Dear Babysitter~
I don't hire babysitters willy nilly because I like paying someone else to watch my kids. My husband and I needed a babysitter yesterday to watch our children because we had to be somewhere else. Yes. I have three children. Yes. I am probably more laid back than a lot of other parents I know. Yes. They are active, loud, boisterous children. Yes. They are a lot of work. However, I am putting a lot of trust in you. I am trusting you with three of the most important things in my life. I expect you to treat them as if they are three of the most important things in my life. When my husband called me yesterday afternoon and told me our daughter, our 6 year old daughter, was missing my heart sank. When he said that you had let her "go for a walk" with a little girl, but you weren't sure of the other child's name, I panicked. When I called my neighbors and they did not know where you were or who the little girl they had seen you with was I cried. Because, yes, that little girl drives me crazy. She asks a million questions. She is demanding and loud. But, she is mine. And I love her more than words can ever say. Not knowing where she was is top on my list of the scariest things ever. After being gone all day I expected all three of my children to be home when I got there. I did not expect to have to drive around my neighborhood and look for her. Thank God I did find her. Because you see...in my former life I worked for an agency that dealt with child abuse. I interviewed children and families who had seen and experienced the worst of humanity. I know what people are capable of and my daughter was missing. After I found my daughter and figured out who she was with and where she had been I went and introduced myself to the child's parents. I had never met them before. They were complete strangers to me and my husband. After speaking further with my husband, the other child's parents and my daughter I find out that my daughter had been gone from OUR home since lunch time. We did not get home until 5pm. I was paying you to babysit all three of my children. All day. She had been wandering around our neighborhood all afternoon. Barefoot. I do not let any of my children play in the front yard without me there with them. I would never let my 6 year old wander around the neighborhood without me knowing where she was or who she was with. I had my cell phone with me all day. We have text each other before. I know you have my number. You could have text or called me at any point in the day. You could have text or called and asked if it was okay if my daughter went with this other child. I am angry and scared that you allowed my daughter to go with someone I did not know. I am angry that I could not find her. Finally I am angry that she had been gone from our home all day. My husband tells me that when he got home you were walking with my 3 year old twins looking for my daughter. One of my boys was walking around the neighborhood barefoot. I dress my kids. Yes. I let them play in the backyard barefoot from time to time. I do not let them go for walks or go anywhere barefoot. They have plenty of shoes. They should have been wearing some. My husband came home half an hour earlier than we said we would. What would have happened if he did not? What would you have done if you had not been able to find my daughter? I am angry and it is going to take me a very long time to get over this. I can tell you this...you will never babysit my children again. You will never be welcome in my home again. You have broken the trust I gave to you and unfortunately you have made it very difficult for anyone else I hire in the future.
Sincerely,
Jayna Mayer~A very angry mother
I don't hire babysitters willy nilly because I like paying someone else to watch my kids. My husband and I needed a babysitter yesterday to watch our children because we had to be somewhere else. Yes. I have three children. Yes. I am probably more laid back than a lot of other parents I know. Yes. They are active, loud, boisterous children. Yes. They are a lot of work. However, I am putting a lot of trust in you. I am trusting you with three of the most important things in my life. I expect you to treat them as if they are three of the most important things in my life. When my husband called me yesterday afternoon and told me our daughter, our 6 year old daughter, was missing my heart sank. When he said that you had let her "go for a walk" with a little girl, but you weren't sure of the other child's name, I panicked. When I called my neighbors and they did not know where you were or who the little girl they had seen you with was I cried. Because, yes, that little girl drives me crazy. She asks a million questions. She is demanding and loud. But, she is mine. And I love her more than words can ever say. Not knowing where she was is top on my list of the scariest things ever. After being gone all day I expected all three of my children to be home when I got there. I did not expect to have to drive around my neighborhood and look for her. Thank God I did find her. Because you see...in my former life I worked for an agency that dealt with child abuse. I interviewed children and families who had seen and experienced the worst of humanity. I know what people are capable of and my daughter was missing. After I found my daughter and figured out who she was with and where she had been I went and introduced myself to the child's parents. I had never met them before. They were complete strangers to me and my husband. After speaking further with my husband, the other child's parents and my daughter I find out that my daughter had been gone from OUR home since lunch time. We did not get home until 5pm. I was paying you to babysit all three of my children. All day. She had been wandering around our neighborhood all afternoon. Barefoot. I do not let any of my children play in the front yard without me there with them. I would never let my 6 year old wander around the neighborhood without me knowing where she was or who she was with. I had my cell phone with me all day. We have text each other before. I know you have my number. You could have text or called me at any point in the day. You could have text or called and asked if it was okay if my daughter went with this other child. I am angry and scared that you allowed my daughter to go with someone I did not know. I am angry that I could not find her. Finally I am angry that she had been gone from our home all day. My husband tells me that when he got home you were walking with my 3 year old twins looking for my daughter. One of my boys was walking around the neighborhood barefoot. I dress my kids. Yes. I let them play in the backyard barefoot from time to time. I do not let them go for walks or go anywhere barefoot. They have plenty of shoes. They should have been wearing some. My husband came home half an hour earlier than we said we would. What would have happened if he did not? What would you have done if you had not been able to find my daughter? I am angry and it is going to take me a very long time to get over this. I can tell you this...you will never babysit my children again. You will never be welcome in my home again. You have broken the trust I gave to you and unfortunately you have made it very difficult for anyone else I hire in the future.
Sincerely,
Jayna Mayer~A very angry mother
Omg. My heart breaks as I read this I am so happy you found her. I cannot imagine what it felt like looking for your daughter. I agree with everything you wrote in your open letter I think that you were nicer than I would've been to the sitter I commend your reverence I pray for you and your family that you can get past this I wish no one to have a day like you and your husband had that day. Hugs to you and your Family
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