can i be called a pervert??

[Stephen Phillips]

This is a difficult situation. I've babysat many children before and once or twice the parents have asked me to stay with them or even lie down with them until they go to sleep. I sometimes sit on the bed next to them while reading their bedtime story but after that I might sit next to the bed until they goto sleep before slipping away. More commonly the children (or child) asks you to stay with them until they sleep.

I don't really find anything wrong with it or have a problem with it. But I'm always very concious of what happened to Michael Jackson and so sometime feel uncomfortable when I do it so I'm very careful how I behave and what I say to the children and around it. Thankfully, all of the parents I work with are quite laid back about it as they trust me to handle it appropriately. But if it was with a family I didn't know well it would be a different story.

I don't believe you are a pervert but I would discourage the children from sharing your bed, especially the 11-year-old, and do something similar to what I do. And unfortunately, if you're a guy (though I'm guessing you're not - Demonic Vixen), sleeping with a young girl is definately a big no-no unless it's your own child.

Sitting with them untill they go to sleep is one thing but staying and sharing a bed is another. I know the children and their parents trust you but I understand completely that the neighbour finds the concept inappropriate and she proberbly won't be alone.

I would avoid it if for no other reason that if the children say something completely innocent that can be taken the wrong way and that can quickly destroy the parents trust and get you in trouble with the police. Or at the very least destroy your reputation as a good babysitter.

It doesn't take much, you are treading an awfully fine line. I'd get out of the children's beds (or get them out of yours, whichever way it is) or avoid babysitting for them in the future ... honestly from one babysitter to another.

 

[SextusMaximus]

No, but it is still dangerous, and regardless of what you say, people will still suspect you.

 

[burningdragoon]

Well, let's take a look at the instruction manual for Manliness for geeks. It says:

Spoiler

Looks like there's no issue here as long as it went down like that. In fact, it makes you Manly.

Good god that was awesome.

And no, it's not perverted so don't worry about it. I'm assuming there is some level of trust between you and their parents to make it even less of an issue. I can understand some slight discomfort from other parents, so I don't think it's really wrong to feel like that way necessarily depending on the degree of discomfort.

 

[CrazyMedic]

no when I was little I saw night of the living dead and for like 2 years(I was 3 at the time) and until I 5 I couldn't go to sleep unless I was laying next to someone sometimes it was my babysitter sometimes it was my dad.

 

[Kortney]

Having just been on the thread about sexuality, im curious as to if your worried about sharing a bed with someone of the same sex... What about sharing the bed with a young child or even 2 whom you are babysitting.

Im 19, but last year i used to babysit my neighbour's 2 kids a lot. The oldest was 11 and the youngest was 7yrs old. Both used to like sleeping beside me in my room, and my mum would be in her room. Obviously i never laid a hand on them nor had any intention seeing as i treat and love them like brother and sister to me, not only that but to be honest, i hated sleeping beside them because id often end up battered and thrown off the bed before morning, but the kids insisted on me sleeping beside them.
However one of the girl's friends lives in the same street and her mum thinks its inappropriate and you can tell from her attitude that she seems to think im some sort of pervert.

Can you honestly call someone a pervert for this??

It's not perverted or paedophilia but it is inappropriate in this day and age.

 

[Blueruler182]

Yes.

*Reads OP's post*

Not for that, though. Unless you're Michael Jackson Reborn.

 

[lacktheknack]

You're fine. Tell the other person to not be so stuck-up.

 

[MegaManOfNumbers]

Shit, that means my parents are pervs.

OT: No your not, you have no intention to do anything. people are just hardwired to believe so.

Off Topic: besides, all humans are perverts to some degree. otherwise we wouldn't masturbate or get aroused watching attractive people of the opposite sex dance.

 

[Death God]

It doesn't make you a pervert but people will question you nether the less and think of you as a pedo but I wouldn't because it's happened to me when my cousins come over and don't like to sleep by themselves.

 

[Mastercylinder]

No. Why are people so overly judgemental? Is sex really the first thing to come to mind when someone thinks about kids sleeping?

 

[zombiesinc]

No. Why are people so overly judgemental?

To people who have answered along these lines, let me know how you feel when you have little kids. Your kids are FAR more likely to be molested by the babysitter than that evil stranger on the street everyone is on the lookout for. It's almost always someone you let into your house in a position of trust.

There is a good reason why societal norms consider adults and kids sleeping together inappropriate.

Do I think kids should be in a little protective bubble? No. But putting a certain level of protection around them is just responsible.

You certainly have a point, and this mother has every right to think or feel the way she does, but I don't think it's appropriate to make that evident towards this guy about children that aren't her own.

I feel that there are more appropriate people she should express her feelings to.