When my husband Mark and I arrived at our son-in-law Tyler’s barbecue, we expected food, laughter, and quality family time. What we didn’t expect was to be ambushed into babysitting. Tyler and his wife, Brittany, had set a trap, and we walked right into it. But if they thought we’d just accept it quietly, they were dead wrong.
When Tyler and Brittany invited us over, I was genuinely excited. We had always made an effort to be good in-laws, maintaining a positive relationship with Mark’s son (whom I had raised since he was a teenager) and his wife.
“Should we bring anything?” I asked Brittany over the phone.
“Just yourselves,” she said cheerfully. “We’ve got everything covered.”
On the day of the barbecue, we arrived right on time, a bottle of wine in hand despite Brittany’s assurance that we didn’t need to bring anything. Their house was unusually quiet for a gathering.
The front door was unlocked, so we let ourselves in. “Hello? Tyler? Brittany?” Mark called out.
We stepped into the living room and stopped short. The coffee table was littered with empty beer bottles and used plates. It looked like the party had already happened.
From the kitchen, we heard laughter and followed the sound, only to find Tyler and Brittany surrounded by about six of their friends, drinks in hand, looking like they were about to leave.
“Jen! Dad! You made it!” Tyler greeted us, but something in his voice made me suspicious.
I glanced around. Their friends had their jackets on, some holding purses, one couple already heading for the back door.
“You did say four p.m., right?” I asked, confused. “It looks like the party’s over.”
Brittany and Tyler exchanged a quick glance before she smiled. “Oh, we decided to move things along a bit.”
Tyler nodded. “Yeah, we’re all heading downtown to that new place. But you guys can stay and watch the kids. Oh, and the guests’ kids too.”
My stomach dropped.
It wasn’t a request. It wasn’t even a discussion. They had planned this from the start, assuming we would babysit—not only our grandkids but five additional children as well.
One of their friends grinned and said, “Thanks so much! Sitters are so expensive these days.”
I turned to Mark. His jaw was tight. He was fuming but staying silent.
I cleared my throat and forced a smile. “Of course! Have fun.”
Brittany beamed. “Great! The kids are in the basement watching a movie. There’s pizza in the fridge if they get hungry again.”
“How many kids exactly?” I asked, still playing along.
“Just seven,” Tyler said, already halfway out the door. “We’ll be back by midnight. Maybe.”
And just like that, they were gone.
The moment their cars pulled away, Mark turned to me. “Did they seriously just trick us into babysitting?”
I nodded, still processing the audacity of it. “They didn’t even ask. They just assumed.”
“We shouldn’t let this slide,” Mark said, voice low and controlled. “This isn’t right.”
“No, it’s not,” I agreed. Then, a mischievous idea sparked in my mind. I turned to Mark with a slow smile. “But I know exactly how to handle this.”
Mark raised an eyebrow. “What are you thinking?”
I whispered my plan to him, and his frown turned into a smirk. “That’s brilliant, Jenny. Let’s do it.”
“Oh, this is going to be fun. But first, let’s make sure the kids are taken care of.”
We spent the next few hours making sure the kids were fed, entertained, and ready for bed. By 9:30 p.m., all seven children were tucked into beds and sleeping bags, sound asleep. Then, we tidied up the living room and kitchen, not because we felt obligated, but because I wanted the house to be spotless for what came next.
At 10:30, I picked up my phone and called Brittany.
She answered on the third ring, music and laughter in the background. “Hello?”
I gasped dramatically. “Brittany! It’s a disaster! You need to come home now!”
Then I hung up.
My phone immediately lit up with her return call. I showed Mark, then let it ring.
“Let them sweat a little,” I said, smirking.
The phone continued to buzz with calls and texts. Mark chuckled but looked at me warily. “Are we sure about this?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “They need to learn that they can’t just dump responsibilities on us.”
Twenty minutes later, we heard cars screeching into the driveway. The front door burst open, and Tyler, Brittany, and their friends rushed in, faces pale with panic.
“What happened?” Brittany gasped. “Are the kids okay?”
I looked up from the magazine I was reading. “Oh, they’re fine. They’ve been asleep for an hour.”
Tyler blinked. “But you said—”
“Oh, that?” I said, flipping a page. “I just wanted to make sure you hurried back. Since you were so eager to leave them with us, I figured you needed a reminder of what real responsibility feels like.”
Brittany opened and closed her mouth, but no words came out.
Mark clapped Tyler on the back. “You’re welcome.”
We gathered our things and left, leaving them standing in their spotless living room, their friends awkwardly shifting beside them.
But we weren’t done yet.
The next weekend, we invited them to dinner at our house.
They arrived on time, Tyler carrying wine, Brittany holding their youngest.
“Something smells good,” Tyler said.
“Oh, I hope you’re hungry,” I replied, leading them in.
Instead of my usual home-cooked meal, they found takeout containers stacked on the table.
“Chinese food?” Brittany asked, confused.
“We thought we’d change things up,” Mark said.
Before they could dig in, I clapped my hands. “Oh! We have to step out for a bit. Hope you don’t mind watching the house for us!”
Mark grabbed his coat. “Yeah, just make yourselves comfortable. Oh, and keep an eye on the neighbor’s dog. He’s still in training.”
“Wait, what? You’re… leaving?” Brittany sputtered.
“Oh, don’t worry! We’ll be back… eventually,” I said sweetly.
“What dog?” Tyler asked.
As if on cue, our neighbor’s puppy bounded in, nearly knocking over a lamp.
“That dog,” Mark said. “Jim next door is away for the weekend, so we offered to watch Rocket. He’s a bit wild, but I’m sure you’ll be fine.”
Three hours later, we returned to find them exhausted. The dog had knocked over a plant, and Brittany had spilled soy sauce on her dress.
“How was your evening?” I asked innocently.
Tyler groaned. “Wow, that was… something.”
Mark grinned. “A little overwhelming when someone drops responsibilities on you, huh?”
Brittany sighed. “Okay, okay. We get it. We should have asked before leaving the kids.”
“Lesson learned?” I asked.
“Lesson learned,” Tyler admitted.
I smiled. “Now, who wants some dessert?”
