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Original poster

What time is a reasonable amount of time for a parent to be delayed coming home

18 replies

PurpleO · 14/07/2023 15:47

I was caught for babysitting today. I was told it was only going to be til 12.30. Then it was stretched to 3pm. It's now 3.45 pm and I think 45 mins late and counting is too much for traffic to be an excuse and it clearly indicates the parents doesn't want to come home.

What should I do. Will I phone them and tell them to be home by 4.30 or I will call the police?

OP posts:

Ilikewinter · 14/07/2023 15:49

Call the police and tell them what??
I think it depends on the situation and back story. Are the parents friends/ family - have they done this before?, where are they and whats their reason for being late?.

Comedycook · 14/07/2023 15:50

How do you know these people?

LobsterCrab · 14/07/2023 15:50

Calling the police seems OTT unless there's a back story here? Is there somewhere you urgently need to be? Just wait for them to get home and then refuse to do it in future.

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cocksstrideintheevening · 14/07/2023 15:51

Whats the relationship, why are the late, do they have form?

What do you mean 'caught for babysitting'?

CindersAgain · 14/07/2023 15:51

Can you tell them that you need to leave at 4.30pm. They will obv need to pay you for the extra.

orangeleavesinautumn · 14/07/2023 15:52

maybe they have had an accident?

Ragwort · 14/07/2023 15:52

Who are you babysitting for? A family member? Friend? Professional arrangement?

Just call them direct and say you need them to be home immediately as you cannot stay after 4pm. .. I am not sure what you can actually do if they don't turn up, would you really call the Police?

AmbleInAnnBoleyn · 14/07/2023 15:54

What a strange situation. So many questions!

How do you know these people?
How old is the child?
What time did you commence babysitting if you expected a 12 noon-ish return by the parents?
What does 'caught for babysitting' mean?

Riverlee · 14/07/2023 15:55

If they said 12.30, I would expect 15minutes late, unless you knew there was severe traffic problems. I would presume the parents would factor in travel time, plus wiggle room either side of travel time.

Has there been any contact? You say parentS, so I presume one of them could have rung if the other was driving.

To say 12.30, and not arrive by 3.45pm is mega cf territory. What if you had something on and couldn’t have stayed with the child. Would they be home alone?

What have the parents said? Have they spoken to you?

I hope you charge double for every extra hour you are there!

Ilovedthe70s · 14/07/2023 15:55

Surely it depends on the circumstances.
Doesn’t want to leave the pub

buzzlightyearsgloves · 14/07/2023 15:57

What an odd post...

It really depends! Are they stuck at work, or the pub? What's the arrangement? How do you know these people?

Ilovedthe70s · 14/07/2023 15:58

Posted too soon sorry
Doesn’ t want to leave the pub= unacceptable
Car broken down/ motorway closed/ accident = annoying but out of their control

MenArentMindReaders · 14/07/2023 16:00

Hopefully they are back now

Sunnydaysarentagiveneveninjuly · 14/07/2023 16:02

I used to babysit as a teenager. She never came home in time.. Told me it was OK to leave her 3yo alone.. I never did and just faced a telling off from my dm. Only kept babysitting because I knew she would leave her anyway..

BigFatLiar · 14/07/2023 16:05

Unless there's a good reason then I'd expect them back on or near to time.

Somethings can't be helped or anticipated I got stuck in a motorway jam for several hours following a fatal accident, at least I got to go home, someone didn't. Pre days of mobile phones so OH was stuck worrying about me.

RagingWoke · 14/07/2023 16:12

Depends what the arrangement is and where the parents are. Is it paid or a favour and do you need to leave and what's the backstory.

45 minutes traffic or train delay is possible, 45 minutes late from a medical appointment is possible and both unavoidable. Have they called and told you why they are late and when they expect to be back?

YANBU to be annoyed about the extension if you were expecting half a day and it's turned into all day. But realistically what can you do other than not babysit again.

orangeleavesinautumn · 14/07/2023 16:13

There was a stuck babysitter thread on here years ago, when it transpired the parents had crashed and were both in hospital... I hope that is not what has happened here

Utterlypeanuterly · 14/07/2023 16:19

An ex-friend once rang me very stressed asking me to watch her toddler as she urgently needed to take her baby to the doctor.
My dh was working from home so he had to log off to watch our toddlers who were napping while I rushed to help out in her emergency.
She didn't come back for 4 hours. I was very worried about what could potentially be wrong with her baby. She returned laden down with shopping bags. The baby was completely fine. She had used the excuse to stay out and treat herself.
I would have babysat her toddler at my house if she had been honest with me and DH wouldn't have had to stop work. She knew my dh was missing work and couldn't care less.
We are no longer friends due to other selfish behaviour from her.

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