15 Parents Who Asked for a Little Help and Got a Whole Lot of Chaos

Every parent wishes to pause at least once in their life to enjoy a cup of coffee in peace, to go to the movies, or just to work. And then grandmothers, nannies, and even ex-husbands step in, ready to support you. But sometimes after this support, you feel like you need another day off — to restore your nerves.

• My husband and I wanted to hire a nanny. But my mother-in-law was against it. She started coming over to babysit her grandson. Then she began staying for dinner and sleeping over.
  I realized it had gone too far when I got up in the morning, went into the bathroom, and saw her toothbrush on the sink. © Mamdarinka / VK
• A coworker told me her nanny had been taking care of their second child in a row. She practically lived with their family.
  One day, she came home, the kids were sleeping, and in the kitchen, she found the most delicious noodle soup waiting for her. She sat down to enjoy that soup from the nanny. Her husband came in and said that the nanny had been costing them a lot over the years.
  She listened to him and replied, “I’ll divorce you tomorrow if you want to, but the nanny stays. And don’t even look in the direction of my noodle soup. This whole pot is just for me.” © carriewhite1963 / Threads

• I always gladly left my daughter with my mother-in-law at our home: she’d watch the child, cook lunch, and clean the floor. Recently, my work meeting got canceled, so we all stayed home together. Then I see her wetting a rag in the toilet and washing the floor with it, and then, without washing her hands, she goes to make soup.
  When I pointed out that there’s a bucket, and she should wash her hands, my dear mother-in-law replied, “Why the bucket? It’s more convenient in the toilet. And I washed my hands when I rinsed the rag.” So, I no longer leave my daughter with her. © Overheard / Ideer
• I decided to go back to work before the end of maternity leave. We don’t have grandmothers, so I had to look for a nanny. A woman responded to my ad. She said the offer was interesting, but she was curious about what I would be feeding her, since she has intolerance to many products.
  Also, she needed a taxi to commute her morning and evening. I definitely wasn’t ready for this. I think maybe I should also tell my boss to provide transport and feed me lunch. That would suit me perfectly. © Work Stories / VK
• I messaged the teacher that I’d be late, asked her to leave my son in the after-school program or with the security guard. I rush in, and the security guard says there are no kids left, and he doesn’t know where the teacher is.
  She’s not answering her phone. I call my mother-in-law. You should have heard her surprise when I asked, “Is Mark with you by any chance?”
  A minute later, the teacher showed up. They were just walking in the park with my son, and her phone had died. I almost went crazy, and my mother-in-law still reminds me of that incident. © Mamdarinka / VK

• Left my daughter with my ex-husband for a couple of hours. I brought her baby food and explained when and at what time to give it. I return — the food is still there, and my daughter is hungry.
  In anger, I started questioning my husband about what was happening. And he looked at me and said that he had no bread for sandwiches, so he had nothing to eat. In other words, he decided that since he had no food, our daughter would also stay hungry. © olga_w_18011983 / Threads
• A friend of mine has a 7-year-old son. She studies in the evenings at a math college, has no one to leave her child with, so she regularly takes him with her. He sits there in the back row, drawing, reading, playing quiet games.
  For 6 months they went there together, and then my friend’s mother took on the nanny’s role. One day she came home, asked how the day went, and heard the following from her mom, “Oh, everything’s fine. We ate, slept, played, but then he asked me about integrals, and I don’t understand any of that.” © Ward No. 6 / VK

• I know a nanny who used to work in a family with 2 children. The main breadwinner was the mother, who adored this nanny and practically carried her in her arms. Sometimes the family had arguments. And in those moments, the nanny would immediately text her 19-year-old daughter, asking her to text the husband and send him her pictures.
  The husband told everything to his wife. She didn’t believe it until the nanny herself confessed. I don’t understand why she did it. The man was completely ordinary, the wife was the breadwinner, they had a mortgage, and he had an older child from another relationship.
  Why on earth would she set up her daughter with a man twice her age and with child support for 3 kids? If we set aside the moral aspect, what was she counting on? © legkoe_pero / Threads
• A 19-year-old nanny looked after our daughter. Her duties included picking up our daughter from school and staying with her for a couple of hours.
  One day, our daughter dropped her hat in a puddle. The nanny couldn’t think of anything better than drying it in the microwave. All that was left of the hat was a pile of black ash and a chemical smell throughout the apartment. I fired the nanny, and we had to throw out the microwave. © Overheard / Ideer
• Separated from my husband a year ago. The kids stayed with me, and my ex takes them to his place for a week once a month. He has a new girlfriend, which is why we broke up. She also interacts with our kids.
  I have nothing against that, but recently my daughter told me, “Lena makes very delicious pancakes. Yours aren’t the same, mom.” I was taken aback, even though I understand that the little one doesn’t realize how much her words hurt me. © Caramel / VK

• For over a year, I persuaded my husband to hire a nanny. That’s how we got our nanny. The kids are crazy about her. But the problem is, it’s not just the kids.
  Last weekend, while I was at my mom’s, they all went to the zoo together. Although, when I stayed with the kids, he never had time for cultural outings like this. © Mamdarinka / VK
• Came home from work yesterday. My 5-year-old daughter, who was staying with my mom that day, met me.
  She brought me a piece of paper with a drawing of a heart and said, “Mom, look! I drew this for my sister. Do you think Anastasia will like it?” I said that she would be thrilled since the heart was so beautiful.
  My older daughter came home and asked, “Where is my favorite lipstick that I brought from Paris?” That’s when I realized that the heart was not only beautiful but also incredibly expensive. © Caramel / VK
• My mother-in-law was looking after the kids while I was giving birth to the youngest. My 16-year-old daughter really doesn’t like her.
  I came back from the maternity hospital, and my daughter tells me, “Take a look in the closet.” I look, and the mother-in-law decided to organize it in her own way. She piled my, the kids’, and my husband’s underwear into one heap.
  I thanked her through gritted teeth but said not to do that anymore. In the end, I asked my mother-in-law not to come home when I’m not there. © anwizard / Threads

• Found a nanny. Her resume was stunning: a degree in education, knowledge of 3 languages. I left her with my son.
  Returned and went into the living room. It was empty: all the sofa cushions, the blanket, the vase, and even the curtains were gone! Only the bare sofa remained. I rushed to the nursery.
  There, the radiant nanny proudly declared, “We just finished. I removed all the unnecessary items that distract the child from understanding pure forms and space. Do you like it? The baby is thrilled; he slept for 2 hours in an absolutely harmonious environment.”
  My husband, returning from work, silently pointed to his desk in the corner of the room. It was also a zen paradise: not a single wire or document.
• Hired a nanny and set up a camera at home. Forgot to tell my husband. One day, the nanny took a day off, and he stayed home with the baby.
  I accidentally opened the app with the camera feed. And there I saw the harsh reality, as my dear husband brought home some girl, and they were kissing in the living room while our son slept. © Ward No. 6 / VK

Reading these stories can evoke a whole range of emotions: from genuine laughter to mild shock and the urge to hug your child tighter. One thing is certain: parenting is an unpredictable adventure, where surprises await at every turn.

And these nannies found themselves in the middle of a family drama.