Babysitter Makes Parents Pay For Items Damaged By Unsupervised Kid, Asks If She's In The Wrong

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mattstaff
Jun 11, 2021 8:00 AM EDT

Honestly, it sounds like the parents are the ones in this unfortunate scenario who really engineered the ultimate unwanted outcome. They knew when the babysitter was going to have to dip, and ultimately didn't make good on the agreed upon time. From there, it's pretty natural for the young ones in this world to get all kinds of mischievous and stir up trouble. It seems like most folks in the comments section were in agreement that this one doesn't fall on the babysitter. 

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  • 01
    Font - 1 AITA for Demanding Payment for Items Ruined by a Child I was Supposed to Supervise? Not the A-hole A few days ago, my neighbors (Early 40s M and F) approached me and asked if I would be willing to watch their daughter (11-12) - Rhea- while they went to get vaccinated. I agreed. I made it clear to my neighbors that they would have to pick up Rhea before 1:30 p.m as I had a court hearing I couldn't miss the hearing under any circumstance (I am a lawyer). They promised they would be back i
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  • 02
    Font - At around 1:30 p.m they informed me that they would be late. It was too late to make any alternate arrangements so I fixed Rhea a quick lunch and told her to watch T.V. or Netflix (child-mode enabled) I finished up my hearing by around 3 and came out to see Rhea. I found her in my bedroom trying on my heels, lipstick and other courtroom gear such as a black blazer and robe. The lipsticks were broken, the white shirts were stained and the heels were scuffed. I do not know how that girl man
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  • 03
    Font - Rhea's parents finally showed up around 3:30 p.m and took her home, I asked to have a word with any one of them. Her father stayed back and I told him about the items she ruined and that I expected him to repay the amount for cleaning/replacement after I show them the receipts. I expected him to apologize. but instead, he blew up at me and accused me of leaving his young daughter alone and claimed that anything could have happened to her. He even threatened to file a case against me!
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  • 04
    Font - I was taken aback, firstly, I would not have left her "unsupervised" if him and his wife would have returned on time. Secondly, I do not feel that 11 is an age where she is in danger if left alone. I told him to try his luck in court and stated that if he doesn't agree, I would send them a demand notice for the aforementioned costs. Him and his wife have gotten the resident's association involved, and while some of them are on my side, others are saying l'm an AH for "using the lawyer car
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  • 05
    Smile - EDIT: I am sorry I left out this crucial detail, I never actually left my home. I was attending the hearing virtually and was in a different room in the same house! The door was closed but unlocked, I told Rhea she could enter or call out my name if she needed anything.
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  • 06
    Font - Update: This morning Rhea's mother came to see me. She apologized for her daughter and her husband and said that they were late because Rhea's father thought it would be a good idea to not complete the mandatory registration for a vaccine and simply tried to walk in to a centre 9. She was terrified at the idea of going to Court and said she would try to get her husband to pay (she's a housewife, no independent income). I told her not to worry, I won't take the cost of the items and I woul
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  • 07
    Font - 1 Award op maybe include in your post that you never left your house since court was virtual G Reply 993 jointfamily OP . 1d Thank you! I don't know how I missed that out, I would never leave any child home alone, I just wasn't actively supervising her. + 636 ...
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  • 08
    Font - widefeetwelcome · 1d Certified Proctologist [27] NTA. They were late, and an 11 year old should definitely know better. G Reply 4 9.1k 3 ...
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  • 09
    Font - desert_red_head • 1d Partassipant [2] NTA. First off, you made it clear to your neighbors that Rhea needed to be picked up by 1:30 because you had to work, and they were two hours late. Next, the girl is 11. Age 11 is plenty old enough to know that you don't enter rooms without permission and you stay out of other people's stuff if you don't have permission to use it. "I'm bored" is not an excuse for causing property damage. So, no, you are NTA, however I doubt that the parents are actual
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  • 10
    Rectangle - PaganWolfUK • 1d NTA. at 11/12 they should be able to supervise themselves within reason. You were in the home. That girl went through your personal items and ruined some. You were clear with the parents that they had to be back by 1.30pm. O 6 Reply ↑ 94 3 ..
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  • 11
    Font - NTA At 11 I was babysitting for brief times and earned money bussing tables. I don't understand this child behaving like a toddler, but perhaps she's delayed or poorly parented. While it may not be great to leave such a kid alone, you set an expectation about your availability. The parents knew you were only available until 1:30. THEY are the ones who left their kid without adult supervision for 1.5 hours. G Reply 1 2.8k ...
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  • 12
    Font - Small-Jellyfish-2591 · 1d NTA. The lawyer card is part of being a lawyer when someone damages your stuff (and especially when they try act like a jerk and threaten baseless legal action first). The parents broke your terms for agreeing to watch their kid and your stuff got damaged as a result, plus if you had skipped your hearing to keep watching the kid you could have gotten in trouble with the court and/or your client. I would demand they pay every cent they owe. O G Reply ↑ 212 3 ...
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  • 13
    Handwriting - NTA They broke your agreement, and this is the result. The lack of remorse is particularly galling - therefore you should extract the maximum possible from them. G Reply 1 33 3 ...
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  • 14
    Font - O AuntyErrma · 1d Partassipant [1] Nta The child was 11, not 4 or 5. More than old enough to know better. G Reply 4 257 ... jointfamily OP • 1d There is a lockdown where I live, the virus is bad. I felt she would be safer in my house and I did tell her she could open my door or call me anytime in case of an emergency. I never left the house. 177 3
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  • 15
    Font - confusedboss111 · 1d NTA, the child is old enough to not get into trouble. The parents majorly went back on their word and caused you annoyance. Sue them for your wasted time AND the cost of the food you gave the brat. What kind of an idiot threatens to take a lawyer to court? G Reply 1 485 .. jointfamily OP . 1d My petty side loves this, however, my mature side would never! Thanks for the smile 4 247 3 ...
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  • 16
    Smile - NTA - you didn't leave your house, your hearing was virtual. 11 is old enough to self entertain with Netflix and not get in trouble for 2 hours. G Reply 4 114 3 ...
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  • 17
    Organism - thereforthecomments · 1d Certified Proctologist [23] Lol NTA. An 11 year old is way more than old enough to be left alone in another room. You didn't even leave the house! An 11 year old also old enough not to have done what she did. She knew what she was doing was wrong. Absolutely bill her parents. G Reply 1 22 3
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  • 18
    Font - Both-Mud-4362 • 1d NTA - the parents where the first ones to bring up pressing charges against you. You gave them a clear time to pick up after that time the lack of supervision is on them. You did your best considering that you had to attend work and they knew that was why you set the pick up time. Additionally, what the hell are the parents doing to teach this child? At 11 this child should not be thinking it is ok to go into the wardrobe of a persons who is not family and they are effe
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  • 19
    Handwriting - NTA an 11 year old knows better than to destroy people's things. You gave a very specific time, they disregarded it, anything she does after that point is their responsibility. G Reply 1 43 3 ...
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  • 20
    Font - TiredEnglishStudent · 1d Partassipant [1] NTA. Especially if OP started their career working for a big firm, the cost of robes was probably covered. OP now has this huge expense that they never expected to pay for an item that they never expected to replace. An agreement to look after a kid isn't the same as an agreement to watch the kid indefinitely. And if a kid can't be in a room alone for a couple hours, then the parents should have arranged specialized care. G Reply ...
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  • 21
    Rectangle - asiantorontonian88 · 1d Partassipant [3] NTA. They knew the circumstances, were late anyway despite insisting they wouldn't be, and their kid damaged your stuff. G Reply 4 22 3 ...
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  • 22
    Font - bilgediver · 1d NTA then. : was the child special needs? I know everyone says 11 year olds blah blah, but my son is 4, is on the spectrum (is high functioning) but often plays like a much younger child. G Reply 1 30 3 ...
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  • 23
    Font - What-attention-span · 1d NTA. Why was the 11 yo acting like a 4yo? At 11 I knew not to go into other peoples closets and take things or use things especially without permission. Wth kind of parents teach their kids to act like that at such an age? Why did they take so long to get back to their child? G Reply ...
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  • 24
    Font - grandma4ever3 • 1d NTA Who wouldn't be mortified when they found out their child went into someone's bedroom? Omg, late and your child's lack of manners caused damage. I would pay for repair/replacement and never be able to look you in the eyes again. G Reply
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