Babysitting can be a great first job for a teenager. It’s an easy way to make a little extra money, and it usually just involves playing games with kids, making them dinner, and putting them to sleep. But how smoothly the experience goes often depends on how involved the parents are.
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When one teen was left with an extremely ill baby for an entire afternoon, she knew that she wasn’t prepared to handle the situation herself. Below, you’ll find the full story that the sitter shared on Reddit years later, as well as some of the replies invested readers left her.
Many teenagers are happy to take up babysitting as their first job
But when this teen was left with an extremely sick baby, she quickly realized that the parents left her in a terrible position
The author later shared some more details about the situation
Then, she responded to several comments and provided even more background info
Parents should always make sure that their sitter is prepared before leaving them with their child
Babysitting can be an extremely exhausting job, but it shouldn’t be stressful. Running around playing tag for an entire afternoon or creating a gigantic pillow fort with the children can use up a lot of energy. But a sitter should never have to worry about how to get into contact with a child’s parents in case of an emergency.
Before leaving their kids with a sitter, Raising Children Network notes that the parents should have a checklist for explaining the routines, rules, and behavior in their home. They should walk the sitter through everything, so as few questions as possible arise while they’re gone.
The babysitter should know exactly what the child is allowed (or not allowed) to do, as well as the parents’ expectations for tidying up. They should know the child’s nighttime routine, bedtime, how much screen time they’re allotted, etc.
And of course, safety is one of the most important topics to discuss. The sitter should be provided with all contacts of who to call in the event of an emergency, how to safely put the child to bed, where the first aid kit, fire extinguisher, and fire blankets are located, and they should be informed of any allergies or health issues the child has.
It’s also important for the parents to be flexible. No matter what they have planned for the evening, their children should always come first. They don’t need to immediately hop in the car just because their child is sad or crying to the sitter. But if something goes wrong, such as a health emergency, they should be willing to drop everything to take care of their kid.
Every babysitter has the right to refuse to watch an ill child
Now, it’s not entirely off limits to leave a sick child with a babysitter. Sometimes it’s necessary if the parent has an important work meeting or an obligation that they just couldn’t get out of. But there is some important etiquette for parents to follow in these situations.
Care.com notes that sitters should really only be looking after mildly ill children. “If a child can’t keep any fluids down or their fever is causing them to be extremely weak and have low energy, then it’s probably a good idea for sitters to stay home,” says Dr. Christina Johns, a pediatric emergency care physician. “Also, any illness that requires a lot of ‘cleanup’ or clinical care is probably best kept with the parent or primary caregiver.”
Any babysitter also has the right to tell the parents if they’re not comfortable providing the level of care that their child needs. If they’re worried about being unable to properly take care of the kid, they shouldn’t have to. Or, if they’re worried about catching something from the child, they shouldn’t have to be there either.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. How would you have reacted if you were in the author’s shoes? Then, if you’re interested in reading another article from Bored Panda featuring babysitting drama, look no further than right here.
Readers were appalled by the parents' behavior, and many noted that the sitter should not have hesitated to call an ambulance
