A babysitter’s frustrations led to an important reminder for workers to value their time, regardless of the actual work they are doing moment to moment.
The 22-year-old took to Reddit to explain that she has been babysitting for a 22-month-old for the past year as a side gig. She’s paid $20 an hour and also helps clean, prepare food for the baby, and speaks Spanish to her to help her learn a second language from an early age.
But the baby’s father has allegedly repeatedly made comments about not wanting to pay her to work while the child is napping, leaving her feeling confused and unappreciated.
“Today he said ‘you get expensive if you’re here while the baby is napping,’” she recalled, “which feels like a slap in the face because of what i do while shes sleeping. They’re pretty well off and its frustrating to think that they can spend money on lavish things but not a service.”
That he had made comments to this effect in the past made the babysitter wonder if she was in the wrong for continuing to accept payment and for contemplating quitting over the whole thing.
Redditors were eager to reassure the babysitter that her time spent listening for the sleeping baby to wake up was deserving of payment — as long as she couldn’t leave the house, she was still on the clock.
The babysitter ultimately updated readers that she chatted with both parents and the dad said his “comments didn’t come out as intended” and he seemed to change his story entirely with his wife around to listen.
“Mom was super sincere & apologetic,” the redditor added. “She said she understood how doing my job could be uncomfortable with comments like that as she used to be a babysitter… Mom said they really want to make amends for the situation, and said my help was invaluable to them.”
She took some time off to consider things all the same, but if she did or does end up quitting, the dad may be in for a rude awakening about how much paying someone to watch a toddler, teach them Spanish, and clean up around the house can actually end up costing — and that no one worth paying to look after your child gives discounted rates for nap time.