to not help friend ?

[littlemissangrypants]

A friend has just asked me to have her kids overnight. She is going into hospital and her husband wont look after the children. Social services are going to get involved if my friend doesn't sort out childcare while she is in hospital. She is very worried that she could lose her DC.
My problem is this , I have two Dc of my own. One has special needs and the other is almost a teenager and quite hard to handle. I also have a heart condition that makes me quite ill and i faint a lot. My friends Dc are under 1 , 3 and 8 years.
I really want to help and have helped out in past I just don't know if i can manage to look after five children on my own ( am a single mum).

Could really do with some advice

could you say that a whole night is to much with your health but that you don't mind having them for a couple of hours earlier in the day.

can a relative or friend come stay at thier house while friend is away?

YANBU - it sounds too much for you to HAVE to take on tbh

You dont have to. Repeat with me - I dont have to do this!!

They are her kids, they are VERY young...overnight stays can be tricky, what if something happened - to you if you get ill, your DC or her DC?

Stay back from it, gently say you cant commit to it and believe me, ignore her calls and she will HAVE to find someone else

Her DH needs to step up to the mark here...

Getting soooo fed up reading about ''friends" shunting their kids care onto friends - happened to me recently, what started as an irregular playdate with my DS and another boy, suddenly turned into the boy's mother arranging for her other older 2 DD to come to play also. And stay for tea. THREE TIMES A WEEK. Oh and i had to drive them everywhere for their extra curriculars...

You are responsible for YOUR family - she is responsible for HERS

There are only so many favours you can do for someone - dont worry, the hospital will advise her

stay strong

your gut instinct to not do it sounds right thing to do