Trivial dilemma

The Core RPGC Main Forum
1

Alright so I babysat for this kid all week who is really a TOTAL brat. He’s a hyper active 8 year old, and about two weeks ago, I said he could play my gameboy colour which I haven’t used for roughly 4 years. Since it was just sitting there, I figured I would sell it to him and I’m pretty sure his mom will buy it for him for 45 bucks. She’s thinking about it anyways.
So in the meantime I’m letting him borrow it. Trouble is, this boy has a history of stealing, lying, etc, and so when I babysit him he’s not very…calm and understanding when he gets in trouble. Meaning, if I say he needs to get off the nintendo 64 because I want to have a turn, he’ll take the controller and try to hit me with it thinking he’s joking around, or he’ll grab the game and run. He also thinks this is funny and just a joke. So three days ago when he did this, I said I was taking back my gameboy if he did not listen to me and share his nintendo (hey it was Mario Party 3! it was fun!) and I did so. He blantantly stated <i>I don’t care</i> like any kid who secretly does. I put it away and when he was being good later, he asked me for it back, a bit embarrassed, and I gave it to him again.
Now yesterday he pulled the same stunt, and actually told his mother that I play nintendo all day and that I’m not fair to him, which I am. And I don’t play nintendo all day, I give up about an hour later, but he tries to butt in on my game and I yell at him and explain that I am having my turn and he can have his turn after mine. Well regardless he still made me look bad in front of his mom whom I’m hoping doesn’t believe him. I took my gameboy away again after that and he said he didn’t care.
Now he has it again TODAY, at my house and I have no idea where he found it. I took it back from him, a bit fed up. I need some blackmail as well when he gets out of hand.
So…am I being mean or too childish for taking it away from him? I mean, I could find someone else who wants to buy it, I just don’t want this kid walking all over me because of this.
Or should I keep it from him until he buys it?
Or should I just sell it to someone else? It would teach him a lesson but I don’t know if that would go over well with he or his mother…he doesn’t listen to me enough as it is…

Suggestions? I’m not exactly good with kids, you see.

2

I say just when you see him next just give him a little slap tell him who is boss and you know establish dominace. All that good crap. Just dont really give a little slap, you would probaly get in trouble. Since the kid likes being a asshole dont sell him the gameboy and dont let him play video games. Also im guessing hes one of those kids that acts all nice around his parents and then turns around and becomes and asshole. Try to get his parents to catch him in the act of being an asshole if that is the thing. Thats all I got to say.

3

Tell his mother about any concerns you have – she should know what her child’s doing, after all.

4

I wouldn’t slap him, but just let him know that You Are Not A Pushover. You’ve been doing the right thing. Tell his parents, even if you don’t think they’ll believe you. At least you’ll have let them know.

Kids are such selfish idiots…

5

<img src=“http://www.rpgclassics.com/staff/tenchimaru/td.gif”> Remove the brakes on his bycicle.

6

If I were you I’d find another job and would never ever see that kid again. And no, you were not childish when you got your GB back. It’s yours and he shouldn’t have gotten it.

7

Why do you think I take people’s shoes? So I can use them later of course.

8

Originally posted by RamzaTheSquire
I say just when you see him next just give him a little slap tell him who is boss and you know establish dominace. All that good crap. Just dont really give a little slap, you would probaly get in trouble. Since the kid likes being a asshole dont sell him the gameboy and dont let him play video games. Also im guessing hes one of those kids that acts all nice around his parents and then turns around and becomes and asshole. Try to get his parents to catch him in the act of being an asshole if that is the thing. Thats all I got to say.

His mom and grandma know what he’s like, especially his mom, but that doesn’t stop his behavior. Thank God for pills.

Originally posted by Phoenix Valkyrie
Tell his mother about any concerns you have – she should know what her child’s doing, after all.

Good point. She usually sides with me in things like this and would be the most likely to say not to give it to him but she’s hardly around and I’m usually employed by her mom, the boy’s grandmother.

Originally posted by Pierson
[b]I wouldn’t slap him, but just let him know that You Are Not A Pushover. You’ve been doing the right thing. Tell his parents, even if you don’t think they’ll believe you. At least you’ll have let them know.

Kids are such selfish idiots…[/b]

Agreed. I’d love to hit him though as he enjoys frequently coming up behind me and spanking me or throwing things. It’s just that I really_can’t_control him to a certain extent. I usually have to get my mom to intervene.

Originally posted by Tenchimaru Draconis
Remove the brakes on his bycicle.

Good idea. Too bad he wears his helmet.

Originally posted by Ren
If I were you I’d find another job and would never ever see that kid again. And no, you were not childish when you got your GB back. It’s yours and he shouldn’t have gotten it.

Yeah I’m in the process of studying for my lisence so right now I don’t have a real job. Babysitting this boy keeps me occupied and I have a little bit of money on the side…it’s better than nothing.

That being said I guess I’ll just keep it from him until his mom or G-ma bring it up and ask if they want to buy it. If it isn’t my gameboy he’s obsessing about, it’s my computer…:thud:

EDIT:Ignore my horrible html

9

You don’t need to “establish dominance.”

You’ve already GOT IT. It’s just a matter of implementing it.

The mom and grandma sound to be on your side. You have the desired commodity (the Game Boy Color). You have been vested with the parental authority for your stint of babysitter.

You’ve got all the good cards. It’s just a matter of using them, and not doing anything arbitrarily stupid and dumb [i.e. smacking the kid around] to turn the mom back to his side.

A) Take the batteries out. He might be able to find the system without your permission, but good luck hunting for four tiny batteries (note: don’t hide them where you can’t find them. Maybe even keep them on your person).

B) On his home turf, get the mom to unplug/seize his N64, or do it yourself.

You have thus cornered the market on the desired commodity. You have the power. He must come to you. Do not break. Keep your strike zone consistent. Certainly don’t give in “just to get him out of your hair” because that positively reinforces bratty behavior.

C) Get the mom/grandma to lay down the law when she transfers him to you, so you have a parental law/punishment to throw in the kid’s face. Let her tell the kid “if I find out you blah blah blah while I’m gone, I will blah blah blah you when I get home.” Hopefully she’ll enforce it after you leave, but you can’t controll that. Still, could help at least the first time.

D) Don’t even bring your game boy color next time you go there. Let him know that you didn’t bring it because you’re tired of having it stolen from you, and so you’re not going to bring it anymore so that it can’t get stolen.

Reward the good behavior. Punish the bad behavior. And remember this doesn’t have to be physical at all.

PSYCHOLOGY~! is your friend. The brain can fuck someone much more than the hand.

10

Strong sedatives.

11

a: Duct tape fixes ANYTHING.

b: Find another babysitting job.

c: Enfore different rules

d: Duct tape fixes ANYTHING.

12

Originally posted by KaiserVonAlmasy
[b]You don’t need to “establish dominance.”

You’ve already GOT IT. It’s just a matter of implementing it.

The mom and grandma sound to be on your side. You have the desired commodity (the Game Boy Color). You have been vested with the parental authority for your stint of babysitter.

You’ve got all the good cards. It’s just a matter of using them, and not doing anything arbitrarily stupid and dumb [i.e. smacking the kid around] to turn the mom back to his side.

A) Take the batteries out. He might be able to find the system without your permission, but good luck hunting for four tiny batteries (note: don’t hide them where you can’t find them. Maybe even keep them on your person).

B) On his home turf, get the mom to unplug/seize his N64, or do it yourself.

You have thus cornered the market on the desired commodity. You have the power. He must come to you. Do not break. Keep your strike zone consistent. Certainly don’t give in “just to get him out of your hair” because that positively reinforces bratty behavior.

C) Get the mom/grandma to lay down the law when she transfers him to you, so you have a parental law/punishment to throw in the kid’s face. Let her tell the kid “if I find out you blah blah blah while I’m gone, I will blah blah blah you when I get home.” Hopefully she’ll enforce it after you leave, but you can’t controll that. Still, could help at least the first time.

D) Don’t even bring your game boy color next time you go there. Let him know that you didn’t bring it because you’re tired of having it stolen from you, and so you’re not going to bring it anymore so that it can’t get stolen.

Reward the good behavior. Punish the bad behavior. And remember this doesn’t have to be physical at all.

PSYCHOLOGY~! is your friend. The brain can fuck someone much more than the hand. [/b]

Actually, this is really, really sound reasoning in dealing with midgets. I’d say that Kaiser has it right on.

I’d also expect that he is so lacking in social development because he sits around and plays video games (waits for the booo! HISSSS! out of the crowd)…

It’s not a direct cause of video games-- it’s a direct cause of lack of social contact. Does he get out much? I have a feeling that he’s inside because he doesn’t have any friends, and he doesn’t have any friends because he’s had a lack of social contact growing up and never learned how to interact. Some people know how to act by just being around kids at school, some kids never pick it up. This kid seems like one who could have used a little more contact with midgets his age when he was younger. He didn’t have that, and now he doesn’t know appropriate social boundries.

Then again, I could just be full of crap.

But like Kaiser said, I think the kid needs to unplug. His games should be a privledge for good behavior, not a right or a means to keep him under control. I think that he is past the point that you can do anything for him, though, other than try to make him behave for you. Kid needs psychological help and a very swift lesson in boundries. He needs a professional, and I hope his mom/grandma sees that.

13

I remember having to deal with a kid like that. I never had to babysit, but his mum made his brother take him along. And I just happened to be friends with his brother, so I had to help him deal with him. And he truly was an angel to his parents, then a bastard to us.

I think in the end, we just started ignoring him, it worked most of the time. Any time it didn’t, we just had a ‘little fun’ with him, if you know what I mean.

14

Originally posted by Innocence
[b]Actually, this is really, really sound reasoning in dealing with midgets. I’d say that Kaiser has it right on.

I’d also expect that he is so lacking in social development because he sits around and plays video games (waits for the booo! HISSSS! out of the crowd)…

It’s not a direct cause of video games-- it’s a direct cause of lack of social contact. Does he get out much? I have a feeling that he’s inside because he doesn’t have any friends, and he doesn’t have any friends because he’s had a lack of social contact growing up and never learned how to interact. Some people know how to act by just being around kids at school, some kids never pick it up. This kid seems like one who could have used a little more contact with midgets his age when he was younger. He didn’t have that, and now he doesn’t know appropriate social boundries.

Then again, I could just be full of crap.

But like Kaiser said, I think the kid needs to unplug. His games should be a privledge for good behavior, not a right or a means to keep him under control. I think that he is past the point that you can do anything for him, though, other than try to make him behave for you. Kid needs psychological help and a very swift lesson in boundries. He needs a professional, and I hope his mom/grandma sees that. [/b]

Haha well um, Devon has lots of friends. He’s one of the most popular kids in the neighbourhood. He’s usually bugging to play outside and I let him, but when he’s around me he’s a total bugger.

I should have mentioned he does have ADD. He really has no problem with other people, his mom can make him cower easily. Though he likes to pick fights with her or cry to get out of predicaments. I think it’s because of my age and maybe because I’m young, that I don’t have the authority. I try to. And I will try harder. His grandmother is going to buy the gameboy off me, but since it used to be mine, hopefully I can easily manipulate him playing it and take it away when necessary.

15

Wow… he acts like that with you, and not his peers?

Does he not think that throwing controllers is funny with them? shakes head at the wonderful world of child mentality, which she never understood, not even as a child

16

Originally posted by Innocence
[b]Wow… he acts like that with you, and not his peers?

Does he not think that throwing controllers is funny with them? shakes head at the wonderful world of child mentality, which she never understood, not even as a child [/b]

Well all kids seem to be like that and they try and dominate each other. However I am his elder waves cane around and therefore the stupid behavior should stop with ME.
Besides, his friends don’t usually challenge him like I do, he’s the boss and they all obey. Every child’s group seems to have a leader, and he’s it.

17

Rough!

Well, good luck. I was a nanny for a couple years, so I know where you’re coming from.

Just be glad he’s not twins shudders at the memories

And yes, some poor schmucks entrusted the care of their fragile little children to me… silly wankers.

18

I don’t like kids.

I have babysitted a couple, annoying little brats, much like this one. Too bad they had rich parents who had already bought them the gadgets they wanted.

Be patient with him. From my experience energic brats can’t stand people who are patient and do things at a slow pase. If he annoys you, be annoying back. Fire verus fire. Or something like that.

Kids are like glass, drop them from high enough up and they’ll brake. Broken things don’t make noise. nod, nod

19

Originally posted by Nulani
Kids are like glass, drop them from high enough up and they’ll brake. Broken things don’t make noise. nod, nod
Had a few cases of “Watch him play videogames while I go shopping.” I watch. I get bored. I go drink a glass of water. He makes the room look like a tornado just went by in that time. I tell him I could easily beat Zelda 3 in a single sitting (from the beginning, of course), IF he cleans the place up. He does. I beat Zelda 3. He’s asleep after the first 30 mins. I had circles under my eyes by the time dinner was ready.

The funny part? I broke him down by not waking him up to see how the final boss looked like. “Really cool and he had this wicket rod and he shot firebats and teleported, and I had this REEEEAAALLY cool silver arrow…” “SHOW MEEEEEE!!!”

… and he couldn’t figure out how to go to the Dark World… >:)

20

  1. Get a manaquine.

  2. Make it resemble the kid as much as possible.

  3. Buy a shotgun.

  4. Take shotgun and manaquine to kids house next time you baby sit him.

  5. When his parents leave show him the manaquine.

  6. Blow the manaquine to smitherines.

  7. Tell him thats what happenes if hes bad.

  8. Let him keep the head.

(j/k)