To order an Indian takeaway while babysitting?

[IJustWantATakeaway]

I’m babysitting for my SIL and brother next weekend. I love doing it and love seeing their kids, but it always leaves me in a bit of a pickle in terms of getting dinner. I try not to order out because I’m losing weight, but this weekend I just want to treat myself.

I love Indian food but live at home and my dad cannot stand the smell of it. My mum thinks if I order it I’m being very rude and it’ll annoy them, but they always offer to pay for one so I don’t know if it’s a bit unreasonable?! How would you feel if your babysitter ordered Indian?

The only problem I could foresee if our babysitter wanted a curry is that I would want to join them.

I wouldn’t expect them to ask permission- maybe just a heads up that they were ordering in.

Sorry, how old are you? Why are your parents so involved with what you eat?

Just ask your brother if it's ok!

Your brother should be paying for your takeaway

If I came home to my house smelling of Indian food my only thought would be I really hope there's some left. I would actively encourage a babysitter to order take out & I'd pay for it.

I'm sure some of the stuff she eats stinks out her house.

Tell her not to be so offensive.

You’re not cooking the food so the smell won’t linger for long. Ur parents are ridiculous for not allowing you to eat a certain type of food just bc they don’t like the smell! Their bacon n egg smells like sh*t but they’ll scoff that down

I really fancy an Indian takeaway after reading this thread.

What a daft thing to say. And very patronising. Your house must stink! I am an adult and hate cooking smells as does my DH.

OP, if you really want, then ask him. Eat in the kitchen. Then once you’ve finished eating put the rubbish in the outside bin and open the windows.

You are equally condescending

Absolutely fine! I used to pay for the takeout for our babysitters. It was a good way of keeping the good ones!

But...but... how can you hate cooking smells? It's the smell of nourishment? Does the food itself put you off as you eat it?
This is revealing some very weird hang-ups!

Why not?

@IJustWantATakeaway

If they eat Indian takeaway then they're obviously not bothered by the smell, why does your Mum think it's rude & they'd be annoyed? It seems a perfect opportunity to me.

I would order a delivery on a free or paid babysitting gig if I knew the owners if the house wouldn't mind the smell.

Unfortunately I have quite a restricted diet so it's almost always a salad in a Tupperware! 🥹 before I had these health issues the takeaway/snacks were a definite part of babysitting!!

Your mum has issues. Surely everyone lives the smell of an Indian?

Why are you making up rules for the OP's brothers house.

shed be welcome to order it here, sit on the couch to eat it. We put the rubbish in the outside bin, but only because it's usually bulky, not because of the smell.

im very sorry you live in a house without windows & have a weird objection to the smell of food which goes away pretty quickly.

I'm also getting a whiff of racism with all the insistence that takeaways smell so much.

Also I've never questioned whether any of my baby-sitters order a takeaway. I leave food of course (though I've also said "here's money, order a pizza for you and the children"), but if they'd rather have something else, that's up to them! Just clear up when done.

How incredibly odd…

If you s raped left overs into my outside bin. You'd be following them!

Yep!!

I actually wouldn't order it to anyone's house I wasn't sure wouldn't mind, but what an over reaction! Just open the windows if you're that bothered.

It honestly wouldn’t occur to me that someone would have a problem with me eating a take away curry in their house. Most foods have a smell. Nothing that opening the window (or just letting the smell dissipate naturally) wouldn’t sort.

Just mention your plans and they can speak up if they mind enough to do so.

But I will say that they should be providing a decent dinner for you every time you babysit. Parents should do that for all sitters but doubly so for family members doing a favor. I'd happily tell them off for not doing so if they wandered on here.

This.
Just ask your brother if it's okay. I know mine wouldn't care. If he says it's fine then enjoy it and just don't tell your mum.

Person of Indian origin here. I was constantly told I stunk and my food stunk when growing up, by racists. I cook Indian food regularly, and there’s no way my house ‘stinks’ for two days. Haven’t you heard of filter hoods, windows and candles? What about the lingering smells of cooked flesh?

If you are babysitting for free, I would expect your brother to leave money for a takeaway or make sure there was something for supper and plenty of nice snacks in the house.

I used to babysit for my nephews a lot when they were young and always resented being expected to forage around to find something to cook for supper (they always left early and came back late) so I know that it's not always easy to set out your 'rider'.

Definitely order away!

I think the question you are asking is whether there is an etiquette surrounding this? I would say no, at least I wouldn't mind if someone taking care of my children ordered a curry as a takeaway. I would definitely text your brother, he might say to just put the empties in the outside bin or might want your leftovers, who knows? You sound very considerate and I think it would be polite to ask.

A takeaway smell doesn’t last long.

Your mum sounds absolutely ridiculous.

When you dish it up and eat it just crack a couple of windows open. Then put any leftovers in a bin bag and put it straight into the outside dustbin.