Should Parents let the babysitter punish the children?

Question

So a hypothetical: You are the mother of 3 children, 9 & 10 year old girls and a 7 year old boy. The children are well behaved when you are around, but when they are left with the babysitter they become little demons. This is a household that relies on spanking for punishment, and the children know that the sitter won't be able to punish them, and that they can get away with a lot more and escape getting as severe punishment later from the parents.

Should the parents give permission to the babysitter, (who is a 16 year old, well rounded good girl who they trust) to spank the children and keep order in the house while the parents are away?

If not, what else should be done?

Answer 1

If I accept all your assumptions as true than I would give permission to the babysitter to spank.

The problem is that in real life I would not have that degree of trust with the exception of my sister or mother (who do have my permission to spank when caring for my kids).

The other difference in real life (at least with me) is that they will not escape the more severe punishment--it will just be delayed until I get home.

The best alternative is for the kids to know that the babysitter will report the incident to the parent and they will be getting a spanking upon their return.

Answer 2

No, parents should not let babysitters punish children because the babysitter may punish the children in a cruel way. Such as whipping, puncturing, choking, and so. What should be done is this. You, as the parent, should tell the children, "Now be good for the babysitter, and if you are good and the babysitter reports no problems, then I will (do something that they would like but not too outrageous).". Then, everytime the babysitter reports that your child or children have had no problems, you can reward your child or children. If they do not behave while the babysitter is present, then you, yourself, after the babysitter has left and reported that the child or children were misbehaved, you can then punish the children in any way as a parent after the babysitter has left.

Answer 3

If the household "relies" on spanking as a deterent for negative behavior, I can imagine why the children are little heathens. Fear is not an appropriate "discipline" tool for parents (or anyone else) to use with children. Regardless, the babysitter should not be told to use spanking as a form of reprimand for children they are sitting for, and if you are the babysitter- a parent should NEVER ask you to spank their children. Watching other people's children requires you to think out of the box and get creative. You can't use the same forms of discipline that the parents do, because you are not the parent. Babysitters have to find other ways to be creative with their discipline so that the children will respect and listen to them. Spanking other people's children is not an option, whether the parents request it or not.

Answer 4

I wouldn't give her permission to spank them, but I would tell the kids that she has permission to spank them. That way, they may stop acting up if they feel she has the right to discipline them. Tell the babysitter what you've done. That way you can be sure that the sitter isn't punishing your children for something that you wouldn't punish them for. This way, the sitter can say, "ok, time out. You act up in time out, you get spanked." Then, she can report to you and you can have the definitive decision on what needs to be done. Doing this will also keep the kids from being conflicted between what the babysitter says is right and what mom and dad say are right.

Answer 5

well.. i wouldn't want a babysitter to be spanking my children or not becuase even with the my permission...only becuase if somebody such as a friend of the baby sitter or even a total stranger sees that then they may take it the wrong way and sew or somthin..
what i would tell the baby sitter to do if the child or children is being bad is either set them in a cornor for like 3 minutes or so..(depending on what the child did)...and make sure they do not move...they are to face the cornor and not leave the cornor till they have thought about there crime...(well i guess it wouldn't be said that way but i can't come up with a better way to say it)

another way of punishment would be they have to sit either in their room or a room without any toys or things to play with...or they have to sit out and are excluded from the activitys or games that are played..

then when the parents (in this case me or you)... get home the baby sitter is to inform me of the behavior..there for I (the parent) will take care of it

Answer 6

I don't think I should have the right to spank other peoples' kids. But when I babysit, I have the same authority as the parents. The kids know this, and so they don't act up. But, when they do, they get privileges taken away from them, or something else like that.

Answer 7

I personally think that the babysitter should get the parents permission, or just tell the kids' parent how they behave, the parents should take care of that.

Answer 8

babysitters shouldn't have the right to punish the children. It's just not right. Only the parents should be allowed.

Answer 9

I dont think that the babysitter should spank other peoples children, maybe time outs. They work well.

Answer 10

I would say yes. If the sitter is comfortable doing that. I would also tell the kids that if the sitter has to do this they will gte another one much harder when you get home...or the next day if you get home late.

I think also that they should write an appology letter to the sitter for acting up.