... to think this couple are extracting the urine?

[PreviouslyonLost]

I work mainly part-time, DH works off-shore. Two DC, no family nearby to help out but we manage. Our eldest DC is due to start Primary School and will only be in until noon for several weeks. To accommodate this I have used the majority of my annual leave or ensured that DH is home. Another couple who live locally and whose eldest DC will be starting school at the same time are now dropping heavy hints that we should help them out by collecting and looking after their child (This would be from noon until @5pm/or 3.30pm until @5pm when going in for full-days).

There has been no direct request (yet) but lots of 'it'll all work itself out' and 'we're all in the same boat' type comments . The DW of the couple has also commented to me that they could 'drop off their DC in the mornings' at another neighbour's house - a neighbour that otherwise they do not associate with or even speak to but who is a friend of mine.

The other couple are both Primary School teachers and have been off for the Summer Holidays (47 days) ...... so .... AIBU to think that the week before school term resumes in NOT the time to start thinking about childcare, far less make assumptions that other people should take up the slack?

That would be grounds for divorce, my husband should definitely be supporting me in petty battles like this.
My husband is pretty good at the "just say no" attitude though. This isn't a one off, it's for years. neither of us have any desire to be childminders.

I'll bet she got home to find them camped on her doorstep...

12 and a half hours away from home, and 303 miles later...

08.30am Dressing DCs upstairs this morning...hear car a stop outside, hear footsteps on the gravel, hear a hand push door handle down, once, then a touch more urgently...as in this door is 'locked? Hear footsteps going away...hear car leave. Peek out of window after a good few minutes (taking no chances after Saturday's Laptop fiasco). See a certain couples' car going back down the road.

Those punters who picked 'They'll just appear at the door on the first day of School' please collect your winnings now!

08.50 DH and I taking DC1 to School so proud.

In playground, lots of smiley proud parents. No sign of ODH/ODW or DC, a neighbour arrives by car...with her DC and couples' DC. As neighbour makes her way across playground, a remarkable number of people say to her 'OH, you've got X. She mainly rolls her in eyes by way of answer. She KNOWS she's been suckered...with little chance of parole! When she's beside me I casually say 'oh, you've brought X today...are you picking her up at 12?' God no' she said (mainly because her child is older and gets picked up at 3.30pm) 'ODW is coming and then she has to go and speak to the childminder'.

DH picked up a very happy DC1, no sign of ODW while he at the school.

So, there was a plan, it failed...MN's take a bow . You really did just change a life here (No crying at the back there) I am in control of the situation now. Thank you.

I still, sadly, suspect that the Childminder (if they have the space) is only a temporary tactic. Poor neighbour that did the school run today, I think she may be doing it for just a leeeeetle bit longer than she actually agreed to 'just this week', especially come October and in 'til 3.30pm...after all, she's already going there to collect her DC, isn't she?! But THAT'S a whole other thread .

Have a large Red on the house...you really do deserve it.

(Breathes a HUGE sigh of relief, and wonders if Hairfullofsnakes and Karmabeliever* think my balls are attractive...

I have just read this thread. I hope today went okay POL.

I agree with others who have said that saying no to users like these is liberating. I have done just this myself with a neighbour of mine and although I initially felt bad about it all, I now feel fine and he has not bothered asking me anything since

ohmyfuckinggod!!!! i can't believe they actually really thought they could do this!

i always thought deep down that they MUST have sorted it!

huge X post.

Well done POL.

i feel really sorry for their kids.

haha
high five!

PoL Them balls are, in the parlance of a few Scots I know, braw!

well done OP
agree I feel sorry for their DCs - fancy not wanting to take their child on his first day :( I know some people genuinely can't, but it's the not even wanting to that is sad. This couple seem to see their child as a big inconvenience

Wow.

Tell them you've both taken up smoking 40 fags a day each if they come back.

Wonder why they didn't ring the door bell? Do you think they knew they were on a hiding to nothing?

Well done POL

See other thread for relevance

Maybe not, I bet you are drained

Just gone back over posts I'd not read and NettleTea gets a special prize in the 'what time?' Sweepstake...WELL DONE! (You're not the ODW, are you?)

But the one, the one teeny tiny piece of reverse Karma, is that the neighbour who took the hit today, is the DW of the man who 7 years earlier had taken the bottle of fizz and shut the door. That can't be the way it works surely?

Well done OP !!!

Can't believe them !!!

You need to anonymously email the link to this thread to the suckered neighbour.

Can't believe their nerve. That they actually planned this for weeks.

Well done POL!

Oh shit, the poor woman. Tell her to come onto MN.

Very well done OP. Now you need to let their neighbour know your secret!

If everyone joins in then they'll have to actually work something out properly for their kids rather than dump them on others.

BTW, I have absolutely no problem in helping out other parents who find themselves in need of childcare and have often been that person neding help, but I would always ask, never assume and always offer to help others.

If they can drop their child off at your house at 8.30 why can't they drop her off at school then and she just play in the playground for 20 minutes until the other kids arrive. Surely some other kids will be there too? I don't get why they need someone to drop her off.
Did they not ring the bell or knock? My doors are always locked at 8.30, seems odd they expected the door to be kept unlocked all night.
Well done for ignoring them, I would have been angry if I was the other mum at them just turning up with their sprog on the first day of school. They have had weeks to sort this out properly by actually asking people to help them out. If they both work then they should be able to afford a childminder easily if they work teachers hours and on teachers pay.
Don't schools in England have after school's clubs? My kids' schools in Scotland do.

Nice one.
Bit aghast that they tried to open your front door. Is that normal for you? I wouldn't ever do that to anyone except a good friend I was staying with.

So they usually walk into your house without even knocking? That's an actual legal defence to murder, that is.

Well done, and I'm glad the first day of school went well.

So glad you came back to update us, although I have a feeling this may not be the end of the story - its only Monday after all!

Perfumedlife No doorbell...it's on the shopping list now! I was physically ill...I'm shocked to actually realise just how much their behaviour was affecting my family. I'm a MN Miracle .

The main thing though was that you all made me laugh out loud at your fabulous and clever comments...that worked.

So is the lesson, 'ask not what you can do for your neighbours...because if you give an inch, they'll take a mile'.

(and you all SO know that once the dust settles, there WILL be a point in the future where I do take the ODC's DC to or from school/look after for a few hours...BUT, it will be only when it's really not inconvenient

Your new mission, should you choose to accept it, is to get the freeloading buggers to do something for you! I will open a book on the chances of them agreeing...

Well done POL, have been worrying for you all day! Glad your DC had a lovely time at school. MN is bloody superb!