To think it's unreasonable to charge family for one off babysitting

[Partytrain]

My sister and I don't see eye to eye on a lot of things so wanted opinions on this. We've just moved house and my niece (sister's daughter) has been talking about sleepover at ours with our two young DC. DH & I have been invited out and I asked sister if niece wants to babysit our DC (basically watch a film until we get back) and sleep over that night. Sister said yes but asked how much she will be paid! As she is family I was never intending on paying her as I certainly wouldn't be charging. I said well I'll be giving her dinner and she'll be sleeping over and can join us next day at christmas fair. Just received message asking if I'll also be paying her bus fair. I think it's about £3 and my sister earns about 5 times more than I do! This isnt about paying money, more about the constant focus on money and tone from sister like she'll be doing me massive favour (lots of other recent things). I thought it would be fun for cousins but the questions about money make me uncomfortable. Aibu? Wwyd?

As a teen I wouldn't babysit for free. I'm not giving up the majority of my evening or on many occasions an entire day on the weekend without compensation. That's time I could have spent with my friends, relaxing or even doing homework.

Just because I was a teenager that didn't mean my time wasn't valuable.

Luckily my family saw things the same as me and paid accordingly.

If you ask a teenager to babysit your children of course you should pay them. The fact that your sister is well off is completely irrelevant as your sister is not the one who will be babysitting. You're not doing her a favour by feeding her because she would get free food normally at her parents' house anyway. If you don't want to pay don't go out or employ another babysitter and probably pay a lot more. Don't be so stingy.

Teenagers generally would not regard sleepovers with much younger children as fun, even if they are cousins.

What did you do in the end?

I don't think you have to pay her. Families help each other out. Fair enough if it was a regular thing but this doesn't sound that.

I think another thread where the op didn't get the response she wanted so has left.

I would pay the Niece as she is providing you with the service of childcare. It’s the right and kind thing to do.

Op likely won't even see this as she appears to have flounced off, not getting the validation she was expecting! OP you are tighter than a duck's arse and it's not a good look. Just give the girl some cash ffs you meanie.

I wouldn't babysit as a teenager for relatives without payment either, especially if they aren't even going to be in bed until after you come home! That's even more work.

I wonder how much of this is cultural?
I think people in my family would be offended to be offered money to look after other children in the family.
However, I don understand that is because the value system I grew up with may be different (not right or wrong - just different)

I would always offer to pay a teenager, I wouldn't expect to pay an adult family member (although would definitely thank them with bottle of wine, or pay for a takeaway while they're here).

So niece would be out of pocket for babysitting if she had to find her own bus fare and your only suggested alternative is for your sister to cover this?