Redditor thebabysitter9 is exactly who her Reddit screen name suggests – a babysitter.
The Original Poster (OP) is a teenager who babysits some weeks for extra cash.
Recently the parents the OP was sitting for stopped returning her calls and were several hours late to return home.
Out of concern for their safety as well as not knowing what else to do, the OP called the police.
Around the same time the cops arrived, the parents arrived back. To say they were displeased is an understatement.
This drove the OP to subReddit “Am I the A**hole?” (AITA).
She asked:
“AITA for calling the police when the parents I babysit for were late?”
She went on to explain:
“I [16-year-old female] sometimes babysit on weekends. My mom’s coworker needed a babysitter, and she gave him my number.”
“I agreed to babysit 3 kids from 2 pm till 8.30 pm. Because the parents had some party to get to.”
“It went okay. But the parents didn’t get back at 8.30. At 9 I tried calling him, but he didn’t pick up.”
“I texted a few times. At 9.30 I tried calling again. And again at 10. And 10.30.”
“I tried calling my parents, but my dad was at a work dinner and my mom didn’t pick up. I tried calling the parents of the kids again, but they still weren’t picking up or responding.”
“At 11.30 ish I called the police, because I didn’t know what else to do. And I was worried something might have happened to the parents too.”
“They came, and around the same time the parents came back. The dad screamed at me, and he’s still very upset.”
“Edit: I called the police because I was worried about the parents not picking up / being late, and because I really had to get home. Not to involve cps or anything like that.”
“Edit 2: since some people asked. I didn’t call the emergency number, I’m not in the US (police isn’t violent here), and I was paid up front, so not for the extra 3 hours.”
“(This was a response to a few comments, I don’t think all US cops are violent)”
Redditors weighed in by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors decided:
“NTA, the parents you babysat for are.”
“You did everything right. I babysat (many years ago) when I was your age. The parents being 3 hours late and 3 hours unreachable is a babysitting emergency.”
“They should ALWAYS be reachable in case there’s an emergency with their kids or you or the house.”
“Calling them first, multiple times, and then calling your mother were the first two steps you took, and they were both correct.”
“Calling the police third was also correct. The parents were 3 hours late and did not contact you and did not respond to your attempts to contact them.”
“They definitely need to pay you for the extra hours you worked. If they won’t, ask your parents to get involved.”
“The husband screaming at you was totally out of line, and realistically had nothing to do with you.”
“And please tell your mother all about it, so she can let her coworker know you won’t be babysitting for them again.”
“I’m sorry you went through that. You absolutely did nothing wrong. 💐” – NWL3
“I’m sorry, the parents came home three hours later than they said they would. They gave you no heads up-and they wouldn’t answer their phone.”
“What were you supposed to think?!”
“Alll this drama could have been avoided if they had …”
“1. Been upfront with you on how late they reeeeeally planned on staying out, or”
“2. Let you know by text or phone call they were going to be later than they expected, so you wouldn’t worry, or”
“3. If they had just answered their d*mn phone any one of the numerous times you called them”
“But… no. The parents drift home on their own sweet timetable and are surprised and shocked to find flashing lights and officers at their house. Well, I hope they were embarrassed.”
“And then dad took it out on you by ‘screaming’ at you. Oh, and he is ‘still very upset’. Well, you are upset, too.”
“I bet he didn’t apologize for worrying you, did he. Or give you a bonus for making you stay later and worrying you. lol. That’s classy behavior right there. Yep. (s)”
“So you called 911.”
“I hope you never babysit for them again. And you should let alllll your babysitter friends know what these people are like.”
“Just tell your friends the whole story, like you told Reddit. NTA” – YouthNAsia63
“NTA.”
“‘At 9 I tried calling him, but he didn’t pick up. I texted a few times. At 9.30 I tried calling again. And again at 10. And 10.30.’”
“‘At 11.30 ish I called the police, because I didn’t know what else to do.’”
“You did the absolute right thing. You tried contacting the father quite a few times, and he didn’t respond. They came back three hours after you were told they’d be returning.”
“The father was in the wrong, and he knew it. That’s why he screamed at you.”
“A responsible adult parent would have picked up your calls.”
“I’m sure I don’t have to say this, but don’t ever babysit for these idiots again!” – Capelily
“NTA”
“OP, they were not ‘delayed’ you were straight up lied to. Nobody gets home from a party at eight thirty. That’s usually when things start picking up.”
“It’s like they lied to you for a variety of reasons. That you not sit if you knew it would be till late, because of your own bedtime.”
“They lied about the number of hours, maybe because they wanted to rip you off of the cost for the extra hours. Who knows?”
“Either way, never sit for these people again, they are clearly dishonest. Heaven forbid anything happen to the kid after you left, they’d blame you for it!” – proud_didi
“NTA 3 hours late with no communication is cause for concern.”
“What’s up with no one picking up their phone? Especially the parents, but even your parents. I get work dinners and all, but it’s not that big of a deal to pick up a call from your kid.” – Spare-Article-396
“NTA”
“You did the responsible, safe, logical thing.”
“They can blame themselves for not calling you to tell you they were going to be late and for not being reachable when you tried to call them.”
“You can bet your a** that if their kid was supposed to be home at 8:30 and was completely unreachable…”
“…that they would be calling the police bc they would be concerned.” – Prize-Bumblebee-2192
“NTA You were left in charge of three young children and unable to contact their parents for over three hours past the point they were supposed to be back…”
“…they didn’t call you and they didn’t answer your calls – they could be in a ditch for all you knew.”
“It was a responsible, logical thing to do with the welfare of three kids in the mix. Well done – more should follow your example.”
“Also, the parents you babysat for a world class a**holes and should have left you more than one contact number.” – Relevant_doom
“NTA – The parents are the ones who are being extremely irresponsible here.”
“I think that they probably felt that because you are a child and that they are adults, they did not have any need to let you know of a change in plans.”
“This ignored the fact that you were taking responsibility for their children during that time and had no idea what was happening. All they had to do was simply call or text you with updates.”
“After a couple of hours beyond the time that they told you that they would be home, and not being able to reach them…”
“…it’s reasonable to start thinking that something bad happened like they may have gotten into a car accident or something on the way home.” – okIhaveANopinionHERE
“NTA, you absolutely did the right thing. WTAF is wrong with these people, your sitter is calling and you don’t answer ?”
“You could simply text or call and say so sorry we’re running late is that okay. What did they expect you to do, because their behavior is ridiculous.” – Hadtosignuptofothis
“NTA”
“This was three hours past the time you were supposed to leave, with no contact from them and they were ignoring your calls. Of course you had to call the police.”
“This had gone into child neglect by now, unless there was an emergency, in which case even more reason to involve the police.”
“I hope you told your mother about this, because she needs to talk to her coworker. He abused your trust, left you in a horrible position, never apologised and yelled at you.”
“He owes you an apology.” – Rikutopas
“NTA sad that a 16 year old has to act more responsibility than adults. Does this loser not understand that this is unacceptable, they could have been in a car accident or anything.”
“Let him be upset, and never return there!” – TheNinjaPixie
OP better be getting her overtime pay!