Babysitting has long been a popular and lucrative job for many people.
It’s one of the go-to jobs for the youth.
It can also be a burden…
See, some families love to make the youth in their clan babysit for free.
It can be looked at as a debt to be paid.
The youth don’t always buy it.
Redditor EasternDetective7182 wanted to discuss her experience and get some feedback. So naturally, she came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.
She asked:
“AITA for telling all my family that if I’m babysitting there are no rules?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“My family tends to stick me (F[emale] 18) with my nieces and nephews when we get together.”
“I am also the go-to for babysitting.”
“I do not get paid for this because since my siblings watched me when I was little I owe them.”
“I don’t really mind.”
“I love all the kids and they are well-behaved and polite.”
“With me at least because I don’t put up with their s**t.”
“I established dominance early on with all of them.”
“I also have no sh**s to give when it comes to the rules regarding watching them.”
“I would never allow them to get hurt or anything.”
“I just won’t follow a huge list of rules.”
“If you want your kid to eat vegan then you better bring a vegan meal for them.”
“Otherwise they get pizza.”
“Or Dino nuggets. Or hot dogs.”
“If they aren’t allowed to watch ‘woke’ movies or TV then it’s up to you to provide a TV and media because I’m putting on Frozen or something.”
“My parents keep telling me that I have to follow the rules when I’m babysitting.”
“I just keep asking why.”
“What’s the worst anyone can do to me?”
“Take away my free babysitting?”
“Oh poor me?”
“We are in Jasper right now, and it’s been hot as balls.”
“So I took the kiddos cliff jumping at horseshoe lake.”
“I brought them back wet and filthy.”
“Everyone told me that I was being a s**t babysitter.”
“I offered a full refund.”
“Then I went and got a beer with some friends I made at the lake.”
“I have a full scholarship.”
“When I turned 18 I also got a small inheritance.”
“It’s enough that I won’t have to work for spending money during my university years and put a down payment on a house.”
“I’ll probably leave it, though.”
“I literally do not need financial help from my family.”
“So they have no hold over me.”
“My siblings and I all got the exact same inheritance.”
“Except I was only three when my grandmother passed away, so it’s been collecting compound interest for almost twenty years.”
“My trust fund is about four times what my siblings each got.”
“My family thinks I’m being an entitled a**, but they also won’t pay me.”
“I am more than willing to follow any rule I am paid to follow.”
The OP was left to wonder:
“AITA?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared OP was NOT the A**hole.
“NTA. I do not get paid for this because my siblings watched me when I was little, and I owe them.”
“No, you don’t get paid because they are entitled.”
“They did this for your parents, not you.”
“You owe them nothing for looking after you (on a technicality) in a sense.”
“Nothing you have mentioned I would consider over the top, except maybe the cliff jumping depending on ages and height?”
“Your situation with finances aside, if they want a list of rules, they can pay someone to follow them.” ~ warclonex
“NTA. ‘I offered a full refund. Then I went and got a beer…’ this made me laugh my a** off.”
“You’ve got everything sorted, don’t actually owe them anything, but are still gracious enough to babysit ’cause you love the kids.”
“NTA. 100% on the parents to provide alternatives.”
“Congrats on the scholarship!” ~ Limp-Star2137
“I established dominance with them all early.”
“Omg, I’m dying and I love you. NTA 🤣🤣🤣👏👏👏” ~ HPNerd44
“NTA. I personally have a problem with people using their kids as free babysitters because of how I was treated.”
“From my perspective about respect.”
“First, you don’t owe s**t.”
“Second, you should always be asked if you’re available and willing.”
“It should not be expected.”
“I have a 15, a 14, and an eight-year-old.”
“They love babysitting because, honestly, they can eat whatever’s around and play whatever or watch whatever.”
“If everyone is alive when I get home – awesome. Good job.”
“My mum remarried when I was 12 and had another kid when I was 15 and one when I was 16.”
“I practically raised them.”
“I love them dearly, but it should not have been my responsibility to raise other people’s kids for free- literally all the time.”
“Now if you’re offering occasionally, that’s one thing.”
“But it should not be expected that you will just do whatever, whenever, because you owe them.”
“Side note: when I had my first kid, I was hyper about babysitters, so I wrote a four-page instructions letter.”
“Now I fully realize that was f**king bonkers.”
“Seriously, if everyone is alive when I get home. I’m happy.”
“If they are asleep I’m f**king ecstatic.”
“Also, no rules makes you the best aunt ever.” ~ New-Dentist-7346
“Definitely NTA.”
“Your family is taking advantage of you.”
“They can’t demand free labor and strict rule adherence simultaneously.”
“If they want specific care, they should pay for it.”
“Your approach makes sense, the kids are safe, fed, and entertained.”
“Their entitlement is showing.”
“Stick to your guns.” ~ 6000_years
“NTA. So long as the kids are fed, safe, and restricted to age-appropriate activities, I say you’re golden.”
“They’re getting the service they paid for.”
“If they want you to bend over backwards exposing the kids to fine arts, and gourmet handcrafted vegan cuisine, they better start incentivising.” ~ SaiorsesWord
“NTA… you sound like a fun babysitter that’ll keep the kids entertained, and you feed them, they should be grateful.”
“The only thing that scared this mama was kids around water with maybe not enough adults.”
“But I obviously don’t know you and they were clearly good swimmers as no one drowned. Kudos.”
“Screw them. Tell them to pay an actual sitter if they don’t like it.” ~ ExaminationDry305
“NTA. I would be exactly the same.”
“Honestly, you’re going to be the most loved Aunt.”
“You’re allowing them to have childhood experiences they don’t otherwise get.”
“You aren’t doing it behind their backs, you make it clear that you’re not going to follow rules you don’t follow yourself.”
“They can absolutely find someone else to watch the kids if it’s really that big of a deal to them.”
“Let them call you entitled.”
“They know what they’re getting when they ask you to watch the kids.” ~ Quirky-Spirit-5498
“Definitely NTA. Just a fun story when my kids were little, my instructions for our (paid) babysitter were simple- Have enough fun that the next time I’m going out and I tell them you’re coming over they can’t wait for me to leave.”
“As far as I’m concerned, you’re doing everything right!” ~ Known_Noise
“Oh baby – you are in a very fortunate position!”
“You do not have to take crap from anyone, when you can stand strong, and truly do not ‘neeeeeed’ anyone to assist you financially.”
“You don’t ‘neeeeed’ to babysit, but you do!”
“And I guess these kids are getting a different look at the world when they are with you – they are safe but free to explore and push the boundaries that their folks have hobbled them with.”
“And would probably have conniptions over.”
“You are magnificent!!” ~ IamtheStinger
“NTA. It’s important to have someone in the family that the kids think of as fun but responsible so if they ever end up at a party without a designated driver, or at a secret boyfriend’s house and he does something bad, or wherever, that there is someone they can call who will pick them up and not judge them.”
“I told my little cousins this year (both teens) that once they’re old enough to drink, I’ll do a cocktail tasting spread for them so they’ll know what different liquors taste like and what drinks they actually enjoy to order when they go out in college.”
“Parents need to be strict and dependable, but kids need someone looser too.” ~ Big_Zucchini_9800
“NTA, I’m the same way with my nephews.”
“I’m also the type that if you hit someone they can hit you back, if someone hits you hit them back.”
“As long as they are safe and not hurting themselves or others who cares?”
“They ain’t paying you so why should you do babysitting their way?”
“I’d tell them ‘You’re not paying me so you don’t get to tell me how to babysit, if you don’t like it don’t let me babysit for free’ or ‘I’m an unpaid babysitter be grateful you have a free babysitter some people don’t” or something like that.” ~ Elegant_Ad_1360
“NTA. You are the fun aunt.”
“If they want their rules followed, they need to pay a sitter.”
“When my kids were growing up, any kid at my house had to follow the same rules as my kids.”
“Just basic common sense and decency for the most part.”
“I only cooked dinner one time a day.”
“Eat it, or make a sandwich.”
“One kid got pestered so I tried new foods by my kids.”
“His mom fixed him whatever he wanted, usually Mac and cheese.”
“Not an option at my house that day.”
“He finally tried meatloaf, baked potato, green beans, and cornbread.”
“Ate it all and asked for seconds.”
“His mom was shocked.”
“You do you.”
“Feed them what you want to cook.”
“Watch kids movies. Play.”
“If their parents don’t like it, they need a new sitter.” ~ Fickle_Toe1724
“NTA. I like your pov on this!”
“Keep it up, because they want you in the sticks with them.”
“You don’t owe them a ‘lifetime’ of babysitting, because they were forced to watch you.”
“Your parents owe them!” ~ Alfred-Register7379
“NTA, really with family doing babysitting, rules are there to be broken.”
“So long as everybody is safe, it’s fine.”
“If they have crazy strict rules for their kids, they can apply those rules, it’s not up to you to enforce them.” ~ ToThePillory
Well, OP, Reddit is with you.
You’re not a servant to your family.
Don’t let them take advantage of you.