Wife Fumes as Husband Cancels Babysitter When She Skips His Office Holiday Party

We all have bad days, but why waste time on a gloomy pity party? Kick negativity to the curb, lift yourself up, and keep going! Sadly, not everyone can pull themselves out of a rut. Just ask this woman in the "Am I the A------" (AITA) subreddit, who, after a tough day at the office, decided she'd rather dodge her kids than deal with the chaos.

The original poster, who goes by the handle u/watchthekidsaita, revealed that his wife backed out of his office holiday party because she had a bad day at work. As a result, he canceled the babysitter — but his wife wasn't too happy with his choice to abruptly call off the assistance without letting her know.

Well, is he in the wrong? Check out the full story below, and stay tuned for the internet's reaction.

In the now-viral post, shared on Dec. 14, 2023, the OP revealed that parenting three kids puts a damper on his and his wife's date night escapades. Despite this, the couple committed to attending his office's annual holiday party a good two months ahead of time.

Not ones to let parenthood cramp their style, the OP floated the idea of grabbing drinks or sneaking into a late-night movie post-party to turn the festive evening into a genuine date. To pull this off, he even arranged for a babysitter to watch the little rascals for the night.

The OP's wife had a bad day at work and decided to skip the holiday party. As he was getting ready for the party, the OP canceled the babysitter — and that's when things took a turn for the worse. When the missus inquired about the babysitter's ETA, the OP gave her a puzzled look and spilled the beans that he axed the babysitter because she (his wife) wasn't attending the party with him.

His wife was fuming, emphasizing that she had a bad day and "needed some time to herself." The OP retorted, saying he figured a bad day didn't render her parenting skills null and void. He threw in the curveball that having a babysitter while she was still at home was totally nonsensical.

She demanded the OP see if the babysitter could still come and watch the kids. He refused, telling his wife she could pick up the phone and call the babysitter herself. She tried to argue with him, but the OP headed out the door.

Fast forward to the party, and she was blowing up his phone like a mad DJ. He was forced to bail on the party over an hour early. When he waltzed through the front door, she launched into a spirited debate with the OP. She accused him of being the AH for ditching the babysitter on a day when she desperately needed a breather.

He shot back, refusing to fork over cash for a sitter just so his wife could kick back after a tough day. According to him, putting on a movie was the perfect recipe for a relaxing evening. He boldly asserted that his wife ruined their chance at a stellar night out, arguing that a rough day at work wasn't a golden ticket to drop $150–$200 on a babysitter.

She's still convinced the OP pulled a major AH move by canceling the sitter without letting her know. Meanwhile, he's standing firm, pointing out how he has handled solo kid duty after rough days without breaking a sweat.

So, what's the verdict? Is the OP the AH? Keep scrolling to hear what Redditors have to say!

The post garnered a whopping 3,500 plus comments from fellow Redditors, all collectively shaking their heads at the absurdity of expecting a babysitter to clock in when the missus was lounging around at home.

"No sane person's going to spend $200 for a babysitter when a parent is actually home. She didn't have to take care of the kids," one person wrote. "Based on their ages, she could have made it a movie night or put their favorite shows on while she relaxed. The fact she got so heated about it is odd."

A second Reddit user agreed, stating, "NTA. Why pay for a babysitter if she's home? They're old enough to entertain themselves. If mom says, 'Guys, I'm too tired to be running around tonight dealing with messes. If I order pizza and put a movie on, you have to promise to be quiet and leave me alone.'"

"NTA, I had terrible days at work. That did not mean I needed a day off from my children and spouse," another savvy Reddit user commented. "If that was your wife's expectation, she should have clarified herself and articulated clearly her expectations and needs."

A fourth user chimed in, "As a working mom of [three], I'm firmly saying NTA. There is no need for a babysitter just for being in a c----- mood. You are more than capable of watching the kids. If you're that miserable, just stick them in front of a movie with a treat. My kids are younger, and I'd never expect to cancel a planned night and still get the sitter."

"So she had to parent her kids after a bad day. Turns out that is what a lot of parents do. If she wanted an off day, she could've gone for drinks and a late-night movie after a party... if only that was an option," someone else replied.

What do you think? Is the OP wrong for not telling his wife that he canceled the babysitter? Let us know!