A family member asked me to babysit their son (4 year old). I have previously done this for them but usually they ask me whether I can look after the kid for couple of hours but it usually turns out to be like 6 or 7 hours. The issue is their kid is really annoying to deal with, ignores rules, jumps on the couch and stuff. Furthermore, I have little to no energy remaining after I come home from work to look after this kid. So this one time I told them I can’t look after their kid anymore, and they’ve started passing snarky remarks during family gatherings like "I guess people have different level importance for their family, some people value it more than others". They don’t direct it to me but I can clearly tell that it’s meant for me.
AITA for refusing to look after their kid or like overthinking about these comment?
NTA let em stew in it. You are not obligated to watch other people’s kids, even if they’re perfect.
Maybe you could do it as a one off but make it clear it is a one-time thing?
NTA. If family is so important to them, then why don’t they demonstrate it by stepping up and watching their own kid for a change? You’re not obligated to watch anyone else’s children, even if they are part of your family. If I were you I would fire the snark right back at them with passive aggressive comments about how some people can’t teach their own kid to respect the furniture and follow rules.
No. Always place sanity before family.
Not your kid not your problem
Do it but charge $30/hour or some not so reasonable sum.
NTA and why does this scenario come up so often on Reddit? No one is required to babysit anyone else’s children – family or not. If you don’t want to babysit, you are not obligated to do so, nor does it make you a bad person. Your family member has probably run through a number of baby sitters and is frustrated that you’ve wised up and now decline to babysit for them. Tough luck for them. Ignore the snarky remarks or, if you feel like it, respond by bluntly stating that you find their child annoying to be around and they always are gone way longer than they initially said, no you noped right out of that nonsense.
NTA. People are very sensitive about their kids, understandable, but at the same time they won’t discipline their kids or teach them manners, respect, or just how to behave in general. I have no issue watching kids who do listen, but if your kid is a little terror or thinks this is their time to act like a wild banshee demon… NO! Absolutely not! And those are always the parents who get super offended when you tell them, “Hey, your kid…”.
NTA. You made the right decision, now stand firm in it and stop worrying about what they think. They’re just mad they can’t dump their kid on you any longer.
NTA. Next time they get snarky outright ask if it’s directed at you over babysitting or do they have an issue with other family members who don’t watch their kid either?
NTA:
“I didn’t stop caring about family… I stopped being taken advantage of.”
“Anyway… be sure to fuck responsibly” as you see your way out
EDIT: also “If valuing family means lying about time, ignoring boundaries, and mocking people for saying no… I’m good opting out.”
>> I guess people have different level importance for their family, some people value it more than others
> Yup, and every time you make a snarky comment like that, you move further down the list. At this point, you come right after the cleaning my toenails.
NTA