17-year-old refuses to keep babysitting 7-year-old, 5-year-old, and 1-year-old following their mom's reaction to her husband leaving: 'She was more mean and she would pay me less'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
May 21, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

There are few jobs in such high demand as childcare, and few that are so often poorly paid and with terrible working conditions. It doesn't help that it is often younger women who are filling the babysitting roles that so many busy parents look for. 

While it is true that many parents despair over finding a good babysitter, the job itself is not always a walk in the park. Not only do they have to keep the kids happy, but they also have to manage their relationship with their employers. A babysitter with regular clients can sometimes be more aware of their personal lives than many other people they know, and this comes with its downsides. It is easy to get stuck in the middle of a complicated situation, and even worse, face punishment for being there. This leaves some childminders with a dilemma when it comes to continuing with a job.

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  • 01

    AITA for telling my boss I’m done babysitting her kids after her husband left?

    I(17F) babysit kids, I've been doing babysitting as a side jobs for a year now and I met a good couple which made me their personal sitter. Jason and Mina have two kids, I'm telling you right now that their house is big like crazy. They both work busy jobs so they never have time to watch the kids, Jason did make more though and Mina wasn't allowed to use her money whenever. Jason controlled all of it. I luckily came in and helped them.
    via Pretend_Sleep_9128
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10508064000
    via Tati Odintsova

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • One teenager felt this particular pressure when the parents of the three young children she regularly babysat for broke up after having difficulties in their marriage. 

    With the husband out of the house, the wife's treatment of her had become more erratic, and it led her to decide not to continue with the job. Her former employer wasn't happy, and she wanted to know if she had been out of line.

  • 03
    Their kids are very wild but when I'm around they know not to do that, I babysit a 1 year old, 5yr, and a 7yr so that can be a lot. I don't watch them all the time, if I'm busy with school then I don't watch them. The kids are pretty cool, the 1 year old calls me mom and is very attached to me but it's weird and awkward for a kid to call me "mom" Jason and Mina do have trouble in their marriage, the times I was there, they would argue a lot and of course I had to be there to comfort the kids. I
    via Pretend_Sleep_9128
  • 04
    Weeks before I was kinda pulling back on the babysitter thing because who wants to hear arguing nonstop? That's actually tiring and for the first time I didn't want to be at their house. I was there when Jason left and it was a big fight, he her and never came back, not going to lie I was uncomfortable and I think that should've been the day I left. It's been 2 weeks since Jason has been gone, I still babysat but I did see a change in Mina behavior. She was more mean, she would cry daily, she di
    via Pretend_Sleep_9128
  • 05
    I told her the truth, I'm not babysitting for her anymore and if she wants a new babysitter she will have to find one. That was probably the first time she looked at me, she then told me I can't leave because someone needs to watch the kids. I told her what I said again but I don't think she cared, she actually yelled at me because I'm being a little ah le.
    via Pretend_Sleep_9128
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    Cheezburger Image 10508064256
    via Curated Lifestyle (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 07

    Commenters assured her she had made the right decision.

    NTA. wackycats354 Good for standing up for yourself. That's important. It's important to not let people treat you like sh.
    via wackycats354
  • 08
    Cute-Spirit nah fr, this girl is 17 dealing w/ trauma that ain't hers. you don't owe anyone your peace just cuz they're struggling. being sad don't give you a free pass to treat ppl like crop. you did the right thing by bouncing.
    via Cute-Spirit
  • 09
    yrnspnnr NTA. If you do the work, you deserve to be paid, and be paid on time. You also have the right to stop.
    via yrnspnnr
  • 10
    everellie This is a job. Your boss stopped paying you and is treating you badly. You are never the AH for walking away from people who use and ab e you. You'll find better employers. Don't take cr p like this from anyone in your life.
    via everellie
  • 11
    Successful_B ch107 Not your kids, not your problem. Write it out clearly in a text so that it is documented: Mina, I would like to confirm that you understand our earlier conversation. As of my last visit on May I am no longer be available to assist you with your childcare needs. I wish you the best of luck finding alternate childcare. Keep it short, sweet & to the point but you need to get it all in writing if you do not have it documented already. If she calls you up last minute ignore her cal
    via Successful_Bch107
  • 12
    redhead21886 NTA, your just a kid yourself. Go out and enjoy some of your life!
    via redhead21886
  • 13
    Assistant No4330 NTA at all. It's hard to quit a job and you did good. Now send her an invoice for the money she owes you and if she doesn't pay threaten her with small claims court. Also, post about this on whatever local babysitting site you have, so she doesn't do this to anyone else.
    via AssistantNo4330
  • 14
    NTA imarebelpilot Her kids are ultimately not your responsibility. "Someone needs to watch the kids" and that's either her or Jason. The end.
    via imarebelpilot
  • 15
    turtletots20 NTA The children's parents need to watch them. You, especially as a 17 y/o have no obligation to keep this job if you're not being paid to do so, have no family ties and are treated like a servant. It's extremely unfortunate for the kids because they will always be put in the middle of this dumpster fire of a relationship and may even have to be moved into another situation where they're cared for. They didn't choose to be brought into this environment. The parents are definitely at
    via turtletots20
  • 16
    Fun-Yellow-6576 NTA. Block her number and don't go back.
    via Fun-Yellow-6576
  • 17
    azorianmilk No is a one word sentence. Many adults have a hard time saying it but you showed maturity and strength by doing So.
    via azorianmilk
  • 18
    coralcoast21 Depending on how much it totals, the missed day, plus shorting you on the hours that she did pay, I would consider taking her to small claims court. Small claims court doesn't allow either party to have an attorney. You would need to print out out all of your proof of claim (email/text proving agreed rates, proof of hours worked, etc). If it's more than a few hundred dollars, it might be worth your while.
    via coralcoast21
  • 19
    OneAndOnlyMamaLlama Those poor babies. You are NTA.
    via OneAndOnlyMamaLlama
  • 20
    Bodacious Vermin You're watching a marriage dissolve itself. And, you're being used. It's a good time to stop. I do hope the kids are OK, but this isn't your problem to solve.
    via BodaciousVermin
  • 21
    AffectionateGate4584 NTA. Tell her to get her childcare in order. Tell her her childcare does NOT include you.
    via AffectionateGate4584
  • 22
    Aggravating-Pin-8845 NTA. She may be going through a bad time but she is forcing adult issues into a child. She is lashing out at you which is never ok. She needs to dort herself out as she now has her kuds to care for and no help
    via Aggravating-Pin-8845
  • 23
    abear61 NTAH. You are not those kids' mother. She is. She needs to act like it. Those kids are not your responsibility. It was a job. People can quit jobs on their own free will everyday. And other employers do what they need to do. You did what you needed to do for your own mental health and well being. Move on. Don't look back.
    via abear61
  • 24
    ecommercenewb chances are she's going to come crawling back to beg you to babysit. this is when you have all leverage. you can ask for all the backpay upfront, then negotiate a payraise and have her pay first each day before you begin your baby sitting shift. if she sticks you with the kids longer than you agreed to for the day without compensation then that will be the day you quit.
    via ecommercenewb

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babysitting divorce aita babysitter teenager job kids parenting argument reddit thread Reddit quitting
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