HI!

My name is C***** and I am a new christian! Well that's not so, I have been christian for a few years but rededicated my life this week. I have had a pouring on my heart to help those in need here in the local Area. I live near ***** and can also get almost anywhere that is on a bus route. I am willing to babysit for you up to 3 children ages 2-7. I am hoping that you will use this time to refresh yourself in the Lord. For some parents this may be a time for prayer for others a chance to go to church even others may use this as a time for date night for a husband and wife to keep the marriage alive and fresh. I want to do this at no charge to you and any donation that might be given would be used to help me pay for activities for other children. I do not have any references for I have not officially been a babysitter in the past though I do have an associates in childcare and have been a substitute teacher for several districts in the last 5 years. Please email me with the date you would like to meet with me and the ages of your children.
Thank You,
C*****

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Scary! Although I have to say that our Center started off as a Free Childcare Center. (Church based)

While He/She may have good intentions.. sounds like a nutter to me!

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Many people find whatever ways necessary in order to do what they feel is their way of repaying the Lord for the things they have.

I agree that as a parent, I may be a bit skieptical but if she is truly doing what she feels is giving back in the name of her beliefs, then more power to her.

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She sounds sweet.

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I have a few parents that would drive 100 miles to take her up on her offer!

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I think she sounds cu-RAZY! The "no references" thing is a huge red flag.

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Whole lot of mixed feelings about this one....

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I think it's a sweet post but with out ref. i'd have to pass....

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i don't know i would be creeped out, there is no way she is a new christian and then wait she was a christian, but now she i guess had a realization...maybe she will change her mind again. I guess i am being skeptical, and i hope what she is saying is true, but you still have to have references!!! At least a pastor, a friend of the family! Someone that can attest for her....thats a huge red flag....if she is in a church she should be volunteering with pre school or something....i dunnnoooooooooo..."when some things are too good to be true...they usually are"....

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Maybe it is legitimate and maybe it is a scam- it's sad that people pray on the innocent in this day and age and when children are involved you have to be so careful.

One time a local church posted up at a gas station, took 10 cents off per gallon (paid for it out of their fundraising money for the community), pumped your gas for you, and cleaned your windshield wipers. They gave everone a little card after they were done that said something to the effect that sometimes there are good things that are free and that we should be thankful to God.

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I think she sounds sweet. IMO she doesn't know how to properly write an ad. You need a background check to even volunteer in most schools (at least those around me) so she definitely has a clear check if she has subbed in a school before. She should highlight THAT aspect (showing she is a safe individual) in her ad & offer up some professional work references even if she has no babysitting refs. Everyone has to start somewhere. And I don't think it is odd that she is doing it for FREE - she does say she will take donations. It's sad in this day & age when someone wants to do something to help others & we are all so doubtful that they don't have ulterior motives. If I were to use her I'd definitely be viewing her background check & calling the school where she subbed.

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sometimes I wonder if these ads aren't for something else. Does any one remember way back when....they used to post lost and found items.....could be a lost dog or wallet or something of that sort and it was really advertising where you could get a hold of someone for drugs and the like? I may be dating myself but it seems back in the day, that was a means of communicating where you could go to get some illegal substances. Now this one....actually sounds like she might be for real, but I have a hard time with believing these days that people do stuff for free. At one time, it used to be the norm....now not so much

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I agree. Just because she doesn't have "babysitting" references, doesn't mean as a parent you aren't entitled to check her out in other ways. Talking to her pastor, her friends, her ex-employers, her background check etc are all ways to find out if a person is legit or not.

I also find it sad that when someone wants to do something good, we immediately see the bad in it.

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If she's genuine then I think she's going about this the wrong way. She would get more "clients" if she worked through her church. She should talk to her pastor and let him know to give her information out to people that he feels will benefit from what she's offering. I'm sure that she has good intentions but she'll just scare serious people away (because you have to admit, it's a bit odd) and just asking to be taken for granted by the people that do contact her.

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I am curious, is there anybody that knows of a person that has done free daycare (not random babysitting) for someone other than a relative? or very close friend? I don't. And I dont trust strangers who offer to do things for me for free. Never, ever had one experience that the "free" was not really a ruse for something else.

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I have done it for a good friend but no not for a stranger. I'd only consider leaving my kids with a "Stranger" if I had called references, saw their background check & went through a thorough interview.

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Yes. I know of a licensed child care provider who does extra hours in the evenings and weekends for free.

I also know a grandmotherly woman who lives across the street from my daycare that often takes in SA kids after school and sometimes in the summer simply for something to do.

There really are nice people out there still who have good intentions.

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We had an older neighborhood lady who taught Red Cross swim lessons in her own private home pool, FOR FREE every summer. The only thing we had to pay for was the $1.50 Red Cross fee for printing up the Certification Card. She taught all different levels up to lifeguard. She just loved swimming, staying active & giving back. It's rare...but not impossible.

Now for the FREE babysitting....UH UH!!! Miss New/Old Christian would need some references. Her CL's ad sounds confusing, like it's on a 'whim'. I would need something a little more solid for my life's blood, ya know???

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Risky but Smart. Theory: Qualifies as non-profit and religious so legally exempt from regulations. Donations often exceed services used and the money is then tax free. Same principle the churches use.

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RED FLAGS EVERYWHERE!!!

This is when I would use my judgment and I'd rather pay for what I know than accept the free I don't know.

Just because you go to church doesn't make you a qualified person to watch my children!!!

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Doesn't sound right to me. I dont doubt that she is doing it out of the kindness of her heart, but she sounds incredibly naive, which is always a red flag.

Plus she has no references and no experience, which probably means she has no training. Accident waiting to happen.

ETA: I see it says she has an associate in childcare. If she's been subbing for the past five years, her degree is probably older than that. I would suggest she go back and take a couple relevant trainings and be very careful. I dont think she'll put anyone out of business, but she will attract all the desperate parents and wild kids you ladies turn down.

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These things tend to bring out the skeptic in me, too, but this could be her way of getting some references, since she states she has not done any babysitting before. Kind of like what people experience when coming out of college - employers want experience, but how are you supposed to get that experience without someone hiring you?

Plus, maybe she figures she'll make more if she accepts "donations." Nobody wants to look cheap, so maybe she's thinking they'll actually pay more than what she might charge if she set a specific rate .

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