Do you say no, because you're so fed up with babysitting bullshit and it will be taking away your holiday, and you proably won't be getting paid even half of what you're worth for it, and even if you do you won't see it for a good 2 weeks?
I couldn't.
Now it's caused a conflict because David's off on Labor Day and he's mad that he dosen't get to spend the day with me. He's mad because I said i'd given it up. He's mad because the parents use me. He's mad because he says it's her fault she's married to an asshole. He says she's stupid for marrying just because she was preagnant. I told him i was doing it because I could easilly be in her place.
He's mad at me, now.
You can't win for loosing.
This sucks.
So now this is a good 3 years of hating babysitting. But you do it anyway. You do it for that little extra pittance just to have the little extra. So one day after irresponsible parents leave you with terrible kids and are gone 3 hours longer than they said they would and barely pay you half of what you're worth, you swear it off.
But then a young mother of a 3 year old that's your age comes to you. You have kind of taken to her child, because she's very sweet, and you and the mom are the same age. You know she has a hard time anyway and you know you could easilly be in her place. Married with child at 21. Struggling. So she asks you if you could babysit all day on labor day, because her and her husband have to work. You say you'll have to get back to her- you know, because you've sworn it off! But then 2 weeks later she catches you in the hall, with a good 2 more weeks to go 'till the day, and needs an answer. The proceeds to tell you that she may not be able to pay you for another 2 weeks after the day because she's going through a hard time. Her lip begins to quiver. She tells you that her dumbass husband wouldn't get insurance and just got into a wreck, and now has another debt to add to his years of not paying child support for his other kids and another non-insured wreck. Then confides in you with tears that at this point she only has $8 for the little girl's birthday presents.
So what do you do? Do you say no, because you're so fed up with babysitting bullshit and it will be taking away your holiday, and you proably won't be getting paid even half of what you're worth for it, and even if you do you won't see it for a good 2 weeks?
I couldn't.
Now it's caused a conflict because David's off on Labor Day and he's mad that he dosen't get to spend the day with me. He's mad because I said i'd given it up. He's mad because the parents use me. He's mad because he says it's her fault she's married to an asshole. He says she's stupid for marrying just because she was preagnant. I told him i was doing it because I could easilly be in her place.
He's mad at me, now.
You can't win for loosing.
This sucks.