11 Nannies Who Discovered the Real Challenges Went Far Beyond the Kids

Believe nannying is all about cute kids, snack time, and finger painting? Think again. These nannies have faced the unexpected — toddlers mysteriously vanishing, parents with secrets deeper than any soap opera, and situations so unbelievable you’d swear they were fiction. But every wild, bizarre moment? Totally real.

• A lady tried to dump two extra kids on me without paying when she realized I was babysitting her neighbor’s kids. Her rationale was that I was already babysitting two kids and two more wasn’t that much so I should watch her kids for free and let them eat her neighbor’s food. © CaptDeliciousPants / Reddit
• I was babysitting for a seemingly normal family. The parents were polite but kept their distance, and the kids were sweet but quiet. One afternoon, while tidying up, I stumbled upon a locked drawer in the living room. Curiosity got the better of me, and I found a key hidden under a flowerpot. I opened it, and inside were dozens of old letters addressed to the mom from someone signing off as “Your secret.” To my shock, they were full of apologies and hints about a hidden past. Later, I overheard the mom whisper on the phone, “I never wanted them to find out.” That’s when I realized I’d uncovered something she desperately wanted to keep secret. I didn’t tell anyone. But from that day on, I understood why the family seemed so guarded — and why the quiet kids had stories no one talked about.
• At work, I had an affair with my boss, met his 9-year-old daughter from his first marriage, and quickly found a common language with her. The 3 of us went to museums and concerts, like a real loving family. He introduced me to his mother, his daughter and I became friends, we made plans for the future. But all my dreams were buried when on his birthday he introduced me to his friends and his new girlfriend as a nanny to his daughter. © Overheard / Ideer

• Watching a family and had just put the kids to bed. I was watching TV and heard the garage door open, so I knew the parents had just arrived. The door opens from the garage, and in walks a 6’3″ man. I froze and was thinking that the kids and I were in danger. I guess the oldest kid was still awake and came downstairs and yelled out, ’Darrell!’ and went and hugged him. Apparently, this guy was living in the basement, and the parents forgot to mention it. When they did get home, they apologized profusely and gave me extra money. © Awdra / Reddit
• The kid was already sleeping for a few hours, I was watching a movie. At midnight, I heard something scratching at the door.
  First I ignored it, got scared and checked again. Then I saw glowing eyes through the window: they had a dog, and they didn’t tell me. © 97Kelly / Reddit
• When I was in high school, my best friend and I used to babysit these two kids together (1 and 5). The baby was asleep, and the older one was allowed to stay up until 9 (it was almost 8). He was a great kid, but my friend and I (we were best friends) wanted to watch TV and hang out, so we came up with this grand idea to change the clocks so that they all said 9, and he would think it was time for bed.
  It was easy moving them forward, but it was not so easy turning them back! Just picture us slinking around in the dark, trying not to wake the 5-year-old who wasn’t tired, just to change the clocks back. I think we finally got it all back to “normal” after 10. © sdeflor2 / Reddit

• I used to nanny for a very sweet couple. The kids were almost always wonderful. But then the dad of the kids I watched... liked me on Tinder. I told his wife, but she didn’t believe me because he convinced her that “his Facebook was hacked.”
• A few years ago I worked for an influencer (not that big, I think around 500k followers). The family had two kids and I loved working for them. They were really nice and would get tons of free stuff from brands trying to be promoted, so she’d always give me a bunch of free stuff too. The thing is that she was kind of a mommy blogger and acted as if she didn’t have a nanny on social media, lol. Like people would comment, “You’re so amazing for getting so much done while parenting 2 under 2” and she never said a word about having a nanny. I worked 50+ hours a week. © Unknown Author / Reddit
• I had a phone interview with a mom that went well, so we met in person for a second interview with her husband and 4 children. It went well until she explained her nanny was fired for having an affair with her husband and how their new nanny needed better morals and to limit her interaction with her husband (who was sitting there the whole time with us).
  I’ve never felt more awkward in my whole life as she told me that I’m pretty but thankfully not his type as he just nodded his head. I just find it irritating how it’s the nanny’s fault when her husband also had the affair, and how the nanny needs morals when her husband doesn’t. So yeah, definitely not accepting this job! © thisisdevon- / Reddit

• I was watching 3 kids at the time, one girl and two boys. We were all playing a game, and I turned around for just a second. When I turned back, the youngest boy (5 years old) was gone. I found him in the living room trying to take all of the framed pictures off the walls. © heh88 / Reddit
• I got a nanny job with a seemingly perfect family. The kids were charming, but their house had this weird, almost chemical smell I couldn’t place. One night, the dad came home late and hurriedly told me never to go into the attic. Curiosity kicked in. While the kids were asleep, I sneaked up there and found a small, hidden lab filled with strange equipment and bottles labeled with hazardous symbols. It looked like they were experimenting with chemicals, far beyond anything normal. Suddenly, I heard footsteps — someone was coming. I hurried downstairs and decided not to mention a word.
  The next day, the family vanished without a trace. Sometimes, “perfect” families aren’t so perfect. Trust your instincts.

Before you go, don’t miss our other article where a reader shares her story about wanting to leave her husband after discovering what he did to their nanny.