Mom protests when brother agrees to babysit 1-year-old and 3-year-old nephews, backs out when partner's surgery is rescheduled: 'It would be too short notice to take the day off'

Sometimes, the act of trying to find childcare can be even more stressful than the job of parenting itself. Many babysitters can prove unreliable, and even when they do make the date, they can be a significant expense. It is no wonder that many parents feel like they don't have a life outside of their kids.

Of course, many moms and dads also have the privilege of relying on family members to take care of their kids now and then, but even this can come with its problems. Some relatives resent being used as a source of free childcare, and others may not be providing quite the same service that would come from a professional. It is more difficult to be particular when a loved one is offering a favor.

At the same time, whoever is babysitting owes it to both the kids and the parents to be upfront and try to communicate as best as possible. Life happens, and issues arise, but it is how they are resolved that matters most.

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An uncle was left pondering if he was in the wrong when he felt he had to cancel on his previous agreement with his sister that he would babysit his two young nephews while she and her husband went to a concert. His reason behind this was that his partner was having surgery, which had been rescheduled to around the same date, and he wanted to be there to support her in her recovery.
This left his sister in a difficult position, as even if she cancelled her tickets, she still needed the childcare. He wanted to know if he was justified in his decision.
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WIBTA if I didn’t look after my sister's children?

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Commenters had mixed opinions, although many felt he was within his rights to cancel.

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