Amusement Park Nanny

I would say bring a couple woman friends along or even some older kids - Upper Teens, as babysitters, forget the husband, if he doesn't want to help, and make it a one to one or even greater ratio of adults ( who are willing to help) to kids, so each kid has an assigned set of eyes on him. Amusement parks are such large and crowded/busy places, I wouldn't want to watch 4 kids alone either.

OR else, leave al the kids at home with their grandparents and you gals go alone for some fun without kids!

Good Luck!

Jessie

Ok, while I love the suggestions of a nanny, I am going to be a B here - let her hire one:) she is the one who wants to do all this stuff, she is the one with three kiddos, you only one!
You did address this with her, sort of, I'd call her back and just solidify the plans. "sue you know I am not watching all the kids, right? OK, did you get a nanny or baby sitter or how are you planning on handling the kid situation?" Based on her responses you can either kick in a little to the sitter so you can ride if that's what you want to do, or not. If she doesn't have a plan, just tell her you can't go:)
so sorry you have this situation. "Trading" can be so challenging. My family trades babysitting with a couple of other families and it can really get out of whack if you let it - been there.

I really wish women would be more like men. It would make our lives a lot easier.

Think about it..... if your husband was in this situation, he would probably do what every other man would. He would say to his friend "hey, last time we went watching the kids was too much for me - let's get some help this time or something so we all have a blast, or else we just won't be able to go". But for some reason, women (and I am guilty, not pointing fingers at you alone) are so worried about how they are going to "come off as a B" - why? You are politely voicing a concern. If you aren't being a "B" when you say it to her, how does it make you a "B"?

Why would you simply not go before addressing this issue head on? Please, talk to your friend to ensure you and everyone else on the trip is happy. Get a clear answer from her as to whether she expects you to be her sitter. If she does, then don't go.

Maybe the two of you can split the cost of a nanny. I would not be OK with going otherwise. If your friend reacts negatively to your concerns, then I wouldn't want to go on a trip with this person anyway. You are being completely reasonable.

Good luck!

If her husband was with you, why did you get stuck babysitting while they went on rides together? That's hardly fair. You could have done it round robin, where the three adults take turns watching the four kids. You wouldn't be the stuck one all the time and they would see first-hand how hard it is.

As for hiring a dedicated babysitter for the day, I think it's a good option. I do think you'll have to split the cost, even though your friend has three kids and you have one. And while I see her point about spending the money and not getting to go on rides herself, I believe the day should be about the kids' fun. A kid-free trip is the only way for the adults to enjoy the rides.

Good luck!
F. A.

Hire a babysitter for the day to come with you all.

you know what? I think you answered your own question - you just don't realize it...

hire a teenager to come with you to the park so that you can ride the adult rides and your kid can ride the kid rides....maybe your GF will chip in for the person - pay for their way in and food....

best of both worlds?

I was also going to suggest having an extra person come too, even a paid babysitter, or a teen in the family. Of course, they would have to understand, that their reason for being there is to help with the kids. I'm with you though, I wouldn't want to go through that again!

Where is your DH in all of this??? What should be done IF the adults must ride is that the other COUPLE watch the kids while the one couple rides and then switch off. One person alone should not be taxed with watching all of the kids-I don't blame you for being tiffed on that. However-it doesn't sound like you want to ride yourself? If not then don't go b/c you will always be the one left witht the kids.
In re-reading it now I am thinking maybe you are single or your DH doesn't come along. If that is the case then I think your original invite and this one too was for the sole purpose of you watching the kids so that they could ride-sorry. If so-please don't go again. You are better off just you and your son going and riding the kid rides together.

I am confused. She has three kids and you have one. Okay. So? You are going to an amusement park. Are you going for the kids or yourselves? Sometimes you have to suck it up for the kids. Hire a babysitter or nanny? Really? We took our kids to Disney when they were 4 and 8. Talk about spending money!!! Do you think we got to go on all the rides we wanted? No, but we didn't go for us we went for the kids. If you all want to ride some rides that are for adults then don't take the kids. One thing you didn't mention are the ages of the kids. If they are older and are tall they should be able to ride some of the adult rides but if not, then your stuck.

Do either of you have a regular babysitter? A high schooler, perhaps? Ask them to come along and the two of you split his/her admission, maybe even for a friend as well.

The babysitter (and maybe friend) can take the kids on kid-friendly stuff while you and your friend go on some adult rides. Then you switch.

You are not resposible whatsoever to watch her kids. Stick to your guns and when you say NO to watching her kids do not go back on it. I understand the jump from 1 to 4 kids being too much.

If you want to go with your family GO just do not give in to watching their kids. Tell her that you will not be watching her kids so if she wants to go on adult rides her & her hubby takes turns watching their own kids OR hire a sitter or pay for another person (like a grandparent) who really does not want to go on the rides but glad to spend time with the family.

I would hire a sitter for the day to come along with you. SHE can watch the kids while you are actually ON the ride and then you'll all be back together to go to the next one. Are you going for you or the kids? If it's for the kids, then I wouldn't expect to go on many/any rides without them. If it's for you and GF, leave them home.

Don't go! You already know your friend will act the same, you'll be stressed, and you'll have to watch four boys, which means you'll end up annoyed at your friend. Why spend the money? If you really like the amusement park, take your son a different day just the two of you.

If it were me, I just wouldn't go honestly. I completely understand your being uncomfortable and stressed with having to keep an eye on 4 kids in a place swarming with people, most likely child predators amongst them! As for the nanny suggestion, I also would not trust one person to be able to deal with it ... It just seems like too much!!

You know your limits. By going I think you run the risk of having a really stressful day... Just my 2 cents!!!

I totally agree with you on this.

I think if you plan on taking the kids, then the trip has to sort of revolve around the kids. If she wants to get the most of her money for herself, then she needs to leave the kids at home.

I would tell her, that you did not enjoy being left alone with the kids and doing the trade off. Its nothing against her kids, but just a lot for you to handle. So if that is the way she wants to do it this year, you prefer not going. I guess no matter how gently you say it she might take offense but it beats getting stuck in a situation you don't like. The only other thing maybe you could do is be too busy to plan a date to do it.

Hire a college student to be in charge of the kiddos for the day. I'm not saying that you ditch the kids and go off together, but there's no reason why you can't ditch them for an hour so you can do the roller coasters and then meet-up with them for lunch and a few rides- ditch them again for an hour and meet up two hours later for ice cream.

The other option is to still hire the sitter, but do the "kid stuff" in the morning and into the early afternoon and then have the sitter watch the kids while you and your friends go back at night.

.

I would say I am only watching my kids. If she wants a free babysitter she should bring one for herself. I don't mind taking the kids when we go on road trips and letting my friend take a nap but she takes them later so I can have some alone time too. Tell her that you expect to trade off, by ratio, for example you watch her kids then she has to watch yours and equal amount of time that each of hers built up, if they are with you 1 hour then she watches yours three hours to your one hour.

Where is it that you are going? I live 1.5 miles from the entrance of World's of Fun. I've tried for years to figure out how to attract families that want to bring the kids in the middle of the day or evening so the parents can ride by themselves. But I haven't been able to do it. Locals already have help and people from out of town aren't looking for someone like me in advance. I can't afford a billboard LOL. Anyway, I suggest you look on Craigslist and try and find a close provider to watch the kids for part of the day. Most kids are tired and could use a nap in the middle of the day anyway.

By the way, I believe you are right that her 3 boys are too much to your one. But, is she driving, paying for gas etc? I hate to say this, but she might be looking at you AS HER NANNY.