My parents babysit for free: my list of rules hurt their feelings
Editors' DilemmaOctober 28, 2026· Be the first to vote
A story made up by our editors to get the debate going, not a real account.
My side
My parents watch my two kids every Wednesday, for free, and I’m truly grateful. But every time, the kids come home after three cartoons, two snacks and a dinner of buttered noodles. They’re wound up and refuse to eat vegetables at home. So I wrote a little list: one hour of screen time max, one snack, vegetables at lunch, and a nap for the youngest. I printed it out and stuck it on their fridge. My mom took it really badly. She said she raised three kids without a list, and that she’s not my nanny. Since then, Wednesdays have been chilly.
Their side
My mom explains that Wednesdays at grandma and grandpa’s are meant to be a little different, with their little treats. She’s willing to keep the nap and cut back on screens a bit, but a printed list stuck on her fridge is an employment contract. She points out that she’s been watching the kids for free, all day, for two years, and she would have preferred a conversation over a rulebook.
So, who's wrong?
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