Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
I have been working at a daycare for close to a year, and one of the ladies that works there that I am friendly with asked if I could babysit her son and daughter on Friday night, one of which is enrolled at the daycare. I agreed, but panicked when she told me I'd have to leave work at closing time with her son and drive him back to her house to watch him and her daughter there. The son is three. I suffer extremely from driving anxiety and while I've come a very long way, I don't think I'm ready to have that young of a passenger. I've never been to her home before (it's 20 minutes away and this is a newer town for me), so it'd be the first time driving there which already makes me panick as I get extremely nervous on new roads, and my driving skills seem to take a beating these times. I don't really feel comfortable having passengers at all, much less when I don't know where I'm going. I said yes already, but do you think I should explain my situation to her? I could probably handle getting there myself but I think driving someone else's child in this situation is out of the question for me. Should I just tell her I'd meet them at her home? I feel childish and stupid. I don't want to inconvenience her, and I'm going to have to cart my own kids around one day inevitably. Should I get over it or not do something im not comfortable with? I don't want to be made fun of, I don't think I will be by my coworkers but it's still embarrassing and upsetting that I can't do a task that's so easy for other people.
If you still feel very uncomfortable after, I'd just be honest and say you'll need to meet them there.
Best luck to you!
If you don't feel confident driving her baby boy, then that is fine. And I'm sure she'd rather know this before than after. Just tell her you feel it's too much responsibility as you are not the best driver. You don't have to say why - or that you have anxiety. Just say you are a beginner, or not experienced, or something that makes her realise that you are being responsible by saying no. :)
That or you can give it a shot. You might surprise yourself. :)
I agree with mello, perhaps take a drive before hand to familiarise yourself. It gets you out of the house, you get to practice driving and you get to find out where you are going. Its really given you many things to benefit your life. Look up on google maps and get a general idea of the way. We always get to where we are going otherwise we would all be lost right now!
Have a look on youtube to see how to fit car seats, like you say the day will come when you will have children so see it as a great skill to have. You will get a good general idea. Ask you co workers if they can help you put the car seat in when it comes to it. Other people use them everyday, all they did was learn how to do it so you can to.
Bridgie is right. Kids that age are non judgemental. It would be like driving a cat around (I hope your not afraid of cats!)
Put some music on in the car to entertain the child and for you to relax. Have a little sing a long!
Break your anxieties down to small sections. You have a good few days to think about it. Spend some time on each problem on each day. Write some positive affirmations and repeat them on each day such as I can use a car seat, I will be able to put it in place etc.
Reward yourself for reaching your goals even if your goals are to practice reaching your goals!
Have fun with life. It sounds like it will be fun babysitting for them! You are obviously very capable of other things in life so do not forget what you are good at. Do not forget how great you are.
Keep us updated this week!
Best wishes
Unless you don't want to let people know about your anxiety (it's no one else's business), it's fine to say, "I am very comfortable babysitting but not comfortable driving with kids in my car. If you can arrange a ride for your son, I'd be happy to meet you at the house to babysit."
You can disclose the anxiety if you want - or not.
For years and years I just struggled through things or made up a different excuse. It felt SO much better when I was able to say, "I have anxiety so I'd prefer it if we ...."
And you know what? People said, "No problem. What would work better?"