Childcare Worker Asked To Change Kid’s Nappy By Germaphobe Mum At Party

A childcare worker recently found herself at a party with one of the parents from her work. After a bit of chit chat, the mum then asked the woman a most ridiculous question before storming off in a huff. Who was in the right here?

The 20 year old preschool worker who goes by the name Commercial_Object941, wrote into Reddit to ask for advice on whether or not she was at fault in this situation. It all came about when a mother from her work asked her to change her toddler’s nappy because she was a germaphobe. Problem is, this request happened at a party, not at her workplace. Here’s what she wrote:

Hi everyone, I (20f) work full time at a daycare with younger preschoolers, a few of whom are still in diapers. The other day I was at huge a barbecue with some friends from high school and the friends of their parents were also there. I ran into one of my preschoolers and her mom and chatted with her for a little while. After a few minutes the mom said that her kids diaper was dirty and asked if I could change it. I thought she was joking so I laughed and made a joke back about how “I only change diapers when I’m on the clock.” Her friends that she was sitting with all kind of laughed awkwardly but she looked at me dead serious and said “no really I don’t change diapers.” I felt really awkward but just said “no, sorry” and went to walk away but then she started explaining to me that her husband is the only one who changes diapers because she’s a germaphobe and has emetaphobia (fear of throwing up) and she’s only done it a few times when she absolutely had to and she always threw up after which apparently she has a crippling fear of doing. I felt that regardless of the circumstances, it was inappropriate for her to ask me this so I said no again.

You’d think by this stage the mum would have taken the hint and simply moved on or tried to change the nappy herself. But no, the entitled mum continued with her verbal rampage.

She seemed really shocked by this and continued to explain how much she hates changing diapers and how her husband wasn’t here so he couldn’t help. I just told her that I don’t like changing them either and I think it’s inappropriate for her to keep pushing this when I have already told her no. She then said “it’s devastating to me to learn my daughter’s favorite teacher has so little empathy” and after that I just walked away. A few minutes later I saw her putting the kid in the car and leaving so I assume she went to wherever her husband was to have him do it. I texted my boss to tell her what happened because I am about to go on vacation and I assumed that the mother would say something to her about it. My boss just told me that I could tell her about it in more detail when I get back and she’d let me know if the mom said anything to her but it seemed like I was in the right in saying no.

I don’t think I’m the AH in this situation. I am not her employee and even if I was I still think that’s not something you should ask someone to do outside of work hours. I do not know this mom well at all, we rarely talk at pickup or drop off and she was sitting at a table of her friends who I presume know about her situation and would’ve have been better people to ask for help. I think if she would rather let her kid sit in a dirty diaper for the car ride home instead of changing it herself, she shouldn’t be going places without her husband. The only part of this that makes me feel a little bit like an asshole is the fact that the kid had to sit in their own poop for the car ride home. I just assumed that once I left she would either ask one of her friends or suck it up and do it herself.

So, am I the asshole?

Wow! This is all types of messed up if you ask us. The poster also wanted readers to know that the parents at her work are all very wealthy so she wasn’t surprised by the entitled behaviour. And while some people said perhaps the mother should be reported to child services the childcare worker said there were enough people in the child’s life, including nannies, who would make sure her nappy didn’t stay soiled for too long.

Commenters defended the childcare worker saying she was definitely entitled to say no as she was no longer in her workplace. Besides, one of the mum’s friends could’ve surely pitched in to help. Here are some of the comments:

”I’m getting a definite whiff of “she’s just the help, why should anyone else dirty their hands when she’s available?” from this entitled you-know-what so-called mother.”

“What was this woman’s plan?!? She went to the bbq without her husband. It was inevitable that the kid would need to be changed.”

“Like why do you even go through the trouble of shitting out another human if you don’t wanna touch poop?? It’s kind of inevitable.”

“I have emetophobia (it really is awful – I do have sympathy for the mum here but she is absolutely out of line with the request) and it is one of my top reasons to never have kids.”

What do you think?

Images: Pixabay