“Looked At Me Puzzled”: Parents Aghast After Babysitter Confesses To Having A Few Slices Of Pizza
When you’re a babysitter, you have to be very adaptable. That is because you are often entering someone else’s space with its own rules that you have to obey. You are also looking after someone else’s children and need to tailor your approach to cater to the specific parenting style.
However, no matter how adaptable you are, issues are bound to arise here and there. Miscommunications and misunderstandings are sometimes simply unavoidable.
In this situation, the miscommunication was about food. Scroll down to read why the babysitter thought she might have been in the wrong, and if the Am I the [Jerk] community agreed.
The key to success for any babysitter is their ability to communicate well with both the kids and the parents
Image credits: sofiiashunkina (not the actual image)
However, no matter how good you are at your job, miscommunications are bound to occur from time to time. This is exactly what happened in the following story
Image credits: LightFieldStudios (not the actual image)
Image credits: u/Wrong_Net_5989
There should have been clearer communication between the parents and the babysitter
It is completely reasonable for the parents to not want their babysitters rummaging through their fridge or pantry. If they feel like their food is off limits, it is their own personal boundary to draw.
However, in this situation, the parents should have communicated that. After all, they knew the babysitter was staying at their place for more than a couple hours, so it was fair to believe she was going get hungry eventually.
On the other hand, assuming you could eat the food can also come off as rude. So, if they didn’t clarify the rules, the next thing the sitter needs to do is to check in with the parents about their preferences.
Communicating your expectations and being kind is always the way to go
If the family food is not to be touched, parents might want to provide some babysitter-only food. That could be snacks, pre-made meals they can heat up, or extra cash to order something in. They can also ask the sitter to bring their own food—that is not an uncommon ask, and there’s nothing wrong with it.
Whatever the preference, just like with any other rule of the house, communicate it and follow it. And if there is something that’s unclear, do not assume what might be the way to go. It is always better to ask instead.
Many showed support for the babysitter’s actions
Others thought she had crossed the line
Those saying OP is TA have obviously never babysat in their lives. If the babysitter is expected to feed the children then she should be eating too. And the parents should always provide food or snacks for the babysitter. Soon enough they won't have anyone watching their crotch goblins if they keep up the entitled c**p.
For real. I babysat a little bit and the parents were like, "here's the leftovers, here's the pantry, here's the fresh fruit, and here's all the microwavable frozen food." These parents are unreasonable and cheap and so are all the people who are going on about OP being an employee. Guess what a******s, employees are legally entitled to breaks and lunch/dinner.
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People cannot seriously be equating babysitting to a 9 to 5 job. Employee theft?
She's taking care of there children for a evening show some gratitude mom and dad..it's two slices of pizza. Petty people, I wouldn't work for them again. Do they count toilet paper squares too?
Those saying OP is TA have obviously never babysat in their lives. If the babysitter is expected to feed the children then she should be eating too. And the parents should always provide food or snacks for the babysitter. Soon enough they won't have anyone watching their crotch goblins if they keep up the entitled c**p.
For real. I babysat a little bit and the parents were like, "here's the leftovers, here's the pantry, here's the fresh fruit, and here's all the microwavable frozen food." These parents are unreasonable and cheap and so are all the people who are going on about OP being an employee. Guess what a******s, employees are legally entitled to breaks and lunch/dinner.
Load More Replies... People cannot seriously be equating babysitting to a 9 to 5 job. Employee theft?
She's taking care of there children for a evening show some gratitude mom and dad..it's two slices of pizza. Petty people, I wouldn't work for them again. Do they count toilet paper squares too?
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