Mom refuses to top up diapers for home daycare provider sister-in-law, gets offended when her daughter is rejected from daycare: 'Moms forget things sometimes'

Author image for Ally Perry
Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Jan 19, 2026 9:00 PM EST

Good babysitters are hard to find, so parents don't want to get on their bad side.

Childcare is a necessity for any family with working parents, or even just those who need some time away from the kids once in a while. Not everybody gets the luxury of making sure their kids have the best treatment possible. Much of the time, they have no choice but to leave them with strangers and hope that the standard of care is good enough for them and their children. 

Those who have family members willing and able to look after kids are among the luckiest moms and dads out there, but they can have a tendency to take this privilege for granted. This generosity is only going to extend so far if they start acting entitled and go against the terms and conditions of having access to this childcare.

It is a predictable pattern that many babysitting relatives find themselves stuck in, where the parent they are helping out oversteps their boundaries, then gets upset when they reinstate them. Things can get even dicier if money is involved, as they want to feel as if their expense is working for them, and not against them. Holding onto those principles is crucial.

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  • a woman with her hair tied back holds and comforts a crying baby
    via Toa Heftiba (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • In this story, a woman who worked as a home daycare provider had recently taken on her infant niece at the request of her sister-in-law. She enjoyed having her there, but she faced an issue with her diaper supply. She advised all her clients to restock when their kids were running low on diapers at daycare, and she refused to take them if they didn't have any.

    Her sister-in-law had been given multiple warnings about her daughter not having enough diapers, and eventually, they ran out at the daycare. As a result, the woman informed her that she wouldn't be able to take the baby that day. The mom was insulted and felt she should make an exception for family. She wondered if she had been too harsh in enforcing her rule.

  • I (31F) am a home daycare provider. My SIL "Jenny" (29F) recently enrolled my infant niece "Pearl" in my daycare.
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • I love having Pearl here and being a part of her development. I have. a policy with diapers - I notify the parents when there's 20 or less diapers in their kid's supply.
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • I communicate this verbally at pickup, and through email/text reminders. If they get down to 5 left at the start of a day, and the parent still hasn't brought any, their little one isn't allowed to come until they've brought some.
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • Jenny was told multiple times recently that Pearl's supply was getting low, and her response וויו was always "Oops, I'll bring more tomorrow" but then she wouldn't do it.
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • diapers in a basket that looks like a lion and other baby supplies sitting on a bed
    via Daiga Ellaby (Unsplash+)
  • On Monday night, I sent her a text reminding her to bring diapers, and that I wouldn't be able to have Pearl here if she didn't have them.
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • Naturally, Jenny shows up on Tuesday morning empty handed. Again with the "I forgot". I reminded her of the policy, no diapers no daycare.
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • She got all mad about how Pearl is my niece and I can't "just turn her away", can't I break the rules just this once, and that I have no idea how busy her life is and that moms forget things sometimes.
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • I told Jenny that she needs to follow the same rules as everyone else, and she said that I should "find room in my heart for exceptions".
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • AITA for not taking my niece at daycare because my SIL didn't follow the policy?
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • a woman sits at the end of a table, feeding a baby with a spoon
    via Toa Heftiba (Unsplash+)
  • 2dogslife If you are running a daycare, you don't have time to run out and buy random diapers. What, was SIL thinking you should steal them from another kid's stash to make up for "her bad?" NTA
    via 2dogslife
  • Beneficial-Pea-13 Original Poster's Reply Also Pearl is a sensitive skin girlie...even if I didn't have the policy, I likely wouldn't be able to put her in another kid's diapers
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • Lyric05 NTA. She knew the policy and was warned. But out of curiousity - if a family is having financial trouble and that's why the diapers are late, what do you do?
    via Lyric05
  • Beneficial-Pea-13 Original Poster's Reply I always link resources on the text or email reminders, we have a place in town that gives free resources (such as diapers) for families in crisis.
    via Beneficial-Pea-13
  • throwaway2117000 NTA. Bend on this rule, next will be about payment.
    via throwaway2117000
  • billbar NTA for sure. Good on you for holding true to the rules/boundaries that you set for all parents at your daycare. She's gotta learn that she can't use you simply because you're family. Continue to politely remind her that these are the rules, they apply to everyone, and you're not going to break them for any reason.
    via billbar
  • Dame_Niafer NTA. She just wants a free source of diapers along with her daycare. She didn't "forget", I'm sure she never allows herself to run out of them at home. Good for you for not bending the rules for an entitled relative.
    via Dame_Niafer
  • BlikkyBee Honestly I dont think you're the asshole I think it's so weird that after multiple reminders she still didn't bring diapers idk I just feel like that wouldn't of happened if it was any other daycare she was testing your leniency for whatever reason you set a boundary and she should have just respected it went and got diapers and came back
    via BlikkyBee
  • Autumn_Falls0131 How do you have a baby and not remember that you need diapers every flipping day?
    via Autumn_Falls0131
  • arlondiluthel NTA. This is why you don't mix business and family/friends. They will try to get preferential treatment. You did the right thing for your business by standing your ground.
    via arlondiluthel
  • Gatodeluna She wanted to see what she could get away with. First this, then other things like not paying you tuition because 'you can't charge family money.'
    via Gatodeluna
  • EwwDavvidd NTA. If you make exceptions for Jenny, then what's the point of having rules. Imagine if your other clients knew you weren't enforcing the rules because shes family. She knew the rules, and you reminded here many times.
    via EwwDavvidd

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daycare babysitting diapers niece parenting sister in law family mom
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