Babysitter gets 15-year-old daughter to take care of toddlers in her place, mom refuses to pay the teen after footage reveals she barely glanced at the kids: "My kids weren't properly cared for"

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    Babysitter Issues - Almost Lost My Job, should I pay, Need Advice

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    I recently had a situation where my babysitter's teenage daughter (15) ended up watching my two toddlers last minute. The mom had assured me her daughter could handle toddlers, even though I was hesitant since she can't drive.
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    The daughter was supposed to watch them for 8 hours while I attended work training an hour away and my husband was working 15 min away. Right after arriving at training, I had to leave because she
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    called saying the kids weren't listening. When I got home, both my girls were visibly upset - one had been left sitting in a p by diaper for a while.
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    After reviewing my Ring camera footage, it was clear the sitter seemed tired, was mostly watching TV, and wasn't properly supervising - the girls were climbing tables, rummaging in the pantry, and playing in the front room unattended. She also seemed frustrated every time she had to get off the couch to redirect them.
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    Now she is asking me to pay for that day, but I don't feel comfortable doing so since I had to leave work, miss a full training day (risking my new job), and my kids weren't properly cared for. I politely explained all this to her mom, but I want to make sure I'm handling it the right way. Would love advice - I am I wrong for refusing to pay?
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    Just_here2020 Ask the mother if she and her daughter would like to review the ring cameras with you and then discuss the situation.
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    "I want to be fair to everyone. Toddlers can be wild but perhaps we should view the level of work your daughter chose to do as well." I doubt that the daughter wants to review her watching TV while the kids run wild.
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    Alienated_mama OP Agreed! I think they believed I didn't have it constantly recording or even saved on my end.
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    Commercial-Bowl8988 Absolutely agree that you should bring this up if she gives you pushback about not getting the full pay. Babysitters aren't just there to make sure your kids stay alive.
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    BellaStellina For the day? Absolutely not. You should pay her something, though. She did show up and was with your kids for a few hours. Hopefully you'll start looking for a new sitter right away and test them out in less essential circumstances. Good luck with the search!
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    Alienated_mama OP I did switch to the back up which is going successfully, my gut just doesn't sit right seeing that she was watching tv the whole time cuddled under a blanket and my daughters were just doing their own thing around the house while she was distracted
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    thempokeymans I'd throw a few bucks at the situation to smooth things over. Maybe 1/8th of what you agreed to, since it seems that she watched them for an hour.
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    20 220 or We TEN SHUTION 129H
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    Alienated_mama OP That's what I'm thinking to offer half for the unnecessary situation & if she wanted to chill watch tv all day she could have cancelled and I would have saved the time and gas driving an hour there and back for her to just watch the girls for my commute there and back 2 hrs
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    AcanthocephalaFew277 Agree! She definitely doesn't deserve anything. But in a situation like this, they will try to make you out to be the bad guy.
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    And i would just partial. While also sending a direct and clearly worded text on why partial payment was sent. You're not going to convince the mom otherwise.
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    Looming
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    And not to be a j or anything... but 15 really isn't an acceptable age for most people to watch 2 toddlers for 8 hours. So it was a bad choice on your part too, OP.
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    temp7542355 You should still pay the hours worked. She really did do an awful job babysitting. She should not have taken the job. Her age absolutely is no excuse. I know today most babysitters are adults; in the 90s most were teenagers. Her lack of maturity doesn't excuse her behavior.
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    Independent-Moose113 She was still there for a short time. Pay her for it, and consider your lesson learned. I would never have 2 toddlers watched by a 15-year old. Especially for the first time.
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    nutella47 Agreed. She also mentioned in another comment that she was only paying $10/hr, for two toddlers!!
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    bearcatbanana Oh. Well that explains it precisely. You get what you pay for. I would pay her in full for the hours worked. OP is already vastly underpaying unless we're talking about not the US.
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    XennialQueen I have a 15 year old, she babysits and she babysits her younger brothers. She's extremely responsible. THAT SAID- I wouldn't expect a 15 year old to manage to babysit toddlers for 8 hours. Sorry, OP, wrong call on your part too. Yes, you should pay her for her time but negotiate a lower rate and only for the time she was at your house. You aren't entitled to a free day, even if it didn't go well. You took a risk hiring a teenager to watch toddlers all day.
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    Minnesotaminnesota2 Yeah this seemed like a wild set up to begin with. I have 2 toddlers and would never leave them with a 15 year old for that amount of time. Maybe quick errands?
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    But she was also only paying this girl $10/hour so in this case her sitting on the couch kind of seems like she was getting what she paid for and set up by trusting a 15 year old she didn't know and hadn't done a trial run with

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