Teen's Nintendo Switch Destroyed on $100 Babysitting Gig, Mom Calls Him 'Ungrateful' for Refusing Round Two
A teenager's Nintendo Switch was destroyed during a $100 babysitting job. When he refused to work for the family again, the mother called him 'ungrateful,' sparking a viral debate on Reddit.
It started as a simple $100 babysitting job. It ended with a broken Nintendo Switch and a furious neighbor accusing a teenager of being ungrateful. A story posted to Reddit has gone viral, sparking a heated debate about responsibility, respect for personal property, and the unspoken rules of neighborhood gigs.
A Three-Hour Ordeal
The original poster, a teen who regularly babysits in his neighborhood, explained that he accepted a last-minute request on a snow day. A neighbor needed someone to watch her three-year-old and eight-year-old for a few hours. According to the post, the job quickly turned into an exhausting ordeal. The eight-year-old reportedly refused to settle down, running around, screaming, and breaking things, unable to sit still for more than three minutes at a time.
When the mother returned, she paid the agreed-upon $100 and apologized for her son's behavior. However, the teen later discovered his Nintendo Switch, which he had brought as a "peacekeeping tool," was broken. The next day, when the neighbor asked him to babysit again, he declined. He told her he already had another gig and wouldn't be available until he could get his console fixed. The mother was reportedly furious, calling his own mother to complain that he was "ungrateful."
The Internet's Verdict: It's a Job, Not a Favor
Netizens overwhelmingly sided with the teenager, arguing that babysitting is a job, not an obligation. Commenters pointed out that he had every right to refuse further work, especially after his personal property was damaged. Many criticized the mother for not taking responsibility for the broken Switch and for failing to disclose her child's behavioral challenges beforehand.
This sentiment is echoed by experts. HuffPost notes that while babysitters handle immediate care, parents remain legally and ethically responsible for the overall situation. Furthermore, Salience Health frames such a refusal not as a personal slight but as a form of self-protection. Declining a job where trust has been broken or property disrespected is a healthy boundary, preventing resentment and burnout.
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