What is the most polite way (without lying) to tell the mother of the children i sit for that I can no longer?

LOL! Well, don't tell her that her kids are horrible!! Just say that you are busy with school/other activities, but that you are thankful for the opportunity and would love to have her as a reference for future jobs. With a good reference from her you can get another job with a *hopefully* better family.

Don't burn bridges! :D

well, you sound so nice and quite logical. it's a shame these kids are not being disciplined. if it were me, i'd just tell her exactly how you said it right there in your question. and it's HOW you say it just as much as WHAT you're saying so you can be very polite while you're telling her this. sounds like she needs to hear an honest opinion from someone who's dealt with her and her kids so, who best than you? and you might be saving another sitter a dramatic fiasco if you just let her (the mom) know how it is. if she gets another sitter and they flip out on her, well, it could just be ugly and nothing could get resolved. don't be afraid to tell people the truth. no one said telling the truth was always easy. and it's good practice for you for the future when you have more confrontational situations you'll be in...so get to practicing:) good luck!

Tell her, "Your psychotic children have hit me, bit me, and created absolute chaos for me, and I can't take this anymore. Give me my money and goodbye!" Look, even idiots are allowed to breed so if ill behaved children are the cause of your problems, remember, they will live life with the world revolving around them, and they will find out that the world is NOT all about them when they get out in the "real world". Don't give up, just say that you will not be treated this way and leave!

Summon up the gumption to tell her the truth.

You can do it. Sometimes you just have to stick up for yourself, and this is definitely one of those occasions. If you lie about some other engagements etc., it'll probably eat at you, so there isn't really any other choice.

You'll feel relieved and have a good concience afterwards.

Good luck..

give her time to get another sitter, GET PAID and get the heck out and find some Dream Children., That's what I did. just answer her questions honestly briefly and to the point. Good luck. You might discuss disapline with the next mother, include how you do it. If she agrees you got the job.

Just politely tell her that her and her children go against everything you believe in or stand for..discipline, structure, schedules and sanity!!

and you simply cannot watch them anymore.

I really understand what you are going through, people just don't believe in correcting their children nowadays...they let them run all over -- it's absolutely ludicrous!

Good Luck!

Say Mrs. (Name here), I regret to inform you I can no longer be of service to you. If she asks why say you want to look for a job in a different area now.

The next time she asks you to sit, tell her you're unavailable. If she presses on, tell her your services are unavailable to her. If she still presses, the good ol' phrase "I quit!" should suffice.

She should realise how her children are affecting you so I'd say you should tell her pretty much what you've told us.

She'd have to fire me, cause I'd tear those f*ckers to shreds if they bit me >:(

ok, not really, but I would discipline them whether she agreed or not. She could fire me if she wants.