AITAH for refusing to keep babysitting for a family after the mom accused me of trying to seduce her man?

A 16-year-old babysitter was accused by a client, Jen, of trying to seduce her husband, Nate, after a seemingly innocent gesture—bringing him an ice cream cone. Jen lashed out, calling her names and abruptly ending the babysitting arrangement.

After the sitter informed Nate about the confrontation, Jen later apologized, likely pressured by Nate or realizing she needed childcare. Despite repeated requests to return, the sitter declined, feeling too uncomfortable to continue working for the family.

‘ AITAH for refusing to keep babysitting for a family after the mom accused me of trying to seduce her man?’

I’m 16F. Since 2021 I’ve done babysitting in order to get a little cash during the summer and school year, and it’s been great. My most common client is Jen 33F, her husband Nate 35M and their three kids, Joy 9F, Dylan 6M and Paige 4F.

I’ve been babysitting for them for about 10 months, and I’ve gotten to know them very well, so since summer started I’ve become more like a nanny for them. I’m there from about 8 am to 6 pm monday to thursday, and sometimes I work on weekends when they need extra help. The kids are all nice and usually behave.

I thought that everything was going well until this past monday. Nate works from home half of the time but he doesn’t like to be bothered (he works in IT) so I try to take them out on the days he’s there.

On monday we went out to the park, and on the way home we stopped for ice cream because it was hot out and I wasn’t just gonna get ice cream for myself. I know what flavors Jen and Nate like so I thought it would be nice to bring Nate a cone since he’d be done working by the time we got back. So I did, and he seemed to appreciate it.

Jen did not. On monday night, after I already went home she called and started cussing me out, calling me a w**ore and a b**tch and accusing me of trying to steal Nate from her.

She said that she noticed the way that we looked at and talked to each other when I went to the zoo with them earlier this month, which was weird because we just talked about naruto and demon slayer for most of the trip when we weren’t talking about animals and the ninja turtles with the kids.

She said that she was willing to ignore it and my outfit that day at first, but that I went too far by bringing him home a gift. Keep in mind IT WAS A $4 ICE CREAM CONE, I mean wtf? She said that she knew what I was doing, that Nate is her man and he’d never go for trash like me, then told me not to come back because if I did she’d make me regret it.
I was near hysterics crying by the time she stopped cussing me out, I didn’t really know what else to do so I texted Nate and told him everything she said. I also told him that I would no longer be babysitting for them. He told me he’d handle it but I didn’t hear back.

Well Jen texted me this morning and apologized. I guess that Nate either completely flipped out on her or she realized that she’d have to quit her job if she couldn’t find a babysitter, because she completely changed her tune.

She said that she was ‘mistaken’ before, and that she was reading into things because she was stressed from work, and she asked me if I would consider coming back. I said no because of how uncomfortable I felt with her now.

She asked me again, saying that the kids missed me yesterday and I’d be putting them all in an awkward position if I didn’t come back, but I still said no. Then she accused me of not caring about the kids, so I stopped replying. AITA?

Here’s what people had to say to OP:

ElderberryOwn666 ( Top 1 ) says

Don’t babysit for them anymore, this is way to weird, starting by the fact you are underaged!. And also she already showed her true colors, don’t stick arround to find out how worse she can get.

Single_Cookie_7915 ( Top 2 ) says

NTA. Jen’s projecting her insecurities onto you mate. I’d advise you to not be involved with their family anymore. How can she even think of that? You’re 16 and he’s 35!? She’s weird for that.

Fantastic-Focus-7056 ( Top 3 ) says

NTA and do not under any circumstances go back, no matter what she might offer in terms of more money or whatever. Her reaction, to a 16 year old no less, was completely out of proportion and honestly, p**ycho. I wouldn’t feel comfortable working for someone like that.

If you haven’t yet, inform your parents of everything that happened. If she keeps texting/calling you, ask your parents to pick up and tell her to leave you alone.

qlohengrin ( Top 4 ) says

NTA. You did the right thing in telling the husband, please tell your parents also, in case the p**ycho persists or escalates. Don’t babysit for these people ever again, don’t set foot in their home ever again.

Spineberry ( Top 5 ) says

You’d be putting them in an awkward position by not babysitting? Never mind the awkward position she put you in by making accusations. NTA – don’t go back

Suspicious-Grand9781 ( Top 6 ) says

Nta. If someone called me a w**ore and a b**tch I would block their number and not speak to them again. She realized she f—-d herself and is desperate for childcare.

PlethoraOfDogs ( Top 7 ) says

You’re the most mature of the whole bunch. Good for you saying no to that t**xic situation. Very proud of you!! 💜

Historical-Goal-3786 ( Top 8 ) says

NTA. Even if she apologized, she tried to guilt you using the children to get you to come back. A truly sorry person would have said, “I understand ”

cnycompguy ( Top 9 ) says

Jen needs some fuckin therapy
NTA

Dachshundmom5 ( Top 10 ) says

She seems somewhat unstable at this point. she called and started cussing me out, calling me a w**ore and a b**tch and accusing me of trying to steal Nate from her. She said that she knew what I was doing, that Nate is her man and he’d never go for trash like me, then told me not to come back because if I did she’d make me regret it.

She will “make you regret it.” That’s a threat. I said no because of how uncomfortable I felt with her now. she accused me of not caring about the kids,

I mean, seriously. Text Nate one final time screenshots of what she sent you. Tell him you no longer feel comfortable having contact with her at all and that you will be blocking them. Something like:

“Nate, attached you will find this morning’s texts from Jen. After telling me I will regret it if I come back and now refusing to take no for an answer, I no longer feel comfortable having contact with her. I was initially called names and threatened.

Now I’m being told I don’t care about the kids if I won’t return to a place where one parent sees fit to treat me this way. Please ask her to stop contacting me as I will be blocking her.” Then block her and hopefully he deals with his wife. I’m sorry for the kids, but you are NTA.