AITA for eating at the children I babysit for’s house?
A 20-year-old babysitter had two slices of pizza and a breadstick while babysitting, believing it was reasonable since she served the meal to the kids and didn’t exceed her share. When the parents returned, they were unhappy, saying they hadn’t planned to provide her dinner.
Now, the babysitter feels uncomfortable, unsure if she was in the wrong. Read the original story below…
‘ AITA for eating at the children I babysit for’s house?’
I (20f) babysit for some extra cash on the side. This just happened and it’s eating me up so here we go. So, the family ordered pizza for dinner. Mom left cash on the table for me to pay. It was me, and two boys (7 and 10) large cheese pizza and breadsticks.
I have always been under the impression that the babysitter is allowed to have a reasonable amount of dinner if they’re expected to serve dinner. I’ve babysat a few times in the past and have never encountered this. When the parents came home to relieve me they asked how tonight went.
I said fine, and said that the pizza place was really good as I had never ordered from there before. Mom looked at me puzzled, and asked why I ate the kids dinner. I said I just had two pieces of pizza and a breadstick. I feel as if this was not an inappropriate amount to eat. However, the parents disagreed.
Dad said that they didn’t expect to have to feed me dinner as well, and told me not to eat their family’s food. Overall, I am very uncomfortable and confused by this experience. Both boys were fed, and did not complain about being hungry for the rest of the night.
I personally have always assumed, perhaps wrongly, that if I am expected to serve dinner as a sitter than I am welcome to have a serving. Is this something anyone else has experienced? AITA?
Here’s what the community had to contribute:
SumguyJeremy − NTA. I’m sure they had enough to eat. Were they expecting leftovers?
Disastrous_Dingo_309 − Wow, NTA. That family is rude and cheap AF. I usually order extra to accomodate for babysitters, ask their preferences for pizza toppings, etc., if we order pizza or any kind of food.
I also let them know where the snacks are, and to help themselves to water, soda, Gatorade etc in the fridge. I nannied and babysit for many many families over the years as a teenager and young adult too, and it was always like this as well. What an AH family. Don’t babysit for them again.
GardenSafe8519 − NTA. It is customary that if you have to feed the children you’re watching by any means (whether they leave money to place an order or you cook), you also get to eat. That’s how it’s always been when I babysat or when someone sat with my kid.
If they call you again to sit for their kids I would go over to their house and show them this post and tell them you won’t sit for them again if you are expected to starve while the kids eat in front of you.
🤷🏼♀️ Maybe entitled parents these days are different so to be on the safe side .. anyone who asks you to babysit that will be during a lunch or dinner time, ask if you will be provided the same lunch or dinner as the children.
[Reddit User] − NTA Cross them off your list, they’re cheap and unreasonable. It’s just a matter of time before they try to stiff you on the agreed upon payment. I treated my sitters like gold. They were watching my children. I made sure they had plenty to eat and their favorite snacks in the pantry.
Regular-Switch454 − Never babysit for them again unless they agree to feed you. NTA! I started cooking while babysitting at age 10. We all 3 sat and ate. Every family after that first one provided enough food for kids and sitter. It is outrageous that they expected you to starve.
Slightlysanemomof5 − My daughter started as a babysitter and now is a nanny during summer and during school breaks, and she has never not been offered snacks or a meal. Since my daughter has IBS she sometimes brings her own food and every family when daughter babysat again made sure there was food that was safe for my daughter to eat.
In fact the family she is an nanny for changed their shopping and some eating habits for the children so my daughter could eat with the children. Never babysit again and explain why and you are NTA.
Neutral_buoyancy − NTA Eating when you feed the children is absolutely the norm. When I was younger and baby sat the parents would always tell me to raid the pantry after bedtime and I tell my babysitter for my kids now the same. That’s just crazy what did they expect you to do just starve?
Digfortreasure − NTA- hopefully they call you again so you can politely decline due to their lack of common decency. Also, I would highly recommend you do not babysit for them again, ppl like this can create real problems if anything ever arose or happened,
trust me you will be blamed, denounced and slandered if they ever had a reason in their minds to. How you do one thing is how you do everything and they clearly are ungrateful, entitled and s**fish. Even if you need money it is not worth the possible bs.
my-kind-of-crazy − NTA. That’s so rude of them to order takeout and not expect you to eat it! If you’re at their house during a meal time then a meal should be provided. Honestly I would just not babysit for them again. That’s so weird and rude of them.
Tallchick8 − NTA- What were they expecting you to do? Cook your own dinner instead of watching the kids?. Go without food? Bring your own dinner and reheat it in their kitchen? There are a couple scenarios that I think would have slightly different outcomes.
With something shareable like pizza and breadsticks- I would assume that you could have some. If they had a lasagna and a salad, casserole etc You could have some.. What would be slightly different: If they gave you $40 to take everyone to McDonald’s, I’m not sure that I would assume that the $40 covered your food.
In that case, I think it could be possible that you would pay for whatever they wanted and then you would buy your own food with your own money if you so chose. I think in that case, they should specify whether you could buy your own food with that money as well.
I feel like most people in that circumstance would. (Take the kids out for ice cream and get one for yourself as well etc).. Petty Revenge: Next time you go over, heat a really stinky fish in their microwave as your dinner.
Was she wrong for assuming it was okay to have some pizza while watching the kids?
