to be extremely surprised and yes, annoyed, at this school gate conversation I had today?

[moodlumthehoodlum]

Father of child in ds' reception year. Not a friend of ds, don't know the father's name, just don't know them..

Asks me if I would help out with picking his dd up from school (sometimes they have half days) and 'having her until the evening' as he finds it difficult to change his work patterns, and his wife doesn't drive.

He doesn't know my name. He doesn't know where we live. Our children aren't remotely friends, and yet he is perfectly happy to ask me to pick his dd up and look after her for hours?

This is surely weird on several counts..

1. That he is prepared to let a complete stranger look after his dd

1. That he didn't really give me much choice in the matter, because he'd heard that I was "always around" ie I don't appear to work

I completely get the whole swapping of childcare at the school gate, and amongst dd's friends' mothers we have arrangements that of course if someone is working or late or whatever we'll all pitch in and help out. But this, from a stranger, albeit with a child in ds' year, is completely bonkers, and a bit weird. I'm happy to help, but seriously I think this is extremely cheeky..

Or, aibu? MN, its over to you..

Is this him?

Dilemma - no problemo. Does she need a pack lunch too? I'll add her to my list.

Anyone else need some form of free childcare from a complete stranger? I'm available.

I think this is full-time school, Laura - OP said "reception" - just that sometimes they have half days.

I am so not ready for when ds goes to school, and suspect that however many years it is before he does I will still not be ready. I had no idea the school gates were such a scary place before I joined MN.

Fair dos!

TAFKA that is brilliant

TAFKA, thanks so much for that link, I'm off for the night now with all the other ones down the side

How about,

"I'm sorry, but thanks to you identifying my seemingly endless free time and limitless goodwill I've now been asked to mind 13,566 Mumsnetter's children. I can fit yours in for half an hour on 1st April 2064, if you'd like?"

Don't be too hard on him yet. He might have asked someone else and been directed to you; it might even have been the teacher.

Not relevant to whether you do it or not. I wouldn't if I were you.

TAFKA that is hilarious. I might say that I can't look after his dd because I have rocket science to do that particular day.

It is full time school, and the occasional half days are a PITA, but they are well flagged months in advance so hardly a surprise.

Am really annoyed I wasn't more robust. More mute than robust.

v funny takfa!

I wouldn't be comfortable looking after someones child (of that age) if I didn't know the parent.

I'm on mat leave at the moment and have looked after my workmate's DD a couple of times. She phoned the other day and mentioned that her CM was on 3 weeks hols...I said 'oh really did you want me to have your DD?' she said 'no its alright, the CM mentioned that a woman round the corner is a SAHM and told me to ask her!'

So my workmate did phone this woman out of the blue and asked her to mind her DD fulltime for 3 weeks...woman had a think then agreed - but my mate had never met her/been to her home/knew nothing about her!

my goodness, thats outrageous. Of course you should say no in this circumstance. Its planned - they know in advance when these half days will be, they can afford a child minder or taxi or his wife can get a bike or walk. What a cheek!

Maybe he fancies you and this is his way of getting close(r) to you

I'd be , but probably too flustered to say no!
I'd then invent a far-fetched excuse (I have llama walking class on those nights,for instance), and go to huge lenghths to keep up the pretence (covering clothes with llama spit & fur, for example).

Ooh I do feel for you. What a knob!

Oh, he's a brain surgeon! That explains the sense of entitlement, then. What's that old joke, the one about what's the difference between a consultant and Jesus...?

What do we think his wife said/thought when he got home and told her about his plans for their dd?

Message withdrawn

lenghths?

just on a slight tangent here one of the mums of my dd's friend (reception class) said to me the first time we'd talked oh bring DD over for tea and she can stay the night. This was when she was just 4.
I must admit I said no as I was shocked because I couldn't fathom why I would send my dd to stay with someone she didn't know and I didn't know and they lived about 6 miles away.

On the other hand do you want my dc's for the weekend?

So, my excuses are lining up

• llama management
• CM for whole of MN
• rocket science

luckily for you dilemma babybels and slow reading is what we do best here at freechildcarefromastranger.com so put her on a train and I'll pick her and anyone else's children up first thing.

Free time is something I have bucket loads of so its not a problem. Free as a bird, me.

YANBU. What a liberty!

I prefer the Phoebe from Friends reply:

"Oh I would really like to... except I really don't want to"

Then change the subject brightly.

Message withdrawn