‘My sister-in-law won’t babysit my children unless I pay her’

22 November 2021, 12:27

By Heart

@thisisheart

A woman has complained about her sister-in-law for charging her to babysit.

A mum has slammed her sister-in-law after she demanded payment to babysit her children.

Explaining the situation on Mumsnet, the anonymous woman said she was ‘feeling quite angry’ after she reached out to her husband’s sister for emergency babysitting.

Her babysitter cancelled at the last minute and she already had plans to celebrate her birthday.

She wrote: "I have never asked [my sister-in-law] to babysit and tonight the sitter pulled out at the last min, and we are going out for my birthday tonight tickets are bought and paid for.

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​​"I was panicking trying to find someone else on the sitter site and [my partner] called [my sister-in-law] who will be at home cause her partner is out.

"She said she would need payment! For some reason, it's really rubbed me up the wrong way!"

In later comments, the woman clarified that her sister-in-law is 29-years-old and had no plans.

She added: “I am hurt to be honest! I do loads for her 😞”.

And it looks like people are totally divided, with some arguing that it is ‘cheeky’ to demand payment.

One person said: "Oh wow that'd annoy me too. I have babysat many times for family and would never have charged!"

“I would ask someone else. That's cheeky, especially as she's not doing anything,” said another.

Someone else commented: "Yes, it's a bit odd. Most families do that as favours for each other."

But others argued it was only fair to pay her, as another wrote: "Last minute she's had it sprung on her as you need the help in an emergency, and it's a service you'd normally expect to be paying for (hence you were on a sitters site) so I wouldn't be rubbed up the wrong way!”

Agreeing, another user added: “My guess is that she has fears of being taken advantage of because she's family, and in a way I don't blame her.

“Some people can really take the p*** when it comes to expecting free childcare.”