She Snapped at Her Nanny for Waking Her Up. Was She Out of Line?

I’m gonna come clean about something…I don’t like being woken up…ever!

I even get mad at my alarm clock when it goes off…

And I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that way!

Check out this story and see if you think this woman was out of line for getting angry for being woken up.

AITA for snapping at my nanny for waking me up?

“I have a 5 year old and a 2 month old. The transition from one to two has been tough especially with a newborn. My husband has been amazing help but he had to go on a business trip. Him going on this would ensure he didn’t have to travel for at least a year. I told him to go as it was only a week.

Four days in, I was exhausted and overwhelmed. I got maybe an hour or two of sleep each night combined with each kid’s needs, housework and me semi-transitioning back to work. I have no help outside my nanny. No family in the area, friends are busy with work.

Our nanny is also transitioning into caring for both kids, with a pay raise (now $30/hr). She’s mainly cared for my eldest since birth. He’s gone to camp this summer, so she’s worked about 25 hours a week, still compensated for her usual 36.

I was fried and wiped, offering her overtime to come in while my son was at camp to watch the baby for 4 hours so I could nap. I told her if she didn’t want to, it was fine and I’d try to find a sitter. She insisted she could do it.

I gave her the condition that I was not to be woken up unless there was a true emergency (someone is ill or injured, there’s a fire) or the baby won’t take her bottle (mainly breastfed but usually will take a bottle) or is inconsolable. She agreed. Keep in mind, she has worked for us since our oldest was a baby. She has experience with newborns and knows what comes with that.

I finally fall into a much needed deep sleep. It feels like 5 minutes (turned out to be 30) I’m being shaken awake. At first I was just groggy and disoriented. The nanny was leaning over me saying “the baby had a blowout”. It took me a minute to come to my senses and finally said “okay?”

She asked if she should have a bath, do I want the sheets thrown in the wash, etc. I then realized there was no true emergency. It’s normal for babies at this age to have that happen. And I’ve told her in the past if my eldest wets the bed, just leave the sheets in the laundry room and give him a bath.

She just kept staring at me, so I snapped “Just do what you would for (eldest kid)! Why did you wake me up?” She got defensive and said she was just checking. I reminded her of our deal and she walked out. I tried to fall back asleep but couldn’t as my baby was crying from getting a bath and being changed. I would’ve slept through it if I hadn’t woken up as they were in another room (I always wake up if she’s beside me).

The baby stopped crying but I was wide awake and couldn’t fall back asleep. After an hour, I gave up, went and grabbed my baby, dismissing the nanny. She texted me later saying I disrespected her and she didn’t deserve that. I told her I was sorry for my tone but that wasn’t an emergency and it defeated the purpose of me getting a break.

I paid her for the full 4 hours, even though she was only there for 2 as I did choose to dismiss her. She says I’m the mom, so it shouldn’t be a burden. It’s not a burden but I needed the break and she was being paid $45/hr (overtime rate).

AITA?”