Babysitter sparks debate after being scolded by couple for eating their family food while on the job

Once in a while, every employee comes to a haunting realization that the system is not in their favor. People spend a huge chunk of their time in their workplace and sometimes, they blur the line between personal and professional. But the truth is, at the end of the day, bosses will never equate themselves to their employees and, in some or the other gesture, showcase it. It is what happened with u/Wrong_Net_5989, who got reprimanded for eating food with the kids she was babysitting. The criticism left her embarrassed as she had not experienced such a rude response in any of the other homes. 

The parents instructed the babysitter to buy pizza for the boys (7 and 10) as dinner. She wrote, "I have always been under the impression that the babysitter is allowed to have a reasonable amount of dinner if they're expected to serve dinner." In every other house she has babysat, this has been the norm. She ordered the food, and all three of them enjoyed the meal. After a while, the parent returned home to relieve her from her duties.

The parents asked her about her experience on the job. She replied that it was positive and added, "The pizza place was really good as I had never ordered from there before." It took the parents aback and they asked her why she "ate the kid's dinner." The babysitter got flabbergasted and began explaining herself by saying that she just "had two pieces of pizza and a breadstick" because she felt it was not an inappropriate portion to take.

The parents did not accept this reasoning. The father told her they did not expect to be feeding her on the job. He strictly asked her not to eat his family's food. These remarks made her very 'uncomfortable' and 'confused.' The babysitter did her job to the best of her ability. She made sure the boys were fed and did not feel hungry. It was only then that she took a portion to eat. As someone the family expected to serve dinner, the babysitter thought she would be entitled to some serving of the food she ordered. It was the courtesy she was shown everywhere else. Apparently, that was not the case here.

The extreme reaction given by the parents made the babysitter wonder whether she was wrong in her assumption. The comments section assured her take on the whole situation was not wrong and instead, the parents were overtly toxic. u/Disastrous_Dingo_309 called out the family's behavior and commented, "Wow, NTA. That family is rude and cheap AF. I usually order extra to accommodate babysitters, ask their preferences for pizza toppings, etc., if we order pizza or any kind of food. I also let them know where the snacks are and to help themselves to water, soda, Gatorade, etc., in the fridge. I nannied and babysit for many families over the years as a teenager and young adult too and it was always like this as well. What an AH family. Don't babysit for them again."

u/GardenSafe8519 sided with the babysitter and wrote, "NTA. It is customary that if you have to feed the children you're watching by any means (whether they leave money to place an order or you cook), you also get to eat. That's how it's always been when I babysat or when someone sat with my kid. If they call you again to sit for their kids, I would go over to their house and show them this post and tell them you won't sit for them again if you are expected to starve while the kids eat in front of you."