28th June 2012 12:43
By Blue Tutors
You’re a Tutor not a Babysitter!
When tutoring younger children, responsibility for their welfare can be an issue. Whether you tutor at your house, or theirs, or somewhere agreed mutually, you are responsible for their safety while their parents are not around.
This can become a problem if the parent literally disappears during your lesson and has not returned by the time you wish to leave, or if a parent is late picking up a child from your own house or agreed meeting place. If the parent is late is it okay to say good bye and shut your front door on the child or walk away from the meeting place?
I have been tutoring a year 9 boy since January and his father who picked him up was often late. On one occasion 30 minutes late. After this incident I emailed the father as I decided I would not accept this. I had many other commitments, some of which involved having to leave the house shortly after I expected this lesson to finish.
I didn’t want to cause awkwardness, however, or come across as a tutor who was ‘clock watching’ so I told the father I had another student coming 15 minutes after our lesson was due to end and that I’d have to make sure his son was out the door before the other student arrived. This placed responsibility on the parent who then told me that in future if he were late. his son was to catch the bus - an arrangement which has since worked well.
Remember that you are not a babysitter. You should be free to leave when you’re allotted time is up and not to have to concern yourself with the child’s welfare after this point. Obviously sometimes this is more awkward than others, but don’t be treated with any less respect than you deserve. If you’re not happy about something, say so, but just do it politely.