Being petty about babysitting?

[BonyPony]

We have a babysitter booked for a Christmas night out. Another couple have asked if we can have their child overnight with our 2 children and they will pay a third of the cost. We have done this before with a different family and it worked fine.

We will both have a child away that weekend so we'll still have 2 but they will be child-free. I suggested that they have the babysitter and the 3 kids at their house but they said they'd find someone else. I don't want to look after someone else's child with a stinking hangover! I also think that with no children at home, the other couple will go on partying past midnight (possibly with my husband!) while I go home to relieve the babysitter. This means they probably won't collect their child at a reasonable time, which the other family did.

We have no family nearby and have been away from our children overnight probably once in a decade so it would be a very welcome treat for us! I don't want to be petty but I feel like I'm being taken advantage of! AIBU?

I’d say no on the basis that I wouldn’t want to look after someone else’s child the next morning.

Say you want your kids not to be too excitable for a babysitter. It's actually a good point, they could be demons for a babysitter if having essentially a sleepover. Everyone can make their own arrangements in their own home for their own kids. I think a sleepover needs a parent present.

i don't get why you would think they would want any children at their house if they have the chance of a child free post party morning.

Having said that, of course, they could say the same about you so in that respect YANU

Can't your babysitter stay overnight? then you don't have to leave the party early.

TBH I'd say: sorry, changed our minds, keep your kid at yours.

I certainly wouldn't assume that they will return the favour!

No, I wouldn't do it -you get a third off the babysitter (oooh jump for joy!) but have to be up and functioning instead of able to stick on a dvd for your kids and lounge in pyjamas all day. No thanks!

It depends. If this were some of my close friends who rarely get child free time then I wouldn't have an issue.....but I know they'd return the favour.

If it was a couple who I barely knew then I'm not so sure.

However, after reading all your sage advice, I might do it. I'll have to go home for the b babysitter anyway but for a quiet extra kid, I get cheaper babysitting and a future child-free night of my own

So after all the sage advice saying don't do it, you're going to do it?

I wouldn't do it unless the other couple are going to come home at the same time as me and take their kid home. I do this all the time with my kids, they barely wake when I load them into the car to go home so it's not a problem to do so.

Given this other couple would rather look for other plans than even countenance it being at their house I think it's safe to assume this would not be a reciprocated deal.