Friend asked me to babysit for the whole week!

Yes one if them is off work because if the death of thd cousin of a spouse..

Also cannot think of an employer that would allow so much time off for the death of a cousin, which makes me think one of them is still going to work and just want a break from the kids. Well, wouldn't we all? Tough shit.

No way!

That's a totally different scenario, Mamary.

(I realise that sounds weird - they then air-ambulanced us both to a different city with neuro surgery capability, so I was in a motel next to the hospital with no car, and had to call the cm and say ‘can you keep my kid? They don’t know if he’s going to make it and I’m in x’

If you had them for a night and then took and picked them up from school the next day then this must mean you’ve already had them since Thursday.

As Fishes said, take them to school Monday and inform the parents they will need to pick them up.

Absolutely not on. Maybe one of them needs to be there some of the time but not both of them all week.

So they said they have to be there for his wife and kid and the rest of the family to make arrangements.

Oh, bullshit! You don't get to abandon your two young kids for that. Are you actually going to tell them NO or just let them get away with CFery? If you dropped them off at school then you've already had them since Thurs.

'Sorry but that won't be possible. You need to come and get them.' 'But we can't.' 'We've had them 4 nights already. You will have to make other arrangements.'

If they pull a stunt where they don't show up, I'd take them to school the next day and tell them 'I will not collect them. I have informed the school that I am not a contact point and am unable to care for them further.'

And then do it or let them rip the piss out of you.

My DD was long-term in hospital one time and I had to go and stay with her in there but DH had to stay home with our son.

Ffs grow a backbone. 'I'm sorry to hear of your family difficulties but am up able to look after your children any longer. Please arrange to pick them up by 8pm or I will have to ask Social Services to arrange emergency foster care.'

They are taking the piss.

We had the occasional death of a family member when the children were small. One was DH's Dad. I stayed at home with the kids and took them to school etc. DH went on his own to stay with his Mum. We joined them at the weekend and also for the funeral.

Absolutely no need at all for these two cheeky fuckers to both be away for the week. Text them and say that you will drop their kids off at school tomorrow but you will not be picking them up.

40 miles that’s ridiculous of course one of them can come home

That's the lost pathetic excuse ever.

Blimey-what piss takers!

Mm they could probably figure this out. That said, my cm looked after my 15mo for a week when dh got blown up. We were only an hour and a half away but they weren’t sure if he was going to survive - had brain surgery to stop the bleed and was on a neuro unit with no under 12s. I don’t know what I would have done without her. I left her there thinking I was going to collect dh from hospital after getting checked over (after a miscommunication - he’d actually arrived unconscious in a helicopter leaking from a hole in his skull). We were living in a different country so no relatives who could help out.
But two healthy parents and someone else’s bereavement? I think they need to make arrangements to look after their own child.

WTF? It's only a cousin who has other family members there to help. Tell them now, to come and collect their kids. That's outrageous and takes the CFuckery to another level. If you don't put your foot down, you'll have to do the same for the funeral too. No way.

If there is a cousin, then I bet their family are pissed off that those two have landed on them for a week.

They're taking the piss out of your kind nature. Text to say "Sorry we've been really happy to help you out under such sad circumstances but something has come up, we need the children collecting by midday tomorrow, we are sure you understand"

So they are roughly an hour away? My DH travels an hour to work and back each day. There is absolutely no reason why they both need to be there constantly for a week. You need to tell them you were happy to help out for a night but no way can you have their 2 small children for a week!

Crock of shite! They have gone away! Tell them that they will be dropped at school in the morning and you won't be collecting them later

Very cheeky - not at all fair on you

I would be wondering why the well being of a cousin, supported by other family, was more important to them than their DC. Do you regularly babysit for them already. I don't know any parents who would dump their 4 and 5.5 year old in this way.

Are you able to deliver their DC back to them?

40 miles isn't very far, I'm confused why they can't tag-team, or the guy can't stay and deal with the family emergency whilst the wife parents?

No excuses. I moved 55 miles away from my family and friends to live with my husband and since Thursday and up until this Thursday I would have driven up there 4 times (and back) due to Christmas commitments.

They can come back.

That's balls. When FIL passed away we drove up to MIL every morning and back home every night as we had a young DS. It was more than 40 miles.

That takes one adult not two. Either one of the adults comes home or they come and collect the kids and take them with them. It’s their choose to make.

Definitely CF and poor children.