Problem solved

In the 12 hours since I posted my babysitter problem (see the post below), I received conflicting advice from two friends:

One friend said, "Give the babysitter another chance and tell Lucinda to do as she is told by an adult." This friend suggests that if we fire the babysitter, Lucinda will learn that she can manipulate us. But, the friend adds, "leave a camera recording in your absence."

The second friend said, "Want my advice? Fire her ass! NO HITTING. Not good for Lucinda."

And I've also had a resolution: The babysitter quit. In an email, she said, "I don't want to argue with you. It's fine for me if that's what you believe. I can't do anything with that. I already told you what really happened. I'm sorry if we end up this way."

Meanwhile, Lucinda, the supporting actress in this drama, threw up four times last night and is lying on the couch watching "Playhouse Disney."

As the "fire her ass" friend pointed out, the babysitting problem is universal. I've often found that each time I hire someone, I'm trying to solve my last problem and sometimes create a new one.

In Seattle, I was pretty desperate to find childcare and hired our first nanny (the one who was arrested for threatening her new husband) without asking a crucial question: Is there anything in your personal history that could cause problems for you or for us? I did ask that question of a future applicant and learned that an ex-boyfriend had stalked her.

Now, to find a new babysitter who will come every Saturday night...