Woman Posts Craigslist Ad Seeking A Roommate To Babysit Her Child & Pay $450 In Rent—'She's Mostly Well-Behaved'
People aren't sure if she's looking for a tenant or a nanny.
Tiger Lily / Pexels, Reddit A woman on Craigslist sparked confusion and backlash after posting an ad looking for a roommate — who would also serve as her full-time babysitter.
Now, people are calling her out for expecting someone to pay her to watch her own child while misleading those who desperately need a place to stay.
The woman is offering to rent out a private bedroom in her home to anyone who is willing to babysit her daughter.
The ad was originally published by the woman on Craigslist and later shared to the subreddit forum, "r/ChoosingBeggars." The woman posted photos of the 1250-foot square space in her home that she is renting out for $450 a month.
She even adds that all expenses, including groceries, will be paid for by her. The catch? The tenant must be willing to provide childcare to the woman’s four-year-old daughter.
“My daughter is four years old and starts kindergarten next year,” the woman explains. “I need you to drop her off and pick her up from school, as well as babysit her in the evenings and weekends when I have work.”
The woman says that she is a single parent in a two-bedroom apartment, and her job requires her to work evenings and weekends, meaning that she needs full-time care for her daughter.
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The mother describes her daughter as a 'mostly well-behaved' child.
“[She] is not hard to take care of, smart, and mostly self-sufficient at everything now,” she writes. “She’s a blast, has no medical conditions, and is mostly well-behaved.”
The woman claims that the position is ideal for those who are retired and can be available for her daughter around the clock. She says taking the living space and the babysitting job is a “fantastic opportunity for a calm and professional roommate that is clean, responsible, and respectful.”
The tenant/babysitter would have their own master bedroom, and walk-in closet with an attached private bathroom.
“Easy going and all about good vibes in the home, we love music and healthy living,” she adds. “This is a nice, modern, and smart equipped house, and we want to maintain cleanliness in all areas and be respectful of each other and our things.” Most people criticized the woman for expecting her tenant to also be available 24/7 as her babysitter.
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They believed that she most likely needed to hire a nanny instead of seeking a new roommate.
“Fits right in with expecting to hire a live-in nanny that pays her instead of getting paid,” one Redditor pointed out.
Others challenged the woman, asking her how she would expect her tenant to pay rent if she needed them to be on call 24/7, preventing them from working a job outside of babysitting.
Some users were kind enough to show empathy for the single mom, pointing out that she should access some of the many government assistance options available for single parent households, as discussed in the video below.
But most users cast blame on the mom. “For me, it's the fact they have the audacity to charge rent, yet expect you to give your time to work for free,” another user commented.
Others argued that those seeking a place to live should only be required to pay rent and be respectful of the space. They should not have to look after their landlord’s children as well.
It appears that the mother will either have to make some changes to her ad or hire a professional babysitter.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.