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My neighbor showed me exactly why some people shouldn't have kids. I run a small tutoring business from home, helping elementary students with reading and math after school. Been doing it for six years and built a solid reputation in our community. Parents trust me with their most precious cargo, and I take that responsibility seriously.
Enter Sarah and her 7-year-old daughter Aria. From our initial phone consultation, something felt off about Sarah's attitude, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt. Aria was actually brilliant, just needed some confidence building. She had those bright, eager eyes that made teaching a joy. But Sarah? Complete nightmare from day one.
The first red flag appeared during our very first session. She'd drop Aria off without any supplies. No pencils, no paper, no backpack, nothing. When I gently mentioned that Aria needed her own materials, Sarah rolled her eyes dramatically and said, "Can't you just provide that stuff? I mean, I'm already paying you forty dollars an hour." I explained that having her own supplies helped Aria feel ownership of her learning, but Sarah just shrugged and walked away, leaving me to scramble for materials while poor Aria stood there embarrassed.
Then came the schedule violations. Sessions were clearly established as 3-5pm. But Sarah had her own interpretation of time. She'd drop Aria at 2:30 because "traffic might be bad later" or stroll in at 6pm because "I was running errands anyway." Poor Aria would sit there after our session ended, stomach rumbling, constantly checking the window and asking in that small, worried voice, "When do you think my mom is coming?" I'd end up feeding her crackers and finding activities while we waited.
I tried addressing these issues multiple times. Each conversation was met with dismissive shrugs and excuses about her "busy lifestyle" and how she was "juggling so many responsibilities." She seemed genuinely confused about why I couldn't just be more flexible with my "easy job."
The breaking point came on a Tuesday afternoon. Sarah dropped Aria off at 2pm, a full hour early, with no explanation. Then she waltzed back at 7pm, two hours late, loaded down with shopping bags from the mall. Designer handbag, fresh manicure, checking her Apple Watch like she was surprised by the time.
"Oh wow, sorry! I totally lost track of time shopping at the new boutiques downtown! But Aria's probably fine though, right?"
That was it. I told her this was completely unacceptable and we needed to discuss boundaries and respect for both my time and her daughter's needs. I explained that I wasn't a daycare service.
She actually laughed.
"Look, you're home anyway doing nothing between sessions. What's the big deal? It's basically just babysitting with some books thrown in. I thought you'd appreciate the extra time since you obviously don't have kids of your own."
That condescending tone was the final straw. Right there, with Aria gathering her things in the background, I told Sarah to find another tutor immediately. Our arrangement was over.
She went absolutely ballistic, screaming about how I was "destroying her daughter's education" and threatening to post bad reviews everywhere. Called me unprofessional, heartless, and accused me of "abandoning a child in need" for my own "petty ego."
Two weeks later, I was talking to another tutor at a community education fair, and when I mentioned Sarah's name, her eyes went wide. Turns out, Sarah had been kicked out of two other tutoring programs for identical behavior, treating professional educators like free babysitting services.
Aria found a wonderful new tutor who actually respects boundaries. And Sarah? Still posting in neighborhood Facebook groups complaining about "unreliable" tutors who "don't really care about children's success."
Now when new families contact me, I share this story as a cautionary tale.