Asking someone in your family to help babysit is a classic right of passage. After all, it’s one of the great advantages of having a family, the ability to just get someone to help out now and then. Unfortunately, some families also operate under the assumption that they are actually entitled to free help all the time, without questions or reservations.
A woman asked the internet if she was wrong to cancel babysitting just 48 hours before the family needed her. As it turned out, there were a lot more details that she later shared, including family and legal drama.
It’s important to be able to tell your family no
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But one woman ended up in some drama when her extended family demanded she babysit for $3 an hour
Image credits: Blake Cheek / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Daniel Martinez / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
She clarified some more details later
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: SHVETS production / Pexels (not the actual photo)
She even made a full update afterwards
Image credits: Glittering_Pear8956
Some families believe that they can use people are free labor
Some families believe they are entitled to free babysitting from relatives because of the assumption that family should always help each other, no questions asked. In many cultures, there is a long-standing belief that raising children is a communal effort, and grandparents, aunts, uncles, or even older siblings are expected to pitch in without expecting compensation. Or, in the case of this story, compensation so inexplicably low, it’s roughly the same as being free.
For some, it feels natural to rely on family since they trust them more than outside help. However, this expectation can easily cross the line from occasional support to taking advantage of a relative’s time and generosity. One reason this entitlement exists is that childcare is expensive, and family seems like a convenient solution.
Parents may feel that if a grandparent is retired or a sibling has a flexible schedule, they have the time to help, and therefore should. They might rationalize that family members are not losing money by babysitting, so it’s not a burden. This mindset often overlooks the fact that time is valuable, regardless of whether it translates directly into income. For example, in this story, the woman is only tangentially connected to the family, yet they seem to truly feel entitled to her time, particularly since she is unemployed and, in their view, perpetually free.
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Entitlement takes all sorts of shapes and forms
Another factor is the assumption that family bonds naturally come with sacrifice. Some parents believe that because they would do anything for their family, the same should be true in reverse. While love and support are part of healthy family relationships, it doesn’t mean people should feel obligated to rearrange their lives for someone else’s convenience. When this expectation is treated as a right rather than a favor, it can create resentment, especially if the same relatives are repeatedly leaned on without acknowledgement or gratitude.
In some cases, guilt and manipulation play a role. Parents might remind family members that spending time with the kids is “family bonding” or that helping out is “just what family does.” While spending time with nieces, nephews, or grandchildren can be rewarding, feeling pressured to babysit under the guise of family duty makes it less about quality time and more about fulfilling an obligation.
Ultimately, healthy family dynamics require mutual respect. Free babysitting is a generous offer, not an entitlement. When families treat it as a privilege rather than a right, and show appreciation for the time and effort given, relationships are more likely to remain positive and supportive.
However, that is not what happens here. Unfortunately, the moment the story seems to take a more interesting turn, the legal ramifications lead the woman to stop posting details. The account has not added anything in half a decade, so it’s best to hope that she resolved the issue and got the family off her back in the end.
Most people saw her side of things
She had a final update later
Image credits: Glittering_Pear8956
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