History Main / BabysittersNightmare

The child in question may have PushoverParents (or AbusiveParents or [[ParentalNeglect Neglectful Parents]] in the "kid misbehaving because of their crappy home life" version). Sub-trope of BrattyHalfPint, and possibly EnfantTerrible, SpoiledBrat, and CreepyChild. Related to BadlyBatteredBabysitter, BabysittingEpisode, and ExpelledFromEveryOtherSchool. If the babysitter actually manages to tame the tiny terror, the result might be a BabysitterFriendship.

** Invoked in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E17MySisterMySitter My Sister, My Sitter]]", in which Bart, outraged that his ''younger'' sister is babysitting him, tries to make Lisa's job difficult by being be the worst kid ever, which includes feeding Maggie coffee ice cream and making several prank phone calls. Including to emergency services, [[CryingWolf leading to those hanging up on Lisa when Bart actually injures himself]].

* In ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'', several Foghorn Leghorn episodes see him trying to babysit various chicks to [[TheCasanova impress the hens he's romancing.]] Some play destructive pranks on him, while his most common charge, [[ChildProdigy Egghead Jr.]], is a CuteMute whose various science experiments and technical know-how end up leaving Foghorn worse for wear. Unlike most examples, though, Foghorn's bad treatment is usually [[LaserGuidedKarma deserved]], as his KnowNothingKnowItAll and MotorMouth tendencies make him particularly vulnerable to the kids.

** Invoked in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS8E17MySisterMySitter My Sister, My Sitter]]", in which Bart, outraged that his ''younger'' sister is babysitting him, tries to make Lisa's job difficult by being be the worst kid ever, which includes feeding Maggie coffee ice cream and making several prank phone calls.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In "[[Recap/SouthParkS10E7Tsst Tsst!]]", several nannies are hired for the nigh-impossible task of taming Cartman, all to no avail. He even breaks Series/{{Supernanny}}, causing her to become institutionalized while she eats her own shit.

* ''{{Website/Neopets}}'': In the game "The Usul Suspects", you play as Lumi, a teenage babysitter facing an endless horde of evil baby Usuls armed with ray guns and propeller beanies, armed only with a water gun.

* ''Horowitz Horror'': Spoiled rich girl Harriet is proud of the fact that she's managed to get four nannies sacked from her family's house. The last one was only there for three weeks.

-->'''Receptionist''': Those Simpsons. What a bunch of savages. Especially that big ape father.

In stories where the babysitter is the protagonist, they're likely to be drawn to the job by the promise of said exorbitant amount of money. They might balk after being told horror stories about the kid by previous babysitters, but decide that putting up with the kid can't possibly be ''that'' awful (and besides, they really need the money). They're always InstantlyProvenWrong, but if they can survive a night with the kid, the reward will be worth it.

Sometimes, the child turns out to be misbehaving because of something else that is going on in their life, such as abuse, bullying, or their parents getting divorced. A caring babysitter might try to help the child with that problem, which can lead to a deeper understanding between the two of them.

The child in question may have PushoverParents (or AbusiveParents in the "kid misbehaving because of their crappy home life" version). Sub-trope of BrattyHalfPint, and possibly EnfantTerrible, SpoiledBrat, and CreepyChild. Related to BadlyBatteredBabysitter, BabysittingEpisode, and ExpelledFromEveryOtherSchool. If the babysitter actually manages to tame the tiny terror, the result might be a BabysitterFriendship.

In stories where the babysitter is the protagonist, they're likely to be drawn to the job by the promise of said exorbitant amount of money, desperately needing it for something. They might balk after being told horror stories about the kid by previous babysitters, but decide that putting up with the kid can't possibly be ''that'' awful. They're always InstantlyProvenWrong, but if they can survive a night with the kid, the reward will be worth it.

* ''Film/NannyMcPhee'': The seven Brown children are such terrors that they've scared away 17 different nannies, something they take pride in.

The child in question may have PushoverParents (or AbusiveParents in the "kid misbehaving because of their crappy home life" version). Sub-trope of BrattyHalfPint, and possibly EnfantTerrible and CreepyChild. Related to BadlyBatteredBabysitter, BabysittingEpisode, and ExpelledFromEveryOtherSchool. If the babysitter actually manages to tame the tiny terror, the result might be a BabysitterFriendship.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheCasagrandes'': Invoked in the episode "Flight Plan". The Casagrande brothers don't want to be babysat; they want to ride with their parents on a plane, so they drive away all the babysitters. They do this by destroying Mr. Nakamura's antiques, scaring Miranda, and tricking Maybelle into thinking her celeb crush wants to meet her.

** In "Some Enchanted Evening", Homer and Marge call a babysitting service. When we see the receptionist's office, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie's heads are pasted onto a board with a note reading "NO! NO! NO!" The Simpsons are denied a babysitter until Homer calls under the name of the "Sampson family".

** In "The War of the Simpsons", Homer and Marge try to hire a babysitter while they go to a couples retreat. She runs off screaming at the sight of Bart ("Back for more?"), so they decide to have Grampa babysit instead.
** In "New Kid on the Block", Homer tries to call up Abby, the kids' usual babysitter, but her sister answers instead, telling him that her last encounter with the Simpsons destroyed her.

** Invoked in "My Sister, My Sitter", in which Bart, outraged that his ''younger'' sister is babysitting him, tries to make Lisa's job difficult by being be the worst kid ever, which includes feeding Maggie coffee ice cream and making several prank phone calls.
** Exaggerated in "The Changing of the Guardian", in which Homer and Marge decide to search for someone to be their kids' legal guardian in case they die. Once word gets out, the whole town start avoiding them everywhere they go.

* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In "Tsst!", several nannies are hired for the nigh-impossible task of taming Cartman, all to no avail. He even breaks Series/{{Supernanny}}, causing her to become institutionalized while she eats her own shit.

** As mentioned in the initial trope description, this trope also applies to Bart's schooling--teachers dread having him in class, and only the sour Edna Krabappel has ever shown any ability to get a handle on him (although Marcia Wallace, Mrs. Krabappel's late voice actor, went on the record as saying that the two were more like FriendlyEnemies who enjoyed their interactions with one another). In one particularly heartwarming instance, Edna is up for a Teacher of the Year Award, and Bart decides to help by presenting himself to the judges and explaining that anyone who could survive having him in their classroom must be worthy of the title. The committee [[TheDreaded can't believe that the infamous Bart is real]] and ''immediately'' hand Edna the prize.

** Invoked in "My Sister, My Sitter", in which Bart, outraged that his ''younger'' sister is babysitting him, tries to make Lisa's job difficult by being be the worst kid ever, which includes feeding Maggie coffee ice-cream and making several prank phone calls.

* In ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'', several Foghorn Leghorn episodes see him trying to babysit various chicks to [[TheCasanova impress the hens he's romancing.]] Some play destructive pranks on him, while his most common charge, [[KidGenius Egghead Jr.]], is a CuteMute whose various science experiments and technical know-how end up leaving Foghorn worse for wear. Unlike most examples, though, Foghorn's bad treatment is usually [[LaserGuidedKarma deserved]], as his KnowNothingKnowItAll tendencies make him particularly vulnerable to the kids.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone2002'' episode "The Collector" features a preteen girl named Danielle who has gone through many babysitters in the past. As it turns out, she's not a brat, just immature as a result of being [[IJustWantToHaveFriends desperately lonely]] and the child of [[AbusiveParents controlling, overbearing parents.]] Unfortunately, Danielle thinks that the babysitters who come over are supposed to be her friends forever, and she finds a way to ensure that they stay--namely, permanently transforming them into [[LivingToys Barbie dolls]] that [[AndIMustScream can move, but not speak, and are still entirely conscious.]]

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone2002'' episode "The Collector" features a little girl named Danielle who has gone through many babysitters in the past. As it turns out, she's not a brat, just immature as a result of being [[IJustWantToHaveFriends desperately lonely]] and the child of [[AbusiveParents controlling, overbearing parents.]] Unfortunately, Danielle thinks that the babysitters who come over are supposed to be her friends forever, and she finds a way to ensure that they stay--namely, [[AndIMustScream permanently transforming them]] into [[LivingToys sentient Barbie dolls.]]