Teenagers are often pressured to find a job. However, their lack of work experience and academic responsibilities significantly limits their options.
Out of the remaining options, babysitting, due to its flexible nature, is a common choice.
When Reddit user PJMurphy was still in high school, he also used to look after kids to make a few extra dollars. However, one of the families who hired him developed a scheme to underpay him.
But the teen wasn’t going to be a pushover, so he found a way to get back at them, particularly the mom who did most of the negotiating, and (this is very important to the story) had OCD tendencies.
Continue scrolling to find out how PJMurphy pulled it off in his post on the subreddit ‘Petty Revenge,’ which serves as a reminder that what goes around comes around.
Parents can’t always look after their kids, so they hire babysitters
Image credits: rseniiPalivoda (not the actual photo)
But this couple thought they could cheat the teenager they hired out of his money
Image credits: KOMUnews (not the actual photo)
Image source: PJMurphy
Child care is expensive, but that doesn’t give you the right to use people
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)
Even though it’s been years since PJMurphy’s petty revenge, the cost of child care remains a sensitive topic among parents in many parts of the world.
For example, according to a recent report, in the US, it’s outpacing inflation by more than 3 percent.
This, together with increasing costs of everyday goods like groceries, gas, and housing, is making child care significantly less accessible, particularly for lower-earning families.
67% of American parents are now spending 20% or more of their annual household income on child care (up from 51% in 2022), while 89% are attributing 10% or more of their yearly budget to these expenses (up from 72% in 2022).
Since the average weekly nanny cost is now $736 (up 56% from $472 in 2013), a teenage babysitter might seem like a good deal — after all, it’s a private arrangement and no law dictates what you must pay. However, as we can see, trying to play them can seriously backfire!
Vicki Broadbent of Honest Mum believes parents and teenage babysitters can still find common ground
Image credits: honestmum.com
Some articles in the media are saying that the era of the teenage babysitter is in decline.
But our parenting expert Vicki Broadbent, who runs the popular family lifestyle blog Honest Mum, thinks it all boils down to individual needs and circumstances.
“I think [if you want to hire a teenager to look after your kids] you need to ensure the teen is of an appropriate age to care for your child. So, for example, I wouldn’t advise leaving a 6-month baby or a young toddler with anyone under 16 but that would depend on the maturity and experience of the babysitter and the needs of the child they would be caring for,” Broadbent explained to Bored Panda. “18-year-olds might be more suitable.”
However, she added that older children might be fine with slightly younger-aged babysitters. That being said, the mom herself still wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving her own kids with anyone younger than 15.
“Babysitters should have first aid skills and also have experience caring for either siblings and/or other children,” Broadbent, who is also the author of Mumboss (UK) and The Working Mom (US and Canada), said.
“A detailed interview with references is important. You are leaving your children’s lives in the hands of the babysitter. Ensure you leave your contact number, and an extra emergency number as well as the details of where you will be, before leaving your children in their care… and set rules, like no friends allowed to join, the TV can’t be on too loud in case it disturbs the child, they must check on the children x amount of times, etc. And be clear on the time you will be away for and stick to it.”
She thinks one of the biggest cons of hiring teens for this job is the fact that some of them simply won’t have the emotional maturity to meet the needs of your child. “Yes, they might charge less than an experienced child care provider but you’re potentially taking a risk.”
Vicki highlighted that while parents shouldn’t be caring for the babysitter, it’s still a good idea to leave adequate food and drink for them and always pay them fairly. “This is the most important job in the world at that moment in time. Think about it!”
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