When parents hire a babysitter, they typically expect someone to watch over their kids—not to uncover hidden secrets. Yet, every now and then, babysitters come across things they weren't meant to see or overhear conversations best left unheard.
In a recent Ask Reddit thread, babysitters shared chilling stories about the unsettling discoveries they made while working for families who seemed completely normal. Keep reading to find out what they revealed.
Did The Baby Even Exist?
"A relative of mine worked as a babysitter back in the '70s. A nearby couple asked her to watch their baby a few times. Each time she went over, they told her the baby was sleeping and warned her not to disturb it by checking. The baby never cried, and when the parents returned, they took over. But she never saw or heard a single thing from the baby."
“At the time, my relative didn’t think much of it, but she’s shared this story with me multiple times because it keeps bothering her. How could a baby stay asleep the entire time, every time she was there? No sounds, nothing at all. Now she suspects there might not have been a baby—but she still has no clue why they hired her.” —Reddit
Don't Ask Questions As Long As You're Getting Paid
"I did a lot of babysitting between the ages of 13 and 15 while living in a small town. Since I also worked at the local daycare, I was in high demand and often ended up watching kids from two or three families at once. I didn't mind—it just meant more money for me."
“Years later, I learned the real reason why I always had so many kids from different families to look after. Apparently, the town had a swingers club, and I was their go-to babysitter for when they held group gatherings.” —MissPiggyK / Reddit
He Should Have Had Money To Spare On The Babysitter
"I was babysitting two boys, and the older one wouldn't stop bragging about how rich his dad was. His father worked in government security, and his mom was a hospital accountant, so they seemed pretty well-off—big apartment, luxury cars, fancy vacations, the whole deal."
“One day, the boy casually said, 'Want to know where my dad got all the money? From a casino.’ At first, I thought he was joking, but it turned out his dad actually ran an illegal poker club. That’s when I suddenly realized I was seriously underpaid.” —ssingularityy / Reddit
Just Your Classic Night Out With Your Husband
"I was babysitting for my neighbors—really nice folks with two kids, very Pottery Barn style. They often came home late and didn't have cash to pay me right away, but they always stopped by the next day with the money, so I never minded waiting."
“One time, while they were in another room saying goodbye to the kids, I went to move the wife’s purse and noticed a big roll of singles. I didn’t think much of it at the time. Later, when their daughter had an allergic reaction and I sent them an urgent text, I got a call back with loud club music playing in the background. It wasn’t until a few sittings later, when I left through the back door and saw the husband shaking glitter off his clothes in the garage, that I realized they were probably heading to a strip club.” —aintnogreatloss / Reddit
Who Wants To Live In A Magazine?
"I once babysat for a family whose home looked like it belonged in a Better Homes & Gardens magazine—completely furnished and spotless—but it felt strangely empty, as if no one really lived there."
“The drawers, fridge, and cabinets were all bare. There were no toiletries except toilet paper, no clothes in the closets or kids' dressers, and no toys anywhere. The mom simply told me to order food for the kids and let them watch TV. The whole experience was just plain weird.” —HanginWithLucretia / Reddit
Whoops, Wrong Number!
"I was babysitting for a nearby family that owned car dealerships. When I answered the phone with a simple 'hello,' it turned out to be the dad—who didn't know his wife had hired a babysitter so she could attend an appointment."
"He began speaking in a ridiculous voice, but once he realized it wasn’t his wife, he quickly hung up. Later on, he was caught cheating." —NANDINIA5 / Reddit
Maybe Dad Thought It Was Apple Juice?
"I never babysat myself, but a friend did, and the kids kept asking for beer. When she said no, they told her, 'But dad gives it to us.' She was puzzled and decided to call the mom.
"The mom was surprised and confronted the dad. I believe he admitted to it, and while I don't know what happened next, they probably ended up filing for divorce." —mangodog_gaming / Reddit
Preparing For The Worst
"I babysat for this family just a few times when I was 16. On my very first night, they casually mentioned that I should call the police if the kids' biological dad showed up at the house.
"They also told me to barricade everyone in the master bathroom and contact them and their lawyer. Custody battles are really tough." —louise1jc / Reddit
Leave Mommy And Daddy's Plants Alone
"I was babysitting once when the kids were wrestling in the living room. Suddenly, a strong, dank smell filled the air. The kids paused and asked, 'What is that?'"
"One of them had accidentally knocked over a large tin can on a shelf, spilling the parents' weed stash everywhere. I sent the kids away, cleaned it all up, and put it back." —Neopetwashout / Reddit
Kissin' Cousins
"I worked as a nanny for a young boy with special needs. We'll call his parents John and Lisa. John was employed by Lisa’s parents, who owned a painting business that used their family name as the company name. One day, I noticed John came home early in the company van—but the name on the van matched his last name, not Lisa’s family name."
"I casually pointed out what I thought was a funny coincidence—that he and Lisa shared the same surname. He suddenly got awkward and stiff, then replied, 'Oh... That’s because Lisa and I are first cousins.’" —Reddit
Leading A Double Life
"I worked as a nanny for a wealthy West Coast family who spent their summers in South Florida. They had three kids, and the mom—who was in her thirties and clearly had them young—fit the typical 'hot mom' stereotype."
"The dad would fly in with the family, help them get settled, and then return to California for work. I watched the kids about three to five nights a week from 6:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Each night, the mom would get fully glammed up, leave her wedding ring on the kitchen counter, and head out. She’d come home late, often clearly drunk, and sometimes brought back men she casually introduced as her ‘friends.’" —damnitmelanie / Reddit
The Spirits Must Have Encouraged Him To Pay Well
"When I was a teenager, I used to babysit for the town policeman. He'd often come home clearly drunk and acting strangely, and once, he even pulled out a homemade Ouija board and convinced me to join in with him and his friends."
"He always paid me generously, though..." —Lil_toad_mode / Reddit
"I Made Out With $400"
"I used to babysit for my next-door neighbor who had an 8-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy. One day, we had a half-day at school, and I think the mom forgot because when we walked into the apartment, I heard one of the doors shut. At the time, we thought it was an intruder, so I grabbed the 5-year-old's baseball bat, told them to stay in the room, and I'd do some investigating."
"I opened the bathroom door, and there was the mom, half-naked, with a guy that wasn't her husband. She gave me all the money in her wallet and her business card (she was a photographer) and told me to never speak of it again." —throwawayyyyyyyyy126 / Reddit
What Were They Hiding?
"I was babysitting a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old (both male). The kids were fine but the parents acted suspicious whenever I entered their room."
"They had cameras everywhere..." —useless_anonymous / Reddit
Absolutely Do Not Enter The Study
"I nannied for a wealthy couple, and the husband had a study in the house that the wife joked about never being allowed in. I was curious about why you wouldn't let someone in a study, especially since it looked like a fairly normal room: big desk, walls covered in bookshelves, books of architecture everywhere. So one day I just roamed around in there.
"I didn't really find anything, and I was kinda disappointed, but then I grabbed a book off one of the shelves. The thing had money pressed between its pages—about $500, if I had to guess. Picked up another book, found the same thing. I think I checked like 10 different books, and every single one had money hidden in it." — Reddit