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December 2010 Moms
Nicole0012
member
Finding a sitter... SUCKS (gun related)
Nicole0012
member
We had a terrible time with the sitter we found in the spring (recap: smoked in our house, googled our prescription meds, gave M a haircut). So we were REALLLLLLLY careful about finding someone for the fall when I go back to school. I got teacher recommendations and found a great sitter near the school who also watches teachers' kids. We went and met her today and she seemed great (and she's super cheap - $20/day! WHAT?!)
As we were leaving, she mentioned that her teenagers are hunters and they have guns in the house, but that they are locked in a safe. We left, and DH and I got in the car, feeling sick 
I know the gun topic has come up a LOT on here, and I know many of you feel safe with guns in the house, as long as they are locked up. I'm very against even having guns in our home, but I'm okay with others wanting them in their homes. However, I'm not sure how I feel about someone ELSE watching MY child with guns in THEIR home. I know she has a safe, and she's probably very responsible with the guns in her home, but *I'M* not the one controlling the gun safety in that house, and I don't know her well enough to know anything for certain.
SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS. I feel like I need to quickly explore new options now. Boooooo....
Thoughts?
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Re: Finding a sitter... SUCKS (gun related)
Wow. I would think it would be common sense, for liability reasons if nothing else, to keep the guns off-site somewhere if you run a home daycare. That's a little shocking to me.
That said, if you *love* the sitter otherwise, give it some serious thought. Would there be other, older kids in her care? Is the safe in an area of the house where kids are allowed? How closely does she supervise the kids while they're playing? Is it ALWAYS locked? It's almost certainly going to be fine, since the chance of something bad happening is very small, but I totally, totally understand not being comfortable. I'm not sure I would leave my kid daily in a place where guns were around, even locked up, but I'm not 100% sure, since it's not a decision I've personally faced...
I know... right?! I just keep thinking back to that story someone on here posted about their coworkers child shooting themselves. The father was a cop, and they thought the guns were locked away. All it takes is one time. I feel like I would have nightmares because I'm so uneasy about it all.
I totally understand your concern. I would be having the same thoughts if I was in your shoes & feel very uncomfortable. Like you said, she said their locked up, but what if they forget to lock it or leave them out. ugggg. Sorry no good thoughts, just I'd feel uneasy about it. I'd be finding someone else
[edit]-- sorry if I missed this part in your post, but did she say where the safe was? I guess if its like in a locked room or if it was in a closet up high I'd rethink the situation
On the bright side, she's honest, unlike the last sitter you had.
She could have kept it from you and you would have never known the difference.
Personally, we have guns in our house, we have bows and arrows too. They are locked up but on display in the spare room. I grew up around guns and so did Mr.MM. As long as they were locked away in a room that the kids didn't have access to, I'd be okay with it.
I wouldn't feel comfortable sending LO there, either. I'm sure the likelihood of anything bad happening is slim but I'd still feel too ill at ease.
Sorry. That sucks. It sounds like a perfect situation otherwise.
I have a bit of a personal bias as my grandfather and uncles were hunters. If they truly are hunters and only have hunting rifles, I would be ok with it if they were to show me that they could store their rifles locked away safely. I would want to see where the safe was and where they keep the key.
Hand guns to me are different. They are often stored loaded. I believe it is far more likely to have an accident with a handgun that has been left out rather than a rifle. Like I said, personal bias.
Someone who is an irresponsible gun owner would not have told you they are in the house.
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Don't you watch another baby? Why can't some of you wonderful SAH December mommies live close by so that Miles can come over and hang out with your babies during the day?!
Move to LA and I'm there for ya! Oh wait I have guns! Nevermind
This is definitely true.
It's just that she lives in a ranch style home, so everything is all on one floor. I don't know her son, don't know how responsible he is, and I'd love to know and trust that they are locked away, no problem, but I just feel uneasy.
And then, of course, I think, "Well, if I don't feel comfortable, should I even be considering it?" Like, if there's even a tiny doubt in my mind, why go there? Blah...
Hahaha, but I *know* you. (Doesn't it feel like that with all you December moms anyways?)
Ahhh, I totally don't mean to even start a gun controversy. I just wish I didn't walk out of there feeling so weird about it all...
I feel and grew up the same way as Loves. I don't think it would bother me but then again I think everyone I know around here have guns in their house!
This. Better safe than sorry.
My $.02 is this - I don't have a problem with guns in our house because we are responsible. I don't have a problem with the people that I know that have guns watching LO because I know they are responsible. I do, however, have a problem with the teenage son of a woman you don't really know being responsible for the safety of the guns your LO is in.
If you knew them better, I'd say sure. Unfortunately, you just don't know them very well. And yeah it's great that it's a reasonable price, but there are other factors at play. Your mom-spidey-senses are up so go with your gut & find a different place.
I agree with all of this, and we're gun owners as well.
If it were me, I would ask a ton of questions to try and get more comfortable with it. Examples: is the ammunition kept separate from the guns, and if so, do the older kids know where the ammo is? Who has a key to the safe? What kind of lock in on the safe?
If her answers don't make you feel more comfortable, then head for the door. But I think it might be worth it to get more information. Just my 2 cents!
Good luck!!
Honestly, I wouldn't have a problem with it, but my DH is a police officer and a collector of antique firearms. We keep them locked and secured in a safe.
I would do a couple things:
1. Reference your co-works who also have their kids in her care and ask if they know about the guns in the home and how they feel.
2. Ask to see her home a again and find out where the firearms are kept, and how you can be assured your child won't have access to them.
if they were in close proximity to where the kids are being cared for I would say look elsewhere, but if they are kept in the basement, and or an other room that can be secured in a such a way that the little ones can't get in, i'd be fine with that.
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My mom and dad watch O pretty frequently during the week. My mom has him 2 full days while I work. My brother lives at home with my parents and is a hunter as well as a sport shooter. He has ~5 firearms in their house as well as 2 compound bows used for hunting. While I was initially VERY uncomfortable with this situation, I spoke with my brother and he bought a VERY large gun safe. All of his guns are locked in the safe and stored unloaded. The safe is kept in his bedroom (on the second floor of the house) behind his locked bedroom door. He stores the ammunition in the closet of my old bedroom in a fireproof safe. He is the only one with a key to both safes. After having a long conversation with him about it and putting the safeguards in place, I feel comfortable with Oliver being in their home.
With all of that said, it is my family, so I know them well and I know that my mother doesn't let O out of her sight when he is there. If your gut is saying no, then that is what you should go with.
I share the same opinion on the matter. I would not bring my son there.
When we were looking for a DCP, we met with a woman who came highly recommended by several of MH's co-workers. She was also very affordable & close to our home. So, we met with her & she totally rubbed us the wrong way. We second guessed our reaction though b/c several other people raved about her. In the end we didn't use her & I'm glad we trusted our own feelings. We just had to remind ourselves that just b/c something works or is right for others, doesn't mean it's right for us.
Good luck with your search!
It depends on the situation I suppose, but I will always have guns in my home and my dad always had guns when we grew up. We do live in the country and hunt deer in our backyard (during the season...legally, etc). So I know that I am coming from a very pro-gun background. (Just call me a regular Miranda Lambert)