Parents asked babysitter for discount after one of their kids slept the whole time—she boldly 'stood her ground'
Paying people fairly should be a basic condition while availing any kind of service. However, a babysitter found herself in a fix when parents asked her if they could pay her for one child instead of two, because one of their kids was sleeping the entire time. The sitter was really shocked at the request, as the rate had been discussed and finalized before she went in to babysit the kids. So the babysitter, who goes by u/anonem123 on Reddit, asked people on the platform for advice about her situation.
"Hi! So I have babysat for this family a few times now (each time the mom has nickel and dimed me literally to the minute). Tonight I was asked to come over from 6:30 - 9 to watch her two kids. My two child rate is $20/hr and she knows this," the babysitter explained. However, this time around, the woman's baby, who usually woke up every time, slept through the entire time the babysitter was there. "So I pretty much was just with the one child playing and then putting him to bed," she went on. But she hadn't expected what the mom asked for in terms of payment.
"Well, now she's asking me if this is still considered my 'two child rate.' Mind you, my one child rate is $18 ($2 less)." So, the question came as a really big surprise for the babysitter. However, she wondered if she should let it go and accept payment for one child. "Do you guys think I should just charge for one child just because the other happened to not wake up? I’m stuck on what to do." She also revealed, "I wanted to add she already Venmoed me the $20/hr rate and then messaged me…. was she expecting me to send $5 back?" People in the comments section were equally baffled by the mom's request.
u/PoisonedRaven8705 wrote, "You were still responsible for two children, regardless of whether one was sleeping the entire time or not. So, she needs to pay you $20/hr. In a daycare situation, they still charge the full price regardless of whether the child naps or doesn't. In parenting, just because your child is asleep, that doesn't mean you get to 'clock out' from being a parent and don't have to worry about checking on them, making sure their diaper is dry, or that they aren't too hot or cold or not breathing. I mean, she needs to realize that you're there to watch two children, regardless of whether one sleeps the entire time or not. If she doesn't want to pay you your already ridiculously low rate as you have set, then she could find someone else who is going to charge her more for certain."
u/Any_Information8075 commented, "Though my kids are older now, I would never nickel and dime a sitter. Once went to my cousin's and we all went out to a football game. They arranged the babysitter and we each paid full price. Chose not to 'share' the cost because 5 kids, all under the age of 10 between the families. The teenage babysitter made a lot of money, but that was a lot of kids to watch during the day, with none of them taking naps. I asked what her rate was and just paid it. I cannot believe she is asking for $5 back." u/extra_ordinary2 remarked, "To skimp on your sitter over $5 is wild. She's going to lose a good sitter over this and probably end up paying someone else more. If you give in, she'll keep pulling things like this."
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