I am truly lost for words.
I had to leave my full-time job in January to complete my schooling. It has been quite an adjustment. I decided to babysit part-time to pay some of the bills. Doing this, I am making less than half of what I was making on a monthly basis. That being said, I need all the babysitting I can get. I consider my weekends valuable. Of course, the weekends are when most parents need a mini vacation away from their kids and go on a date night.
In January, I receive a phone call from (we will call her…”) Mrs. X telling me how excited she is about getting my information. She talks to me for a little over 45 minutes explaining her whole life to me. I am extremely polite and thrilled about the chance to help her out. She continues talking and offers me a position to work for her during the summer (without even meeting me) to take her daughter to the pool 3 days a week. Who wouldn’t want to get paid to hang out at the pool? I was tempted to accept immediately, until she became forceful in her own way trying to convince me to immediately accept the position. I was a little hesitant. I wasn’t quite ready to commit my time to a family that I didn’t know anything about (besides the picture perfect family she described). I kindly tell her that I am interested in meeting her family and suggest coming over one night for a few hours to watch her child. I even tell her I wanted to make sure we are a good match. Wouldn’t it be horrible for me to see her 3 days a week and it turns out she hates me?
She agrees. She asks me when I am available. Little did I know it, this was the first RED flag. I tell her the next Friday date I am open. Again, she begs me to commit to the summer position.
The week of our first encounter was quickly approaching. I was getting excited about our meeting. Then, the day before our date, she calls me to cancel. She then asks me when I am available next. I tell her I am pretty booked up and she begs me to look 3 weeks in advance to give her an exact date. I give her my only open Friday. I guess no date night for J and me this month. (second flag)
Weeks later, I start receiving multiple phone calls from other clients of mine begging me to come help them out at last minute (The date I am supposed to go to Mrs. X’s house). I kindly turn them down, and explain that I am already working on Friday night. Thursday comes around, the day before I am supposed to go to Mrs. X’s house. I decide I better call and confirm the night.
Sure enough, she has forgotten that she has booked me. I become a little irritated but hide it well from her. She tells me she is going to call her husband to see if they can make plans. I nicely ask her to call me back soon to let me know, and explain to her that I have had multiple offers that I still might be able to take advantage of. Hours went by……I still had heard nothing from her. I decided to send her a text message asking if she has found out anything around 1pm on Thursday. It wasn’t until 11pm that night she texts me to inform me that they won’t need me Friday. I was furious. Doesn’t this woman respect other people’s time? I decided not to respond to her text message. A few days later, while napping because I was sick and in addition had laryngitis, I receive a call from an unknown number. When I answer, I immediately regret it. It was Mrs. X. She said she didn’t realize she was calling me. She meant to dial another number, but since she had me could she find out my next available date. I tell her that it wasn’t a good time for me to look at my calendar but she could call me when she had plans to see if I was available. I knew at this point that each time she booked me she didn’t have plans. She just wanted to have a sitter just in case she wanted to go out. I made up my mind; this was not the kind of person I could work for. Babysitting is my only source of income right now. It helps pay the bills. It is not extra money. She tells me she will call me later.
Yesterday afternoon (a week later) I receive this text:
Hi-I wanted 2 see if u were still interested in babysitting 4 us and if u had a free nite anytime soon 2 sit 4 a few hours. Thx! Mrs. X.
I immediately notice the trend of asking me when I might be available instead of getting a sitter when she has plans. I panic. How do I tell this woman NO without offending her? I quickly consult the person (Mrs. Family) she received my info from to find out how comfortable she would be if I tell her NO and I explain the situation. Mrs. Family tells me she completely understands the situation and to just simply tell the lady it isn’t going to work. I am convinced I don’t own this lady an explanation unless she asks.
A few hours later, I respond:
I don’t think it is going to work. Sorry.
Later that evening around 10:45 PM, she decides to respond with the following: (keep in mind these text messages came for an hour straight and were a total of 8 messages)
Message 1: I’m glad to hear that-I already knew that from the way u rudely spoke 2 me on the phone the other day but I thought I would give u the benefit of the doubt.
Message 2: I am thankful that u did not ever meet my children-they r 2 precious 2 me, after having lost a child, 2 have someone like this near them.
Message 3: Good luck with babysitting in the future and I’m sure your Mrs. Family will be glad this did not work out. She knows me and my family very well and we love her.
Message 4: I’m sure she will understand what transpired between us. Hope things bode well 4 u. Politeness is a character trait we would all hope
Message 5: a potential sitter 4 our children would have. God bless u in ur future endeavors.
Message 6: God always has HIS plan of making things work out just perfect 4 us all. HIS plan 4 my family just gets better when HE avoids bad situations 4 my family.
Message 7: Hope the same will b true 4 you and your entire family! In HIS name…..XX
Message 8: Tomorrow is what would b our angel in heaven’s 8th birthday- GOD is good and at HIS perfect timing- I’m thankful HE is protecting my family. Thank u4 saying no =)
It took everything I had to not respond to this lady. She doesn’t know me at all. How could she possibly think it was ok to talk to me this way? I finally had to turn off my phone so I would not keep reading the messages she was sending me. With each message she had the opportunity to end the communication but she couldn’t let it go. She could have easily asked me, “Why won’t it work out?”, “Is everything ok?”, “Ok, thanks for your time.” But NOOOOOO she had to insult me. Again, all I can say is…..I am speechless.
