She Hired a Babysitter and Came Home to a Mess. Should Sitters Tidy Up?

"It's late. I want to go to bed, but instead I'm picking up popsicle sticks and wrappers. I was always taught to leave the place better than I found it. I'm not expecting anyone to fold laundry or scrub floors. But I do expect the mess made during the evening to be taken care of, especially when my kids have been asleep for over two hours."

"If you're expecting this you should probably communicate it. pay her more.. I've never expected anything from my sitters except to keep my baby alive. Right? Blows my mind that this is common. I spent 10-15 years babysitting for $5 an hour and we always knew to clean up and help do other household chores."

Babysitting expectations have become increasingly contentious as wages rise in many cities. Parents disagree on whether babysitters should only ensure children's safety and sleep, or also handle light cleanup like stacking dishes and organizing toys. Kristen Fox, a Southern California mother, returned home to find significant disarray after a date night and expected her babysitter to clean up messes made during the evening, citing her own babysitting experience. In her area, babysitters earn $25-$35 hourly. Fox shared her frustration on Instagram, sparking divided responses. Some parents supported her expectations, while others argued babysitting is fundamentally childcare, not housekeeping, and that clear communication and higher pay should accompany cleanup expectations.

Read at TODAY.com