I am a part time babysitter who has been working with a non verbal teenage girl five days a week after school. This is the second school year with the family. I have a small conversational relationship with the parents as we usually just chat randomly as they come home. I have been told the mother has cancer and because of chemo my hours would be cut which I didn't mind since I am also a student who's busy. The problem is that every day the mother comes home she tells me about how horrible she feels and how sick she is, and I feel horrible! Should I be doing or saying more to help her? I don't ever want to say the wrong thing but since she opens up to me I feel like I could be saying more to help.
Regards,
Boss has Cancer
My boss had a miscarriage last year. All you can do is offer your services and look for another position to fill the gap. It would be wrong to leave at this time of need.
ReplyDeleteLending an open and understanding ear is very kind. I think you don't have to solve her problem any more than you already are doing.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could ask her if she feels she needs more help. If she does, and you have more time to offer to put in more hours, you could do that (paid, obviously). And if you don't, you could offer to keep your eyes open for someone who could fill in the extra hours they need.
I think in any of these relationships boundaries are key, and sometimes it's up to the employee to set those boundaries. You can be sympathetic and loving while you're there just don't forget someone else's life is not your life. It may be increasingly difficult to maintain the priorities of your own life up against this sad situation, but please believe me when I say it's important that you do so.