to be a bit surprised to babysit

[theredhen]

My ex step daughter is 7 years younger than me. She has 2 young children, a toddler and a 10 month old baby.

I have 1 DS aged 12 (her half brother).

I didn't see her a lot as she was growing up (my ex husband wasn't a great Dad) and since having my own DS I have always kept in touch by birthday and Xmas cards but no more than that.

Now, she has recently moved to my town and seems quite keen to see me and her half brother. I have met her children once.

So she turns up on my doorstep today out of the blue and asks me to babysit for the afternoon so she can work without the kids in tow.

I was a bit to be honest

I would be too, but even though her DC don't know you very well, she must trust you to look after them.

Could it be that she really was in dire straits and because she didn't know anyone else she came to you for help? Or do you suspect she's taking the piss?

When DD1 was younger, a woman from the toddler group who I didn't know that well, asked me to look after her DD. I said yes, but I found out afterwards that her DP had had a stroke and she really did need genuine help, so it might not be as it seems on the surface.

have a chat so you can find out the facts, then set ground rules

YANBU, she was taking the mick to just turn up. Perhaps not too unreasonable had she been ill or some (mini)emergency thing had cropped up but not so she could work, when she presumably knew about this in advance?!

I think you need to lay down some groundrules ASAP!

She may not have been "taking the mick" as AllGoodNames says...she could really need a support network...you might be the only reliable woman she knows.

Does she seem keen to pop round or anything?

It's nice that she clearly trusts you.

I think it's odd that she turned up without phoning first. Strange boundaries I think.

Not surprised she turned up instead of called - much more difficult to turn her down if the kids are standing there than if she calls and you say 'sorry, we're going out/already got plans/etc'

But yes, definitely need to set some agreements about what to do in the future...