A Mother’s Instinct: How Sandra and Andrew Saved Their Son from a Bad Babysitter
Sandra and her husband Andrew were busy people with big dreams. They had fallen in love years ago in culinary school, where they both trained to become chefs. They didn’t just share a love for cooking—they both had Italian roots and a deep passion for Italian food. It was the perfect match.
After graduating in the same year, they decided to turn their dreams into reality. They opened a cozy little Italian restaurant together. The place was small but full of heart. Then, they got married and welcomed their son, Matteo, into the world. Life felt perfect.
When Matteo was old enough to go to daycare, Sandra and Andrew focused even more on their restaurant. Thanks to good reviews on social media, business was booming. People loved their food and kept coming back. But success came with a price: long hours and less time at home.
“We need help,” Sandra said one night, sighing as she looked around their messy house. “We can’t do everything by ourselves anymore. We need someone to help with Matteo and the house.”
Andrew agreed. “Yeah. Someone who can pick him up from daycare and stay with him until we’re done at work.”
That’s when they thought of Anthea—the teenage daughter of their neighbor. She was always home, seemed responsible enough, and lived close by. It felt like the perfect solution.
“She doesn’t need to do much,” Andrew told her when they hired her. “Matteo’s a good kid. Just keep him happy and safe. That’s all we ask.”
With Anthea watching Matteo, things seemed to get better. Sandra and Andrew didn’t have to rush out of the restaurant every evening. They could finally focus on their business. The restaurant was now always fully booked, with customers lining up to get a table. Sandra felt a bit more at ease.
But even though things looked fine on the surface, there was something going wrong behind the scenes.
Since Sandra and Andrew didn’t get home until around 9 p.m., they barely saw Matteo before bedtime. He was a quiet boy and never really complained. But just one week after Anthea started the job, everything changed.
One afternoon, Sandra got a phone call from Matteo’s daycare teacher, Mrs. Deborah.
“I don’t want to scare you,” Mrs. Deborah said gently, “but I’ve noticed something that worries me. Every morning, Matteo comes in smiling. He’s cheerful and full of energy. But when Anthea shows up to pick him up… he starts crying. This has happened three times this week already.”
Sandra’s heart dropped.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice shaking. “He cries? But he never cries when we pick him up.”
“That’s exactly it,” Mrs. Deborah replied. “He only gets upset when Anthea arrives. I just thought you should know.”
Sandra felt a knot form in her stomach. Matteo was usually so happy. Why would he cry when Anthea showed up?
She shared the news with Andrew as soon as she got off the phone.
“Do you think he’s just missing us?” Sandra asked, trying to find a reason. “We barely get to see him anymore.”
“Maybe,” Andrew said, “but we need to find out for sure. Let’s ask him.”
That evening, after a long shift at the restaurant, Sandra sat next to Matteo’s bed and read him his favorite bedtime story. When it ended, she looked down at him and asked softly, “Matteo, is everything okay at daycare?”
Matteo smiled and nodded. “Yeah! I have two best friends—Patrick and Freddy. And Mrs. Deborah is really nice.”
Sandra smiled, too. He seemed genuinely happy talking about daycare. But then she asked, “And what about Anthea? Do you like her?”
Matteo’s smile faded. He nodded quietly, but didn’t say a word. His face was blank. Something felt wrong.
The next morning, Sandra called Anthea before work.
“Mrs. Deborah called me yesterday,” Sandra said calmly. “She’s worried because Matteo cries when you pick him up.”
Anthea’s voice was quick and dismissive. “Oh, that? I think he just misses you two, that’s all. He’ll get used to me soon.”
But something about her tone didn’t sit right with Sandra. All day at the restaurant, she felt restless. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Andrew noticed.
“Let’s follow them tomorrow,” she whispered. “Just to see what’s really going on.”
Andrew agreed.
The next day, they left the restaurant early and parked across from Matteo’s daycare. They watched from the car as Anthea arrived. Matteo was laughing and playing in the sandbox with his friends.
“Can I play five more minutes?” he begged Anthea when she approached.
“No, let’s go. Now,” Anthea snapped, grabbing his hand.
Andrew frowned. “That’s not right. It’s not even late.”
They followed her car back home. From down the street, they watched as Matteo sat alone in the front yard, playing quietly in the dirt. No toys. No one to talk to.
“Where’s Anthea?” Sandra asked.
Andrew drove a little closer, and they saw her through the window. She was inside, sitting in front of a mirror, putting on makeup and taking selfies on her phone. She was completely ignoring Matteo.
“She hasn’t even given him anything to eat,” Sandra said, furious. “She’s not even watching him!”
Without another word, Sandra and Andrew got out of the car and walked up to the house.
“Hi, sweetheart,” Sandra said to Matteo, kneeling down to hug him. “Are you okay?”
Matteo looked up at her and nodded slowly. “I was just waiting.”
Inside the house, Anthea looked shocked.
“You’re back early,” she said, scrambling to put away her makeup.
Andrew didn’t wait. “Pack your things. You’re done here.”
Anthea mumbled something and quickly left the house.
Sandra called Mrs. Deborah right away to thank her.
“I really appreciate you telling us,” she said.
“You know,” Mrs. Deborah replied, “you could’ve just asked me. I know a few great nannies in town. I’d be happy to help.”
And she did. Within a few days, Sandra and Andrew hired a professional nanny named Gabriella. She was older, more experienced, and a bit more expensive—but worth every penny.
Sandra checked in with Mrs. Deborah every week to see how Matteo was doing. She also made sure to ask her son directly.
“Do you like Gabriella?” she asked one evening.
Matteo’s face lit up. “She’s the best! She even played in the sandbox with us after school. She’s just like Mrs. Deborah!”
A few weeks later, Gabriella dropped by the restaurant just before closing. She and Matteo sat at a table while Sandra and Andrew served them dessert. It felt like a small family reunion.
Since then, it’s become a little tradition. Every Friday night, Gabriella brings Matteo to the restaurant for dinner with his parents after they close.
What can we learn from this story?
If you see something, say something. Thanks to Mrs. Deborah, Sandra and Andrew found out that something was wrong. And because they listened, they were able to protect their son and find someone who truly cared for him.
Also, there’s always a way to find balance. Even though Sandra and Andrew were busy with their restaurant, they didn’t give up on being good parents. With the right help, they were able to take care of both their business and their family.
