Working as a babysitter means that you have to be flexible and adaptable. Your job is sensitive, as you’re entering someone else’s home to look after their children. However, not all the rules that your clients set out make sense. It’s even worse when they have bizarre regulations that they never mention but expect you to abide by. And we all know that nobody can read minds.
That’s what happened to one hungry babysitter who was berated by her clients for eating some of the food that was ordered in for the kids. She turned to the AITA online community to find out if she overstepped any boundaries by eating a couple of slices of pizza while working. Scroll down for the full story and to see how the internet reacted.
The key to success for any babysitter is their ability to communicate well with both the kids and the parents
Image credits: sofiiashunkina (not the actual image)
However, no matter how good you are at your job, miscommunications are bound to occur from time to time. This is exactly what happened in the following story
Image credits: LightFieldStudios (not the actual image)
Image credits: u/Wrong_Net_5989
There should have been clearer communication between the parents and the babysitter
It is completely reasonable for the parents to not want their babysitters rummaging through their fridge or pantry. If they feel like their food is off limits, it is their own personal boundary to draw.
However, in this situation, the parents should have communicated that. After all, they knew the babysitter was staying at their place for more than a couple hours, so it was fair to believe she was going to get hungry eventually.
On the other hand, assuming you could eat the food can also come off as rude. So, if they didn’t clarify the rules, the next thing the sitter needs to do is to check in with the parents about their preferences.
Image credits: Karola G (not the actual image)
Communicating your expectations and being kind is always the way to go
If the family food is not to be touched, parents might want to provide some babysitter-only food. That could be snacks, pre-made meals they can heat up, or extra cash to order something in. They can also ask the sitter to bring their own food—that is not an uncommon ask, and there’s nothing wrong with it.
Whatever the preference, just like with any other rule of the house, communicate it and follow it. And if there is something that’s unclear, do not assume what might be the way to go. It is always better to ask instead.
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual image)
Many internet users showed support for the babysitter's actions
Others thought she had crossed the line
