Parents Pay A Babysitter Less After Seeing She Drives A ‘Nice’ Car — ‘They Don’t Think I Need It’
“Perhaps they think I don’t need the money, so they’re paying me less?”
RossHelen | Canva Pro Searching for extra money while in school, a woman said she’d used an online babysitting website to find a family that suited her lifestyle. After finding a family with 2 kids to start babysitting for, everything was going well until she parked her car in their garage.
The woman took to Reddit after she realized that her parents had started paying her less than the initial rate when they saw her car. “The area they live in is not the nicest, but I don’t mind,” she said in her post to the “Babysitting” forum. “I would Uber since they live in an apartment without ample parking… The last couple times, I decided to drive my car.”
After the parents saw her car, which she admitted is on “the nicer end,” she noticed a marked difference in her pay.
A babysitter turned to Reddit for advice after suspecting the parents of the kids she watches started paying her less after seeing her car.
While babysitting is an integral service for most parents, it's still grossly undervalued. Whether it’s unrealistic expectations for babysitters, unsafe situations, or inconsistent pay, these childcare providers often have to advocate for themselves, or they will get taken advantage of.
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Despite never having an issue with these parents before, this babysitter claimed the parents started to pay her less — after having a conversation about her car.
“The father was talking about how nice it is,” she wrote. “The first time I drove my car, he paid me $18/hour. The second time was $20/hour… My rate for 2 kids is $25/hour, which is stated on my profile.”
Despite being paid $25 previously, the parents started paying the babysitter less after making a comment about her car.
Admitting that she has a bad habit of not checking the parents' cash payments before leaving their home, she realized that they paid her less after she got home.
“I am babysitting them next month, but if they pay me lower again because I drive a nice car, should I keep working for them?”
Unsure if she’s overreacting by assuming they’re paying her less because of her nice car, she asked commenters to provide some clarity. “I don’t want to think the worst, but perhaps they think that I don’t need the money, so they’re paying me less?”
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While many commenters debated about whether or not her “nice car” had anything to do with her payment, most agreed that it didn't matter. The price was agreed upon before the first visit, and that shouldn't change whether she came from wealth or not.
“This is your livelihood,” one commenter stated. “They should be paying you in full and on time, no matter what.”
Her experience is surprisingly not unique, however. Many babysitters have been underpaid, especially when accepting cash. According to Sittercity, it's not something to clam up about, however. "Whether you’ve gone home already or you’re still at the family’s house, address the situation as soon as possible. Remember to be honest, kind, and direct when diving into this conservation. Accept that the conversation is probably going to be a little awkward — and that’s okay."
The outlet noted, "Remember that kindness and understanding will go a long way. Also, focus on the facts you know, such as what compensation you had previously agreed on, and if possible, refer to prior conversations about pay (whether virtual or in-person)."
Commenters urged the babysitter to set clear expectations with the parents about her rates.
Babysitting is a casual job for this Reddit woman, but that doesn’t make her any less entitled to full pay, especially at the rate that they agreed to together. “It literally doesn’t matter ‘why’ they might be paying you less,” one person argued. “They aren’t honoring their side of the agreement… stand up for yourself.”
While it’s unfortunate that many professionals in this industry are having to constantly advocate for the bare minimum, many TikTok babysitters and nannies have tricks and tactics for approaching these uncomfortable conversations with parents.
“It’s very disrespectful for people to not pay you,” babysitter Sophia said on TikTok. “It’s a job. In any other industry, do you ever get delayed payment? No.”
She urged babysitters in similar situations as this Reddit poster to contact the parents directly, sending them a kind, yet urgent message that detailed the payment issues. “Sometimes, it’s a complete accident,” one babysitter wrote in the comments, “but other times you have to stand your ground.”
So, whether you’re a parent looking for a babysitter or a nanny looking for a job, don’t underestimate the importance of clear communication and set expectations upfront. It will save you from potential headaches later on and protect everyone from unnecessary conflict.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.