AITAH For Telling My Neighbor I Have No Desire or Obligation To Babysit Her Children Because I'm A SAHM?
The original poster (OP) recently moved to a new area and joined a local mommy and me group, where she became acquainted with a neighbor who has two older children, aged three and five.
Early on, the neighbor asked the OP, a full-time stay-at-home mother with a nine-week-old, to watch her children in an emergency, which the OP agreed to for a single, difficult six-hour period.
When the neighbor later requested that the OP provide regular afternoon childcare, the OP declined, stating she did not want to take on the responsibility and needed time dedicated to her own infant and husband, who works from home.
The neighbor reacted negatively, accusing the OP of being selfish for refusing regular help, leading the OP to question if her firm refusal was inappropriate.
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The OP is currently facing a conflict between es**blishing necessary boundaries for her new role as a mother to an infant and the expectations placed upon her by a new acquaintance who seems to feel ent*tled to her time because she is home during the day.
The core issue revolves around valuing the OP's unpaid labor and personal capacity versus the neighbor's need for childcare.
The central debate is whether the OP was justified in immediately and firmly setting clear limits on her availability, even if it caused friction with a new friend, or if a more accommodating approach was expected given the initial emergency favor.
Was the OP being selfish, or was she correctly prioritizing her family's needs and es**blished boundaries?
When the Crowd Speaks, It Echoes Loudly:
It didn’t take long before the comment section turned into a battleground of strong opinions and even stronger emotions.