Babysitter Refuses To Watch Kids For A Family That Took Advantage Of Her, Mother Gets Furious

Babysitting can be an excellent part-time job for teenagers, offering them a taste of entrepreneurship and some extra cash for social outings. It also fosters valuable traits like discipline and responsibility. However, given its informal nature and the relative youth of the babysitter, there’s a risk of exploitation. Young individuals must establish personal and professional boundaries early on. Babysitting blurs the lines between professional and personal spheres, as it involves navigating someone else’s home while attending to their children’s needs, which can be challenging.

A recent post on Reddit sheds light on this issue where a 16-year-old babysitter faced a dilemma when she was unexpectedly tasked with looking after an additional child during a babysitting job for a new family. Despite not being informed beforehand and receiving no extra pay, she decided to handle the situation without addressing it with the parents, feeling it wasn’t worth the trouble. However, upon being asked to babysit again by the same mother, she declined, citing her discomfort with the lack of communication during the previous job. This led to an argument where the mother accused her of rudeness and blamed her for not speaking up earlier.

Continue scrolling to delve into the Reddit story to explore the details of the recent drama.

Source: Reddit

1. OP asks if she is an AH for refusing to babysit for a family who exploited her by underpaying last time.

2. OP started babysitting for a family that had three children under 4 years and was paying $12 per hour.

3. Upon the parents’ departure, they unexpectedly left their friend’s child in the care of OP without prior notice. This left OP responsible for an additional child, adding to the already demanding task of babysitting their children.

4. OP felt a sense of unfairness as the parents failed to communicate that she would be responsible for four children instead of the expected three.

5. Still OP decided to handle the situation without addressing it with the parents, feeling it wasn’t worth the trouble.

6. However, upon being asked to babysit again by the same mother, she declined, citing her discomfort with the lack of communication during the previous job. The mother accused her of rudeness and blamed her for not speaking up earlier.

7. Feeling conflicted, the OP sought advice from her parents and friends, who believed she was being taken advantage of.

Now that you have read the story, it’s time for you to see what Redditors had to say about this. Read till the end to see what are other people’s opinions on this. 

8. It’s evident that OP is being significantly underpaid considering the demanding nature of the job and the additional unexpected responsibilities she’s shouldered.

9. The mother’s attempt to guilt-trip OP indicates a manipulative tactic aimed at deflecting responsibility and placing blame on OP for expressing her discomfort with the situation.

10. The mother didn’t even once try to apologize to OP.

11. OP’s parents are correct that the mother is exploiting her and trying to guilt-trip OP into babysitting for her again.

12. A simple ‘NO’ is enough to decline the work offers of such customers in future.

13. A wage of $12 per hour is not commensurate with the level of responsibility involved in caring for three small children.

14. Shame on you for not asking me before adding the responsibility of an extra child and underpaying me for such hefty work.

15. OP is under no obligation to continue babysitting for the family, and she has every right to decline further requests for any reason that she deems appropriate.

16. Stick to your gut…..say no and move on!!

17. OP has the autonomy to decline job opportunities that she does not wish to pursue, as she is not obligated to accept tasks that she finds unsuitable or uncomfortable.

18. This scenario presents an opportunity for OP to recognize the importance of trusting her instincts and advocating for herself in challenging situations.

19. OP’s decision to refuse further babysitting for the family is completely justified, considering all the discomfort experienced during the previous job.

20. OP is not at fault here. She can confidently terminate this client without any guilt. Exceptional babysitters are invaluable and should be respected accordingly.

It’s commendable that OP stood up for herself and refused to be manipulated by the guilt-tripping tactics of the mother. The support from the Reddit community is a reassuring reminder that OP’s concerns are valid and that she deserves to be treated with respect and fairness in her job. OP must remain vigilant and assertive in setting boundaries to prevent further exploitation. Do share your thoughts in the comments section below.

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