Grandmother charges £15 per hour to babysit - not including 'late pickup fee'

24 January 2023, 12:50 | Updated: 24 January 2023, 12:55

A woman is furious at her mum over babysitting duties. Picture: Getty Images

By Naomi Bartram

A grandmother has asked for an hourly fee for looking after her granddaughter full time.

A woman has been left furious after her mum said she won’t look after her grandchildren, unless she’s paid.

Taking to Reddit, the woman explained she and her husband both work, but are ‘still struggling financially’.

And while she says her 64-year-old mother doesn't have a job and has plenty of free time, she insists on being paid £16 an hour.

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"She said that she will charge me $20/hr [£16] for each hour she takes care of the baby, plus late fees if we are late for pickup,” she wrote.

A grandmother has refused to look after her grandson unless they are paid. Picture: Getty Images

"We must provide her with a car seat, stroller, bottles, and pretty much double of everything we have at our home to compensate for taking the baby to her house."

The mum went on to say that she’s worried this fee will plunge her into more debt.

She continued: "I'm on the fence about enrolling my baby into an infant daycare instead as the cost will overall be lower and a little closer to our home.

"Due to our jobs, we cannot work from home so we are in desperate need of childcare. Everyone else in our family works full time so they cannot help us as they have a similar nine to five schedule."

Would you ask for payment for babysitting? Picture: Getty Images

Asking for advice, the user added: “So, am I wrong for wanting my mum, who again is at home all day long (trust me, she does not do anything besides watch TV and cook meals), to take care of my baby for free while me and my partner try to fix our finances?”

Unsurprisingly, the post has received a lot of comments, with people divided over the post.

One person said: "Sorry to be blunt and rude but maybe don't have a child if you can't afford to take care of them. And if your plan was always go back to work you should of discussed that during the pregnancy with your mum."

Another wrote: "Sounds like they can afford the infant daycare and simply wanted their mum to be a certain type of mother and grandmother."

While a third agreed: “Aye, your mother has done her bit, she's raised you, fed you, and been in the work force, and the end of which she wants to put her feet up and maybe spoil her grandchild every so often, not get a second job looking after your kid.

A fourth added: “It is reasonable to assume grandma will babysit occasionally when asked, it is entitled behavior to expect 45+ hours a week.”