Here's The Rules

The babysitting rules.  Rules for the parents.

Parents can do some crazy things when they hire a babysitter.  And since I've babysat thousand of dollars worth of time, I think I am qualified to set some ground rules.

1. You hired a babysitter.  That means you pay the babysitter.  
• If you don't have money, don't hire a babysitter.  
• Don't pay your babysitter with change you find in the couch (or any change, that's just rude).  
• Checks are fine, just don't post-date them, I have things I need to buy too.
• Agree on a price per hour before babysitting.
• Asking how many hours I've been there is fine.  Asking me to multiply the hours by the price per hour is not fine, it is hard to do in my head, and I don't like to see your face when I tell you how much it costs.  Just figure it out yourself, and don't whine.
• Don't try and talk me down from how much it costs, you are the one how birthed four kids and still wants to go to the movies, not me.
• If for some reason you cannot pay me the night I babysit, you should give a little extra for being late.
• Don't tell me you want to pay in clothes that don't fit you anymore.
• If your kids were bad, its nice to tip, not just for me, but for you too.  You want me to come back to babysit someday right?
2. Don't hire a babysitter for an hour.  It probably took me 15 minutes to get to your house and 15 minutes to get home (at least), parent's don't seem to realize this, and it costs money to drive to your house, and its not worth the $6 for the hour.  Or at least cough up $15 for my time and gas.
3. Realize that your kids aren't going to listen to me if they don't listen to you.
4. Know that if you don't ask me how they were, I'm probably not going to tell you unless it was really bad.
5. If you don't want your kids to watch t.v. or movies, don't also tell us not to do crafts or coloring, because what do you expect us to do?
6. Don't tell me the kids to go bed at 8:30 if you can't get them to bed at 8:30.  Tell me what actually happens, not what the goal is.  It stress me out when they are late getting into bed.
7. If I'm going to feed your kids dinner, feed me dinner too.
8. Know that your kids are going to lie to me.  Some kids have told me they don't have to wash their hands after going to the bathroom.  Some have told me later bed times.  Sometimes they just tell me that you read them 3 chapter books before bed.
9. Tell me your rules, or I'm going to have to make some up.
10. Remember that you didn't just hire some babysitter off the internet, you hired someone you will see again. Put your underwear away if you don't want me to see it.
11. Know that I try to enforce Christian principles when I go over to your house, I'm not a heathen, but I also don't know all the nitty-gritty of how you parent.
12. Since I'm not going to spank your kids, I have to use time-out.
13. If you care what pair of pajamas they wear, set them out.  If not, I'm going to look in the dresser, and put whatever I find on them.
14. Tell me if you want me to answer the phone.  I don't usually unless you tell me.
15. If I babysat for you, while you went to something I could have gone to also, i.e. we're church friends and you went to a church event or something, please tell me how it went.
16. Warn me if your dog eats shoes.
17. Leave me your cell phone number.  I rarely call parents, but sometimes its necessary.
18. Call me if you are going to be more than 5 minutes late.  If you are going to be 6 minutes late, call me.  I might have somewhere to go after.
19. Tell me if your kid is sick before hiring me to babysit.
20. I'm not a maid, I'm the babysitter.
21. I'm not watching your cat/dog/fish, I'm watching your kid.
22. And don't take me for granted.

There are probably some more, I'll post them later if I can think of them.

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right." Ephesians 6:1

Hit The Play Button

Sometimes I feel like life hasn't started.


I feel like I'm in a holding pattern, or like life is on pause.  But really I guess I'm in training.  I'm in school learning what I am going to do the rest of my life.


But sometimes I don't like it.


Everyone is getting married and having babies.  Not that I want to get married and have babies right now.  But I don't know, its just weird for me.


I guess I'll be fine.


School starts on the 10th.


"A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." Proverbs 16:9

From The Beginning

I just saw this scripture again.


"While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8


What? What!


Jesus knew that I would need Him so He provided for me even before I needed Him.

He was thinking of me and had a plan for me from the beginning.

Jesus is love.

Pet Peeve #1

People who hold other people's babies while they are sick.


If you are sick, STAY HOME!!!


Nobody wants your germs.


Nobody wants your cold.


Don't touch, hold, or even ask to hold other people babies/kids when you are sick/sneezing/coughing/nauseous.


Don't shake people's hands either.  That's gross.


If you must, for some odd reason, go out when you are sick, warn people.  Look sick, so people can avoid you (like the plague).


Oh, and wash your hands frequently.


"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." 1 Peter 2:24

I Just Learned Something About Myself

I'm very competitive.

I'm not kidding.  I just learned this.

Well, like five weeks ago my eyes started to be opened.

In my Skills class, we had to pair up and take a practice ATI test.  And the teacher gave us a "carrot."  I'm not kidding, she said carrot.  Apparently I'm a horse now.  Well, it worked.  I had to have this carrot.

I paired up with a girl just as competitive as me.  I told her before we started that I wanted this carrot, no matter what.

To get the carrot, you had to get an 85% on the practice test.

Twas hard, but we got a 90%!!!  The teacher said it was one of the highest grades she has ever seen on this practice test.  I was sooooooo happy.  As was my partner.

We got a $10 ITunes card as our carrot!  Haven't spent it yet, because I don't know how to, but I'm happy.

The second reason I know I am competitive is because of the game Snake on Facebook.  I must defend my high score.  And I must defend my weekly high score.  It is almost an obsession.  I only started playing games of Facebook since school let out this semester, so this developed very quickly.  There are other games too.

I just like to be #1.

"And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them." Deuteronomy 28:13

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah

I love Sarah Palin.


I knew about her before she was "famous" or running for Vice President.  I knew about her because she was in the Pro-life news for not aborting her Down Syndrome son.  Did you know that 84 to 91% of fetuses diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted?  http://www.physiciansforlife.org/content/view/1301/26/ 


I've been watching Sarah Palin's Alaska when I get the chance.  She amuses me.  I wish I could shoot a gun like she can.  I guess I just need practice.  And a gun.


Although I love her, I don't think she should run for President.  I do think that a Governor is better suited to run the country than a Senator, but nonetheless, I hope she doesn't run.  She is too right winged to win.  And although I agree with her almost 100% I don't think she could win the election.  Which is what happened this last Presidential election.


"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God." Romans 13:1

You! Get the AED!

Ever since I took CPR last December, I look around for people to have heart attacks and fall over.


At church, at restaurants, at Walmart, everywhere, I look around at people and try to determine which person is the most likely to have a heart attack.  Overweight, old men are usually my pick for potential MI patients. Little kids chewing gum also scare me.


They must be glad to have me in their presence, because I could help save them.


"The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God." Psalm 14:1