Friend constantly asking for childcare

Just keep saying no. And don't give a reason. Just repeat "sorry can't do it" and change subject. She's the type that will pester you forever if you give an inch, and will find counter arguments to every reason/excuse you give. And if you start helping her regularly, it's difficult to stop because she'll guilt trip you forever.
If need be, try to distance yourself entirely.

Actually I think OP said no. And good on her!

Stop been jealous. She asked u said yes. Say no next time.

So offended

Unfortunately there are takers in life. Not everyone who asks for help actually needs it.
You already have a lot on, some friend adding on to that.
What happens when your child is ill, extra admin letting her know or arranging for somone else to cover you.
Such people have zero feelings about you.
Genuine friends want what's best for you.

Sounds like that poster is the CF.

What an unpleasant response

This

Wow. If I was her and knew what you had on your shoulders I wouldn't have the audacity to ask for favours, especially consistently. You're on mat leave to look after your own responsibilities fgs tell her to get lost and stop being lazy! You won't get this time back once you go back to work so be more selfish with your time and keep it for your own kids. Also, the more you say yes, the more you'll get asked.. give an inch and all that..

And? It's what a good % of people use this platform for.

I'd be bitching about her too if she was my 'friend'

Don’t be silly. She doesn’t need help; she’s using you and everyone else who lets her.

Sounds like you just want a bitch about her tbh.

If her child is 6, what did she do last school year? Does the school have a breakfast club? Can her partner not start his self-employed job after the school run?

I disagree stayathomer people like this tend to take take take without shame and that's how they end up mortgage free... sponging and relying on people being too polite to say no.

I wish I could find the thread - but there was an interesting chat about a year ago on people who ask for favours and what/when is okay. And opinions bifurcated- some people were very much of the opinion “if you don’t ask, you don’t get and it’s fine to ask as people can say no”, whereas others were aware that to ask can make someone feel uncomfortable/that saying no is hard for some people and therefore favours should only be asked in an emergency or of people you are absolutely sure won’t mind. What I took from that was a greater resolve to not let myself feel guilty for saying “no” to things that were for someone else’s convenience at the expense of my own when dealing with people in the first camp. On the most positive interpretation, this is where the OP’s friend lies. She sees no harm in asking? Then she should see no harm in your saying no.

If you can’t you can’t, you could maybe say you can do it the odd time but not regularly. Personally I feel sorry for people who ask because I never would so I think people must be desperate. Just because she is nearly mortgage free doesn’t mean she has no debts or financial commitments, and childcare can take up a lot of a wage

@LookItsMeAgain

Absolutely, I could have written this. It is the difference between someone genuinely needing help who would help back and CFs. Plus if you ever cannot do it you will be painted as the bad guy. "Also, if you're not used to this kind of request, it starts out as "will you walk/accompany X to school 1 day a week?" to "Can you walk X to school 5 days a week?" and suddenly you're not only bringing X to school, but you're hanging around waiting for X to bring X home too and feed X until parents get home themselves and it just grows and grows...."

Try "sure, if I take them both on Monday, I'll drop Florrie round to you on a Wednesday then I don't have to get the little ones out in the winter every day". See if she bites.

Wouldn't think of asking unless it could be reciprocal.

We did say yes to something similar and the CFs just came with more asks and no thanks, but never offered when we had issues.

I would say no and how much you have on.

Does she ever return childcare favours???

She’s not a friend, just a sponging user.

Say no, but still ask her to babysit one evening as it sounds like you could do with an evening off and she's a CF.

Why would it seem petty though?
I don't understand this position.

The OP has her own kids to look after. Yes she will be bringing her kids to school but why is it petty to say to someone else that you're not bringing their kid to school too? It's their kid. They are responsible for that kid.

Also, if you're not used to this kind of request, it starts out as "will you walk/accompany X to school 1 day a week?" to "Can you walk X to school 5 days a week?" and suddenly you're not only bringing X to school, but you're hanging around waiting for X to bring X home too and feed X until parents get home themselves and it just grows and grows, all the while the kind and generous neighbour isn't getting a brass farthing in payment for this (because it is actually a paying job for some people to offer wrap-around care/child minding).

So OP - I don't see you as being petty for valuing your time. Even if you are walking in the same direction to school as your neighbour's kid. They are not your responsibility to take on.

It would depend on a few factors for me.

How far away does she live from you? Would the child be dropped off at your house and is she reliably on time or would they end up making you all late or equally would she take the piss and arrive early whilst you're trying to get ready? How far is the walk to school and is her child well behaved?

If it wasn't going to inconvenience me in ANY way then I would probably agree to do it on the proviso that it was only one day and no more.

What is the reason that she can't take her own child to school out of interest?

Can you do a swap whereby you take hers once a week and she takes yours so at least you're getting something out of it!?

Apologies if you've already said this!

What a CF. Say no and keep saying it. I would help a friend in an emergency but not regularly.