When my husband, Mark, and I arrived at our son-in-law Tyler’s barbecue, we expected delicious food and quality family time. Instead, we walked right into a trap. Tyler and his wife, Brittany, tricked us into babysitting their kids—and their friends’ kids, too. They used us, plain and simple. But if they thought we’d just go along with it, they were about to get the shock of their lives.
The Setup
When Tyler and Brittany invited us over for a family barbecue, I was genuinely excited. Mark and I had always tried to be supportive in-laws, making an effort to stay close with Mark’s son, Tyler (who I’d parented since he was a teenager), and his wife, Brittany.
“Should we bring anything?” I asked Brittany over the phone.
“Just yourselves!” she said cheerfully. “We’ve got everything covered.”
That should have been my first clue.
On the day of the barbecue, we arrived at their suburban home right on time, holding a bottle of wine even though Brittany had assured us everything was taken care of. The front door was unlocked, so we let ourselves in, calling out as we stepped into the foyer.
“Hello? Tyler? Brittany?” Mark called.
The living room was a disaster zone. Empty beer bottles, crumpled napkins, and used paper plates littered the coffee table. It looked like the party had already happened without us.
Then we heard laughter from the kitchen. Following the sound, we found Tyler, Brittany, and about six of their friends gathered around the island, drinks in hand.
“Jen! Dad! You made it!” Tyler said, his tone a little too enthusiastic.
Something felt off. I glanced around and noticed everyone had their jackets on, purses slung over their shoulders. One couple was already heading toward the back door.
“You did say four p.m., right?” I asked, confused. “Are we late? It looks like the party is over.”
Brittany and Tyler exchanged a quick look before Brittany smiled a little too brightly.
“Oh, we decided to move things along a bit,” she said airily.
Tyler nodded. “Yeah, we’re all heading to that new place downtown. You guys can stay and watch the kids. Oh, and the guests’ kids too.”
I blinked, trying to process what just happened. It wasn’t a request. It wasn’t even a discussion. It was an expectation that we would babysit not just our grandchildren but also the five other kids in the house.
One of their friends grinned and leaned in. “Thanks so much! Sitters are so expensive these days.”
Mark and I exchanged a look. His jaw was tight, his lips pressed into a thin line.
I forced a smile and cleared my throat. “Of course! Have fun.”
Brittany sighed in relief, already grabbing her purse. “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 keeping my voice light.
“Just seven,” Tyler said casually, already halfway out the door. “We’ll be back by midnight. Maybe.”
And with that, they were gone. The front door slammed, car engines revved, and they disappeared into the night, leaving us standing in their kitchen, surrounded by dirty dishes and the distant laughter of children downstairs.
The Plan
The second their cars were out of the driveway, Mark turned to me, his face flushed with anger.
“Did they seriously just dump all these kids on us?”
I nodded, still wrapping my head around it myself. “They didn’t even ask. They just assumed.”
Mark let out a slow breath, shaking his head. “We can’t let this slide. They need to learn a lesson.”
“Oh, they will,” I said, a mischievous smile creeping onto my face. “I have an idea.”
Mark listened as I whispered my plan. His eyes widened, then he let out a low chuckle. “Jenny, you’re brilliant.”
“I can’t wait to see their faces,” I said with a giggle. “But first, let’s take care of the kids. They don’t deserve to suffer for their parents’ bad behavior.”
Babysitting Done Right
We spent the next few hours making sure the kids had a great time. We played games, read stories, and even had a mini dance party in the living room. When it was time for bed, Mark and I supervised tooth-brushing, tucked them all into sleeping bags and beds, and read them bedtime stories.
By 9:30 p.m., every single child was fast asleep.
Then, we got to work.
We cleaned the kitchen, washed every dish, and tidied up the entire house—not out of obligation, but to set the perfect scene for what was coming next.
At 10:30 p.m., I picked up my phone and called Brittany. She answered on the third ring. Loud music and laughter echoed in the background.
“Hello?” she said.
I gasped dramatically. “Brittany! It’s a disaster! You need to come home now!”
Then I hung up.
The Payback
Immediately, my phone lit up with Brittany’s return call. I let it ring. Mark smirked beside me.
“Let them sweat a little,” I said.
Twenty minutes later, we heard tires screeching into the driveway. Doors slammed. Footsteps pounded up the front steps. The front door burst open, and in rushed Tyler, Brittany, and their friends, their faces pale with fear.
“What happened?” Brittany gasped. “Are the kids okay?”
Mark and I sat calmly on the couch, flipping through magazines.
“Oh, the kids are fine,” I said casually, turning a page. “Fast asleep.”
Tyler’s mouth fell open. “But you said—”
I set the magazine down. “Oh, that? Just wanted to make sure you knew what it felt like to be blindsided.”
Brittany stammered. “You tricked us?”
“The real disaster was your manners, dear,” I said sweetly.
Mark clapped Tyler on the shoulder. “You’re welcome.”
We grabbed our coats and left, leaving them stunned in their spotless living room.
The Final Lesson
The following weekend, we invited them over for “family dinner.”
When they arrived, the dining table was covered with takeout boxes.
“Chinese food?” Brittany asked, clearly disappointed.
“We thought we’d change things up,” Mark said with a smile.
Before they could dig in, I clapped my hands. “Oh, by the way, we have to step out for a bit. Hope you don’t mind watching the house!”
“Wait, what?” Tyler sputtered.
“Have fun!” I called, grabbing my purse. “We’ll be back… eventually.”
We left them to babysit our neighbor’s energetic puppy for a few hours. By the time we returned, the house was a mess, and Tyler and Brittany were exhausted.
Tyler groaned. “That was… a lot.”
Mark chuckled. “A little overwhelming when someone dumps responsibilities on you, huh?”
Brittany sighed. “Okay, okay. We get it. We should have asked.”
“Lesson learned?” I asked.
Tyler nodded. “Lesson learned.”
Mark grinned. “Good. Now, who wants some homemade pecan pie?”
