Redditor Performs Heimlich Maneuver On The Kid She Was Babysitting, Entitled Mom Demands Reimbursement For Medical Expenses For Cracked Rib

"She says I should have suspected that Jared was faking choking"

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• May 16, 2023

In the dynamic world of childcare, OP, a 21-year-old babysitter, found herself in a challenging situation involving safety measures, misunderstandings, and financial disputes. As a responsible caregiver, OP makes it a point to educate the children she babysits on safety protocols, including a specific gesture to indicate choking.

This practice was put to the test during one of her babysitting sessions with a 5-year-old boy named Jared. During their second meeting, Jared signaled that he was choking while eating a PB&J sandwich and some chopped grapes.

Reacting quickly, OP began administering the Heimlich maneuver to the child. However, Jared protested, claiming that it hurt. It turned out Jared had been pretending to choke, a realization that only came to light after OP had already started the emergency procedure.

Following this incident, Jared's mother took him to the doctor, where it was discovered that one of his ribs had been cracked during the Heimlich maneuver. She subsequently demanded that OP pay 50% of the medical costs, reasoning that OP should have suspected Jared was pretending to choke and should have been more gentle during the procedure.

Furthermore, she deducted the cost of babysitting from the medical bill, refusing to pay OP for her services. OP's refusal to babysit Jared again caused further rifts, leading Jared's mother to accuse her of being unfair to a 5-year-old child.

When OP shared her experience online, warning others about the incident, Jared's mother accused her of twisting the story and making it difficult for her to find new babysitters.

As a responsible caregiver, OP makes it a point to educate the children she babysits on safety protocols, including a specific gesture to indicate choking.

This practice was put to the test during one of her babysitting sessions with a 5-year-old boy named Jared.

Following this incident, Jared's mother took him to the doctor, where it was discovered that one of his ribs had been cracked during the Heimlich maneuver.

OP posted an edit:

And another one:

Finally:

Hopefully Jared learned something about crying wolf.

There is a procedure that OP did not follow:

No matter what you do, someone will criticize it...

A broken rib but is a common complication of Heimlich.

We have an OP who actually replied, read it before commenting

She should be disciplining her kid, not criticizing OP

The bottom line is:

"Had it gone any other way, the rib would be the least of her concerns."

Jared's mother took her complaints even further by attempting to tarnish OP's reputation with other parents she babysits for, accusing her of being violent due to her martial arts training. However, OP had preemptively emailed the parents with the details of the incident, which resulted in their support and understanding.

Despite the ongoing conflict with Jared's mother, OP continues to uphold her responsibility towards the children she cares for, emphasizing the seriousness of choking and the importance of not faking it. Conclusively, OP remains firm in her decision not to pay for Jared's medical bills and continues to prioritize safety education in her babysitting practices, despite the unfortunate misunderstanding and ensuing conflict.

Despite Jared's mother's claims, OP is steadfast in her belief that she acted appropriately given the circumstances and maintains that she shouldn't be held financially responsible for the outcome of a situation initiated by Jared's deception.

Damjan