Being a nanny may sound simple — feeding kids, reading bedtime stories, and keeping things tidy — but real-life experiences prove it’s far from boring. Many nannies have shared shocking, funny, and sometimes heart-stopping stories from their jobs. One woman, for example, worked for a rich businessman whose little son once stole money from his father’s safe and asked her to “run away together.” Another nanny faced a mother who didn’t want to pay for hours when the kids were asleep, forcing her to question how little some people value childcare.

Other stories reveal just how unpredictable the job can be. One babysitter’s employer disappeared all night on a date, leaving her to care for two toddlers until morning — only to show up laughing in a stranger’s T-shirt. Another woman had to perform the Heimlich maneuver on a choking toddler, saving his life. And some nannies face bizarre rules — like being forbidden to use the word “no” or dealing with parents who let kids decide whether to obey.

But the job isn’t always scary or stressful — sometimes, it’s just strange. One sitter discovered a parrot that mimicked voices in the dark, thinking an intruder was in the house. Another found a goat hidden in the basement after hearing mysterious noises. And one clever nanny quietly refluffed couch pillows every day to hide the dog’s naps from a mom who hated pets, saving the poor pup from scolding.

Among the most curious stories is one from a nanny working for a wealthy couple. The wife joked about never being allowed into her husband’s study — so one day, curiosity got the better of her. The room looked ordinary, but when she opened a few books, she discovered cash hidden between the pages of every one — thousands of dollars in total. Whether he was paranoid about banks or secretly hiding money from his wife, she never found out. It’s proof that behind closed doors, even the quietest nanny jobs can hide wild secrets.