Sixteen-year-old Mia had been babysitting for the same family for almost a year, and she had always considered herself dependable and responsible. The parents, Rachel and David, often asked her to watch their two young children whenever they wanted a night out or needed to attend an event. Mia never complained about the work because she liked the children and appreciated earning her own spending money. One Saturday evening, Rachel and David asked her to babysit from 6 p.m. until around 10 p.m. They promised they would be home on time and told Mia they would pay her fairly for the extra responsibilities involved. Mia agreed, expecting an ordinary evening of watching movies with the kids, helping them with dinner, and putting them to bed.

The evening started normally, but around 10 p.m., Mia began checking her phone because Rachel and David had not returned. She sent a polite message asking when they expected to arrive. There was no response. She called once, then waited another thirty minutes before calling again. Still nothing. The children were already asleep, and Mia was sitting alone in the living room, becoming increasingly worried. Eventually, she received a short message saying that the parents were “running late” and would be home soon. Another hour passed. Then another. Mia repeatedly tried contacting them, but they stopped responding completely. She was exhausted and frustrated, especially because she had schoolwork to finish and had never agreed to babysit throughout the entire night. By the time Rachel and David finally arrived shortly after 2 a.m., Mia had been waiting for hours beyond the agreed schedule.

Instead of apologizing for keeping her there so long, Rachel casually handed Mia the payment they had originally discussed. Mia looked at the amount and reminded her that they had agreed on a specific hourly rate. She also explained that she had stayed several extra hours because they had not answered her calls or messages. Rachel seemed irritated and said that they had already paid enough. David added that Mia was “just sitting around” after the children went to sleep, as if those hours were not part of the job. Mia was shocked. She pointed out that she could not simply leave while two young children were sleeping in the house. She had remained there because they had hired her to supervise them. The parents refused to increase the payment and told her she should be grateful for the amount they had given her. Mia decided not to argue further. She calmly took the money, thanked them, and left.

The following week, Rachel contacted Mia again and asked whether she could babysit on Friday. Mia politely declined and said she was no longer available. Rachel became annoyed and accused her of being unreliable. She reminded Mia that their family had given her regular babysitting work and suggested that refusing the job was unfair. Mia simply responded that she had decided to stop babysitting for them after the previous experience. She also told Rachel that she had been paid for fewer hours than she actually worked. Rachel dismissed the complaint and said that Mia was being dramatic over a relatively small amount of money. That response convinced Mia that she had made the right decision. Instead of continuing the argument, she decided to let the parents discover the consequences of treating their babysitter unfairly.

A few days later, Rachel and David needed a babysitter again and contacted another local teenager. The new sitter charged a higher hourly rate and also had a strict policy requiring parents to pay overtime for every additional hour. When Rachel complained about the price, the teenager explained that those were her standard rates and that she would not stay beyond the agreed time without additional payment. Rachel reluctantly accepted. The parents soon realized that reliable babysitting was more expensive than they had expected. They eventually contacted Mia again and offered to pay her the missing overtime, but Mia declined. She told them that the issue was never simply about the extra money. It was about respecting someone’s time and honoring an agreement. Rachel and David had tried to save a small amount of money by shortchanging a teenager who had helped their family for months, only to discover that losing a trustworthy babysitter was far more expensive. Mia moved on to other families who respected her work, while Rachel and David learned an expensive lesson about treating people fairly.

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Parents leave me (14F) with a very sick baby and refuse to return until they have had enough fun.

This post has blown up while I was sleeping! Thanks guys, Thought I’d just clarify a couple things that I’ve read in the comments.

I’m Australian, so no CPS to call here. Our equivalent is called DOCS, and there is no way, if I would have called them, that they would have come to our town before the parent got home. We are hours away from anywhere.

The ambulance thing I get though. Now, at my age, and being a mother, I would have without hesitation, but at 14, I wanted mum there to assess the situation first.

I mentioned the meningococcal outbreak as another layer of the shittiness of the parents. Who leaves a sick baby when there’s an outbreak of that?? It was all over the news for weeks.

However, even though that’s where my brain went while I was there by myself given the babies symptoms, once my mum turned up, she was 100% confident this baby had gastro or another tummy bug, and the rash was a heat rash and agitation from me constantly cleaning him. She had 5 kids and worked in the hospital. Me at 14 trusted her judgment, and hell, even now I’ll call her when I need advice for my 2 kids. The baby was sleeping soundly before the mother got home, that’s why she acted the way she did once she saw he was asleep, she didn’t think there was a problem and all that I had been through during the afternoon was an overreaction.

And finally, yes, that’s what I charged 20 years ago, and every single family was happy to pay it, except this one of course. I was a really good baby sitter, the kids loved me and I loved looking after them. In fact, I’m bridesmaid next weekend for a woman that I met when I started babysitting when she was 3. Always stayed in touch and I became her second mother and helped her through a lot of things. Can’t wait to see her get married.

On mobile, sorry for formatting.

When I was 14, (20 years ago), I had been babysitting around my small town for two years. I had a great reputation with my regulars and would routinely stay until the early hours of the morning when the parents needed a night out. I would normally charge $15 and hour, but that would jump up to $20 after midnight.

There was a wedding to be help in town, which meant people would be travelling to attend and I was recommended to babysit by a trusted family friend. I had never met these parents before.

Bit of backstory, at the time there was a big outbreak of meningococcal. There had been cases of it from where these parents were travelling from, and as a kid who was interested in stuff like this, I had read up all about it and knew the symptoms.

The night of the wedding comes and I arrive at the hotel to meet the parents. The baby is 1, and I thought it would be an easy night because I normally have 3 or 4 kids to look after. It was a really hot summer night, and the baby was just in a nappy, the mother mentioned he was teething and might be a little whiny, But nothing I couldn’t handle.

About an hour after they had left, around 2pm, the baby woke up and was screaming. He was hot, I mean, so hot to the touch that I pulled my hands back when I went to pick him up. I tried to calm him, and cool him, but to no avail. Any food or drink I tried to give him he vomited straight up, and he was constantly soiling his nappy with a steady stream of diarrhoea.

At 4pm, when I knew the ceremony was over, I called the mother to tell her about her very sick child. This wasn’t just teething. His temperature was soaring and she didn’t even leave any ibuprofen or anything to help with that. She sighed into the phone and told me she’d be there in 20 minutes. Where the reception was, it was a 2 minute walk back to the hotel.

After waiting 2 hours and the baby not getting any better, I rang again and was ignored 3 times. By this stage it had cooled down outside so I took the baby for a little walk along the verandah to try and distract him, however, I had locked myself out when I went to go back in.

The baby vomited again and did a massive shart at the same time that dripped out from the nappy. So at this stage, I was covered in vomit and shit, locked out, no phone, and with a screaming baby. I had to walk through reception at the hotel, which happened to be attached to the restaurant, so those dining got a good eyeful and smell to go with their dinner. The lady at the front desk let me back in the room and I tried to ring again. The mother finally answered and I said your baby is terribly sick, he’s hot, vomiting and seemed like he had a rash starting to develop, which is a giveaway for meningococcal.

She sighed again, they had just started dinner and would be straight back after that, and please don’t try to call again. Another 2 hours later, around 9:30, I rang my mother and she came to help out and bring me a change of clothes. We finally got the baby down about 11, and i rang one last time. Said that I had my mother with me and I would be leaving at 12 after I called an ambulance for their obviously seriously sick child.

That mother ended up coming at 11:45, drunk as hell, and very upset that I had ruined her night. She couldn’t enjoy herself because she kept worrying that I was going to call. She cussed me out about the smell in the room and how many nappies and bottles I had gone through. My mum stood back and let me handle it, but spoke up and said if I could get paid now because we needed to get home. The mother handed me an envelope and shut the door in my face.

$20. That what was all in the envelope. I was owed $150. Mum knew we wouldn’t get her to answer the door again so she took me home.

The next morning mum woke me up with the extra $130. She had gone to the hotel at 7am, and once she told the manager what had happened, the manager slipped a note under the hotel door saying that due to the extra cleaning and disinfecting that would need to be done to the room, there was to be an extra charge of $200 put on the room, plus the extra $130 that our “in house” sitter was owed. When everyone looks after each other in a small town, it is a nice feeling.

Apparently that father blew up when the extra charges were put on his card, did t realise the baby was so sick and was swearing at his hungover wife. The mother was screaming about the unsatisfactory babysitting I had did, and they left in a huff. I think about that poor baby every now and again, hoping that he was alright and got over whatever what was making him sick. I was in a small panic for about a week, waiting to get sick too, but thankfully, and by some miracle, I didn’t.

Tl;Dr. parents over never met before, leave me with a baby that was very sick. Don’t answer phone and short change me when it come time to pay me. Their shitty behaviour costs them over double for the room.

A Young Babysitter With a Strong Reputation

Fourteen-year-old Mia had been babysitting children around her small town for about two years. Despite her young age, she had developed an excellent reputation among local families because she was responsible, patient, and genuinely enjoyed caring for children. She regularly looked after three or four kids at a time and was comfortable staying until the early hours of the morning when parents needed to attend weddings, parties, or other events. Her usual rate was $15 an hour, although she charged $20 an hour after midnight. Most families were happy with her rates because they trusted her and knew she took babysitting seriously.

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One summer, a wedding was being held in town, bringing guests from several different areas. Mia was recommended to a couple by a family friend who knew her well. She had never met the parents before, but she agreed to babysit their one-year-old baby at the hotel where they were staying. The mother told Mia that the baby was teething and might be a little fussy, but she assured her that there was nothing unusual to worry about. Because Mia was used to taking care of several children at once, she expected the evening to be relatively easy.

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There was one important detail Mia knew about at the time. A serious outbreak of meningococcal disease had been receiving significant attention in the news. Some cases had occurred in areas connected to where the family was traveling from. Mia had always been interested in medical information and had read about the symptoms, so she knew that certain signs could indicate a serious emergency. She did not expect that knowledge to become important that night.

After the parents left for the wedding, everything seemed normal for the first hour. The baby was resting, and Mia was comfortable in the hotel room. But around 2 p.m., the baby suddenly woke up screaming. When Mia reached down to pick him up, she immediately noticed that he was extremely hot. His temperature felt so high that she instinctively pulled her hands away for a moment.

Mia tried everything she could think of to calm the baby. She held him, tried to cool him down, and offered him food and something to drink. Unfortunately, every attempt to feed him ended with him vomiting almost immediately. He was also having repeated bouts of severe diarrhea, constantly soiling his diaper. Mia quickly realized that this was far more serious than ordinary fussiness from teething.

By around 4 p.m., Mia believed the wedding ceremony would have finished. She decided to call the baby’s mother and explain exactly what was happening. She told her that the baby was extremely hot, vomiting, and suffering from diarrhea. Mia also explained that there was no medication left for her to give him to help with his fever.

The mother sighed over the phone and told Mia that she would be back in approximately twenty minutes. The reception was only about a two-minute walk from the hotel, so Mia assumed the parents would return quickly. She continued trying to comfort the baby while waiting.

Twenty minutes became an hour. Then another hour passed. The baby was still miserable, and Mia was becoming increasingly worried. She tried calling the mother again, but her calls were ignored. She tried multiple times without success. Mia was only fourteen years old and was suddenly responsible for a very sick baby whose parents were less than a few minutes away but were refusing to answer the phone.

As the evening continued, the weather outside became cooler. Mia decided to take the baby onto the hotel veranda for a short walk because she hoped the fresh air might distract him. Unfortunately, while she was outside, she accidentally locked herself out of the room. The situation became even more chaotic when the baby vomited again and had a severe accident at the same time, leaving Mia covered in both vomit and diarrhea.

Mia had no phone with her and was still carrying a screaming baby. She had no choice but to walk through the hotel’s reception area to get assistance. The reception area happened to be connected to the restaurant, meaning guests who were eating dinner suddenly saw a young babysitter carrying a distressed baby while covered in vomit and other mess.

A hotel employee eventually helped Mia get back into the room. Once inside, she immediately tried calling the baby’s mother again. This time, the mother finally answered. Mia explained that the baby’s condition seemed extremely serious and that she had noticed a rash beginning to appear. Because Mia knew about the meningococcal outbreak, the possibility frightened her.

Instead of rushing back, the mother sighed again and explained that they had just started dinner. She said they would come back after eating and told Mia not to keep calling. Mia was shocked by the response, especially because the parents were only minutes away and their baby was suffering from repeated vomiting, diarrhea, and a high temperature.

Mia continued caring for the child as best she could. She cleaned him, changed his diapers, tried to keep him comfortable, and stayed beside him throughout the evening. She knew she was only fourteen, and although she had experience babysitting, this situation was far beyond anything she had previously dealt with.

By around 9:30 p.m., Mia finally called her own mother. She explained everything that had happened and asked her to come help. Her mother immediately came to the hotel and brought Mia clean clothes. Having another adult there made Mia feel much safer, especially because she had been dealing with the situation alone for hours.

Mia’s mother had five children herself and also worked in a hospital, so she had considerably more experience dealing with children and illnesses. After examining the baby, she believed that he was suffering from gastroenteritis or another stomach illness. She also thought the rash was likely heat rash combined with irritation caused by the constant cleaning and diaper changes.

Even though Mia’s mother was confident about the situation, Mia had been understandably frightened earlier. At fourteen, she had relied on the medical information she had learned about meningococcal disease and did not want to ignore potentially dangerous symptoms. Her mother reassured her and stayed with her while they continued caring for the baby.

Eventually, around 11 p.m., the baby finally settled down and went to sleep. Mia made one final attempt to contact the parents. She told the mother that her own mother was there and that she planned to leave around midnight. Mia also said that if necessary, she was prepared to call an ambulance because she believed the baby needed medical attention.

The parents finally returned at approximately 11:45 p.m. The mother appeared extremely intoxicated and was immediately angry with Mia. Instead of asking how her child had been or apologizing for leaving a sick baby with a fourteen-year-old for hours, she complained that Mia had ruined her evening.

The mother said she had been unable to enjoy the wedding reception because she was constantly worried that Mia would call again. She also complained about the smell in the hotel room, the number of diapers that had been used, and the bottles that had been prepared. Mia was stunned because she had spent the entire evening caring for their child while they were enjoying themselves.

Mia’s mother stood nearby and allowed her daughter to handle the situation herself. However, when it became clear that they needed to leave, she politely asked the mother to pay Mia so they could go home. The mother handed Mia an envelope and immediately shut the door.

When Mia opened the envelope, she discovered that it contained only $20. She had worked for hours and was owed approximately $150 based on the agreed rate and the additional time she had stayed. Mia was devastated. Not only had she been left alone with a sick baby, but the parents were now refusing to pay her properly.

Mia’s mother knew they were unlikely to get the parents to open the door again that night, so she took Mia home. The next morning, however, she returned to the hotel. She explained the entire situation to the manager, including the condition of the room and the fact that Mia had been hired as a babysitter but had been left for hours beyond the expected time.

The hotel manager was sympathetic and decided to address the situation. The parents were informed that an additional $200 cleaning and disinfecting charge would be placed on their room because of the extensive mess created during the evening. The manager also arranged for the remaining $130 owed to Mia to be included as an additional charge.

The parents were furious when they discovered the extra charges. The father apparently had not realized how sick the baby had been and became angry with his wife for failing to tell him the seriousness of the situation. Meanwhile, the mother continued insisting that Mia had provided poor babysitting, despite the fact that Mia had stayed for hours beyond the original agreement and dealt with a sick child without proper support.

In the end, the family left town angry and unhappy. Mia never received an apology from the mother, but she did receive the money she had originally been owed. More importantly, the experience became one of those stories that remained with her for years. She had entered the job expecting a normal evening of babysitting and ended up dealing with a frightening medical situation, an accidental lockout, a sick baby, and parents who seemed more concerned about their evening than their child’s condition.

Mia still thinks about the baby from time to time and hopes that he recovered completely. She also remembers how frightened she was afterward, worrying for several days that she might become sick herself. Thankfully, she never developed any illness. Looking back, she realizes that she did everything she reasonably could at fourteen years old. She cared for the baby, contacted the parents repeatedly, asked her mother for help, and refused to simply walk away from a child who needed supervision. The parents may have tried to save money by refusing to pay their teenage babysitter, but the expensive hotel charge and the loss of trust within the small town turned their decision into a much bigger lesson: when someone is caring for your child, respecting their time and taking their concerns seriously should never be treated as optional.