10/24/97

Good-bye, Freedom!

In response to Good-bye, Freedom! (Part 1)

Readers also give fair warning about "babysitters from hell!"

• The worst experience I had came after I naively put an ad for a "child companion" in the classifieds.  I was tired of beating the bushes for high school girls through word of mouth.  I have three sage words for anyone considering advertising publicly for babysitters:  DON'T DO IT!  I assumed that teenaged girls or home-moms looking for extra income would call.  95% of the calls were from perverts, and our number was public knowledge for every local predator looking for a child.  We had to change our number and batten up security, give up chances to go out until we moved, and restrict our child's play time away from the house out of fear.  What a world we are living in now. --- Don't Advertise

• One episode that I will never forget occurred when our three kids were all under 5 years old.  We had hired our regular babysitter (around 18 years old at the time) to sit one Friday evening when my wife had to work and I was obligated to attend a charity function that benefitted the hospital that was my new employer.  It was the hottest day of the summer, easily over 100 degrees, and it was humid.  The evening temperature stayed in the 90's.  When I returned home from the function at about 10 pm, I found the windows all shut (no air conditioning), so the temperature was about ten degrees warmer inside, and the children were all asleep in their winter pajamas - heavy flannel with feet!  The poor kids were dripping with sweat, and amazingly, had not awakened. Needless to say, it was her last time babysitting for us.  We needed someone with more common sense.  Unfortunately, common sense in not very common! --- A Sensible Dad

• Only those of us who have kids will understand your latest piece, "Good-bye Freedom."  We started our family late (in our late 30's) and have one beautiful daughter.  My wife and I have often spoken about how it was before our daughter came into our lives.  Funny thing is though, the memories after are more special than the ones before. --- Happy to be Parents

• I teach a high school Child Development course.  We have just begun a unit on bringing the baby home from the hospital and the changes one can expect.  Your column is certainly timely.  I will write back to you with any teenage "insights" that come out of our discussion. --- Babysitter Teacher

Please send questions or comments to bbruno@snet.net.