I feel awful for saying no to the babysitting

[Alice00]

I'm a lone parent of 3 and my sister has 4. We help each other out taking kids to school and stuff but I do and have helped more. Her partner has 4 days off a week to help her but I started to just feel used. I take 3 of hers to school 2 or 3 times a week and pick them up while she stays home. Any little thing like can you come watch kids so we can both go sports centre. Or can you watch them while I get a shower before I go out. I never get to go anywhere. I've struggled with my mental health and I'm been so tired. So one day I thought I'll just phone her up and say do you mind after today that you pick them up from school for a while cause I do it alot. And the instantly said well if it's that annoying I won't ask you to anymore.
Then she started phoning up family members to see if I'd been taking about her behind her back.
And when she realised i hadn't she said never mind. Forget it. I won't ask you to anymore unless it's an emergency.
But now I just feel terrible. I just couldn't do it anymore though.

[GrumpyMug2]

You were completely right to say no. She isn't valuing your time. And she hasn't connected the dots and asked how you were or showed any concern

[Mrsjayy]

You did the right thing your sister was taking advantage well done for standing up for yourself

[lunar1]

You absolutely did the right thing.

[Frenchw1fe]

Because you’re single your ds assumes you have no social life and nothing better to do. She seems extremely selfish to me . Best just stick to your guns whilst remaining friendly.

[Topsy44]

I agree, you did the right thing. IMO you are actually doing more than enough and its extremely cheeky of your sister to take advantage of you. Sometimes I am flabbergasted by people. She has children of her own and she must know how exhausting they are. Being a lone parent you have double that exhaustion.

Don't burn yourself out for thoughtless people who haven't got a clue what its like to be a lone parent or haven't got the emotional intelligence to see beyond the end of their nose.

I've been a lone parent for 5 years now and its taken me quite a while to realise that people just don't get how tough it is to look after children on your own. Well done for being strong and standing up for yourself, I know its not easy.