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Am I being mean to my friend if I don't want to look after her child?

127 replies

Bobewing · 13/01/2020 12:42

Hello,
Try to cut a long story short. I've known my friend for 10 years, we first met when our children were at nursery. Two years later I lost my husband and it was then just me and my four year old. Shortly after this happened I went on a night out with my friend and her husband and a few others. She asked her husband to walk me home. I really don't remember who invited who in (drunk too much) but he stayed and we talked and listened to music. Nothing at all happened. I said to him you must go - this was say 4am - he went and although nothing had happened I knew it wasn't the ideal thing to have done. I apologised etc. She kept her cool but it came to be that I would look after her two children every Friday after school while she was at work. I did this for two years - they are not easy children. So in my mind I have kind of made up for any mistakes I have made? However, she would now like me to pick up her 7 year old son from school most Wednesdays. I no longer have to be at school as my 11 year old walks home, plus he has afterschool football so I have a nice free afternoon. I don't get much free time being a widow doing everything by myself. I am really resentful of doing this, there are other mum's picking up their 7 year olds in the playground could they not grab him? Plus even his nan keeps saying no to having him and that she is going out? I like my friend very much and I'd like to say can I help in another way like looking after her cat. I don't seem to have the strength to say no though and I'm getting really annoyed with the situation. Please advise.

OP posts:
Thatnovembernight · 13/01/2020 14:13

Might this be a good opportunity to text something like ‘Actually I’m glad you brought up babysitting as I was going to have to let you know that I can’t do any after school childcare at all from the end of the month.’ And then maybe add on something like a new job/project/commitment (whatever seems most likely) being the reason. And be vague about that in case she decides to ask for other childcare favours. Time to take your time back!

Fundays12 · 13/01/2020 14:14

Just say no you don’t go to the school anymore and if she pushes it state you work from home on a wed or something like that. It’s not your job to pick up her kids from school. It’s her of her husbands if neither can pay for childcare.

Branleuse · 13/01/2020 14:17

you sound like a real people-pleaser.
Id just say sorry, im not going to be able to pick your kid up anymore. I dont actually do the school run in the afternoons anymore, and its just becoming massively inconvenient. Hope you can sort something else out for childcare. Im taking a step back from all this now

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billy1966 · 13/01/2020 14:18

Great opportunity OP to end the whole arrangement.

What a user.
Certainly not a friend.

CF.

Wishing you well OP.

WhatchaMaCalllit · 13/01/2020 14:21

Good luck with your text message to her @Bobewing - I hope you get the desired result.

I echo the sentiment that you shouldn't include the word "sorry" at all in whatever you decide to text her. You have absolutely nothing at all to be sorry about.

Feel free to come back and update us if she keeps on at you (or even if she doesn't).

Grumpelstilskin · 13/01/2020 14:24

Well, given that you were suckered into providing free childcare by this guilt-tripping CV, I'd spend a lot more time with her DH. You paid plenty for it Grin

Cheeseandwin5 · 13/01/2020 14:29

Firstly, you did nothing wrong. Secondly this woman is not your friend.
She has been using you as an unpaid skivvy due to you feeling guilty about something that was nothing to do with you.
I suggest you start asking her to do stuff, get your shopping, wash your car. etc- she literally owes you thousands of pounds for what you have done for her.
And Yes put an end to it. Hopefully she will be a friend, but I suspect once she knows she cant suck more out of you, she will disappear ,

MrsMelanieHamilton · 13/01/2020 14:34

Let me get this straight. You, a new widow, spend some (completely non sexual and non romantic) time with a friend’s DH and enjoy each other’s company during a time when you’re grieving and appreciate the support of your friends.

Your friend decides that as “penance” for this, you must be at her beck and call for childcare for several years. Whilst you are struggling with your own childcare on your own due to the death of your DH, and also managing yours and your children’s grief. Is that right?

Your friend is an absolute cunt.

CoraPirbright · 13/01/2020 14:35

2 years!! I would say you have paid your dues for this (entirely imaginary) misstep. Your guilt is entirely misplaced! Nothing happened!!

I would say that now your ds is old enough to walk himself, you are changing your week around and will no longer be able to do any of her childcare!

Thinkingabout1t · 13/01/2020 14:47

Oh this makes me angry. You did nothing wrong, OP, but you've been guilt-tripped into doing a lot of unpaid work for a "friend" who seems to do nothing for you.

Don't even think of taking on the new tasks she's setting for you. But do please think about yourself. Why are you letting yourself be used like this? People often have complicated reactions to bereavement -- have you ever had counselling? The bereavement counselling organisation Cruse.org.uk might be the place to start talking this over.

SentimentalKiller · 13/01/2020 14:53

Has the Friday childcare stopped?
It's time to stop all regular childcare and just help out as any friend would do as and when. Does she help you at all?

LannieDuck · 13/01/2020 14:54

"Actually, I've been wanting to talk to you about the childcare. From Feb I will no longer be able to look after your children any more, so I won't be able to help on Weds, and you'll need to make different arrangements on Fridays."

Yes, it's blunt, but she's been taking the piss for 2 years.

P1nkHeartLovesCake · 13/01/2020 14:56

If nothing happened between you and her DH, then what mistake have you made up for in your mind? Last time I checked listening to music with someone is not a crime Confused this thread is so weird!

Just grow a clit, woman the hell up and say NO ffs........

BeccaE · 13/01/2020 14:58

Err I do not see a connection between this woman asking you to look after her children and you listening to music with her husband? Does she say you have to look after the children? If not I think you may be imagining a link.

Just say no if you don't want to do it.

nespressowoo · 13/01/2020 15:06

Tell her to sling her hook. They are her kids, not yours.

Orangeblossom78 · 13/01/2020 15:08

Also i would invent something on a Friday to get out of the playdate then, unless your Dc are friends or something.In which case it should be you and her alternating that night

Orangeblossom78 · 13/01/2020 15:08

Oh sorry she is at work? and yours doesn't need care...hmmm

McCanne · 13/01/2020 15:08

Oh wow. Did she ask you to look after her kids directly in relation to that night?

You’ve done nothing wrong at all and in fact neither has her husband in terms of two people who are friends enjoying each other’s company. Definitely use this opportunity to extricate yourself from the whole situation. She’s not a friend to you, she using you.

73Sunglasslover · 13/01/2020 15:16

I would be very happy for my OH to listen to music and chat with a widowed female friend. You had nothing to apologise for in the first place. You need some time for yourself and weds are precious. If she's a real friend she will not mind you saying no.

messolini9 · 13/01/2020 15:17

You are conflating an entirely innocent offer of being walked home with the notion of deserving punishment in the form of looking after the walker-home's children.

That is a daft notion & you need to rid yourself of it pronto.

Worse though, you have clearly also decided that your friend ALSO feels that because her DH walked you home once, you now owe her endless childcare.
She may think that - in which case she's not much of a friend - or she may not.
What you need to do is stop acting as if this is in any way true, you need to stop believing it yourself, & you need to stop assigning motivations to other people about their own feelings. You cannot control other people's perceptions, assumptions or feelings. You can only control your own, & - apologies if this is coming over as brutal! - you are beating yourself up over nothing at all, & accepting a 'punishment' which is not only undeserved, but likely all in your own head.

I can understand how as a recently bereaved widow your self esteem & sense of self in your community might have taken enough of a knocking that you felt that some mark had been overstepped by accepting the offer of being walked home. Believe me - it was not.
The good news is that your increasing sense of resentment shows that you are beginning to realise that you need to assert yourself, & that your feelings matter too.

Your friend is very unlikely to have positioned you like this due to any feelings on her part about your "owing" for the walk home (or the late night listening to music ffs). What is much more likely is that - in the way of favour-giving everywhere - no good deed goes unpunished & your friend has become used to leaning on 'good old Bobewing' & no longer has any clear appreciation of what a huge favour she is receiving. It has been going on so long that she now feels entitled to your unwavering assistance.

That's quite a lot for you to process & unpick, & I wonder how you feel about having some talking therapy to sort out where your self-esteem is currently at, why you have not felt able to be more assertive ... did you have any grief counselling after your DH died?

So there is the psychology aspect I feel you need to work on in order to generally feel more comfortable in your own social setting. In practical terms, dealing with your friend's rather pushy & entitled demands that you now step up & provide her with even more childcare, I'm going to RTFT as I'm sure you will have a lot of suggestions on how to manage your friend's expectations & assert your rights to not look after her kids any more, so will catch up on the thread first.

Please remember - you have every right to say 'no', every right to focus puely on your own children & yourself, & you don't 'owe' anyone anything.

BlouseAndSkirt · 13/01/2020 15:17

Another 'just say no' from me.
"Not able to commit to that "
"My only child-free time and I have things I need to do"
"I need to use my only child free time to make up time on other things"
"I am free of the school run now so need to re-allocate the time to catching up on other things at last"

Echobelly · 13/01/2020 15:19

Yeah, I might also use DD's new independence as an excuse to end the Friday deal if it hasn't already 'I don't have to be around as much for DD anymore and I would like my Friday afternoons back' would be totally fair.

FourDecades · 13/01/2020 15:23

So do you still do Fridays as well?

TheReef · 13/01/2020 15:26

Jesus i'd stop doing ALL childcare for her.

No to the 7yr old pick up, and no more Fridays either.

You're feeling guilty for something that didn't happen. She should be helping YOU out as you're the single widowed parent.

messolini9 · 13/01/2020 15:37

I like my friend very much and I'd like to say can I help in another way like looking after her cat.

Aaaaaaarrrrrrgggggh.

This is not a negotiation!
You do not need to offer concessions!
You have ALREADY DONE YOUR TIME, OP!
If anything, your friend should be falling over herself to thank you for all the hours you have already devoted to her convenience.

I wonder how much help, or childcare, or playdates, this friend offers YOU?

Please, for the sake of your sanity & self-worth, will you finally rid yourself of the idea that you need to keep appeasing this "friend" by skivvying yourself out to her?

When you calmly & politely tell her that you are no longer available for childcare, how she responds will tell you everthing you need to know about the dynamic between your friend & you.
If she doesn't simply accept your decision graciously, immediately, & with fulsome thanks for all you have provided already, then she was all about the childcare & not about you.

I sincerely hope that is not the case, but your conflation of the late night walk home with "owing" & "punishment" is worrying, & while none of us here can know your friend's take on that, you need to know that you are deserving of friendship WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED.

Also - do NOT apologise for coming to this time when you no longer need to do the school run. Any decent friend would feel happy for you to have some free time back to yourself to do what YOU want with. No excuses, no apologies ... & look out for your friend's expression of gratitude that she had you to rely on for so long.