When you’re a babysitter, you have to be very adaptable. That is because you are often entering someone else’s space with its own rules that you have to obey. You are also looking after someone else’s children and need to tailor your approach to cater to the specific parenting style.
However, no matter how adaptable you are, issues are bound to arise here and there. Miscommunications and misunderstandings are sometimes simply unavoidable.
In this situation, the miscommunication was about food. Scroll down to read why the babysitter thought she might have been in the wrong, and if the Am I the [Jerk] community agreed.
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 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.
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.
Many showed support for the babysitter's actions
Others thought she had crossed the line
