Single mom pulls weird stunt asking if her kids can play with neighbor's dog, then asks to be paid for dog walking, neighbor refuses: ‘I was confused at this point...’

A single mom trying to pinch as many pennies as she can out of everyone she knows asks her neighbor for a favor. However, this favor quickly turned into a money-making opportunity… that was unsuccessful.  

This single mom has some kids with developmental delays, so she has her hands full. She reached out to her neighbor, asking if she would allow her kids to walk their dog because they love animals, but she can't afford to have one of their own. The neighbor initially said yes, because why not? That sounds sweet, right? Wrong. Because then the single mom sent her the pricing she charges for dog-walking… Confused, the neighbor rescinded her acceptance, since they, too, are trying to save money and her kids already walk their dog for free. 

Offended, the single mom then gave her neighbor the silent treatment for months. A little bewildered, but otherwise unfazed, the neighbor and her family moved on. Until recently…  

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  • Single mom pulls weird stunt asking if her kids can play with neighbor's dog, then asks to be paid for dog walking, neighbor refuses: ‘I was confused at this point...’
    via Unsplash+ (and Kateryna Hliznitsova)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • The single mom texted the neighbor to see if her kids wanted to come over for a playdate. Since her kids have some developmental delays, it is hard for them to make friends, so a playdate would be nice. Open to a playdate, but still wary of her neighbor, she was open to the idea, but needed a few details. That is when the single mom hits her with the payment, of course. She wasn't actually inviting them over for a playdate, she was trying to trick her into paying for childcare. 

    She said that she would be, technically, watching her kids, so she should be paid. Once again, completely bewildered, the neighbor refused. What a weird stunt to pull… 

  • "AITAH for not paying my neighbor?"

    My neighbor is a single mom of 3 kids that are developmentally delayed. She is a stay at home mom that gets paid through disability for her children.
    via Smashlii12
  • One of her kids always plays with my dog through the fence, one day I get a text from her asking if they can start taking my dog on walks because her kids love animals and it would help get them out of the house.
    via Smashlii12
  • I saw no problem with this, as my dog has been raised with children and has a great temperament.
    via Smashlii12
  • I told her that's not a problem and she can walk her whenever they want. She responded, "Great, as a single mom I could really use the income that this will provide me." I was confused at this point...as we also have three kids one of which is a teenager that walks our dog regularly as part of his allowance.
    via Smashlii12
  • Also, while I'm very thankful that I have a support system through my husband, he is a stay at home dad and I am the breadwinner.
    via Smashlii12
  • We do this to avoid daycare and it's temporary until our two youngest start school, this is relevant because we are also on a single person income and while we afford our life we live within our means.
    via Smashlii12
  • I texted back and let her know that if we need a dog walker in the future we will let her know and declined her offer.
    via Smashlii12
  • She then texted again asking if our son can come and play with her daughter...I asked her for details and once again she says that she gets paid by other neighbors to watch their kids and as a single mom she can really use the income.
    via Smashlii12
  • Again I declined and every interaction has been extremely tense to the point she won't even make eye contact with me or acknowledge me when we are both outside.
    via Smashlii12
  • This has been going on for six months. I do genuinely feel bad, but we live the way that we do to avoid paying for babysitters.
    via Smashlii12
  • I didn't explain our financial situation to her because | felt like it was our own business but her reaction makes me feel like we are in the wrong.
    via Smashlii12
  • Am I the asshole for not being more empathetic to her situation and just paying her to walk the dog and have playdates?
    via Smashlii12
  • Single mom pulls weird stunt asking if her kids can play with neighbor's dog, then asks to be paid for dog walking, neighbor refuses: ‘I was confused at this point...’
    via Unsplash+ (and Kelly Sikkema)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • So this woman gets upset at her neighbor, because she's unwilling to pay her for childcare that they don't need. Remember, I said the husband was a stay-at-home dad?… Like, use your brain, lady. So strange! Like, I guess good for her for trying to hustle? But also, why are you trying to trick your community into paying for things they don't need when they, too, have families they are trying to save money for? People can be so strange sometimes…

  • Enough_Passage7926 Wait what? She asked if your son could come play with her daughter, but she wants to be paid for that?
    via Enough_Passage7926
  • OP Smashlii12 Yes! I asked her for more details regarding the playdate because of the original avoidance of her saying she wanted to walk our dog for money and sure enough, she wants to have our son over to play...but to get paid for it as it's technically watching him. She's very repetitive of stating she's on limited income and discussing her children's disabilities.
    via Smashlii12
  • Legitimate_Chard6763 Not sure why you'd think YTA. Thats some strange behavior on your neighbors part.
    via Legitimate_Chard6763
  • OP Smashlii12 Her reaction is what made me think I was the asshole, we are easy going people and have never had an issue with neighbors before. Ignoring me for 6 months seemed like a intense reaction for declining an offer. She also said the other neighbors pay her for playdates which made me think we are the only family in the neighborhood not being empathetic enough to her status.
    via Smashlii12
  • Possible-Gur5220 Wait wait wait...am I understanding this right? she first tried to bamboozled you into hiring her to walk your dog, which you don't need since your kid already does it, and then when that didn't work she tried to bamboozled you again into hiring her to babysit your son when your husband is a stay at home dad?? ROFL this is straight out of a sitcom
    via Possible-Gur5220
  • OP Smashlii12 Thank you for the confirmation because THIS was my reaction! I was absolutely dumbfounded and thought that I had to have been missing something because I couldn't believe the irony of the situation. Yes, the text to get paid for baby sitting came the NEXT day after the dog walking message.
    via Smashlii12
  • NTA BulbasaurRanch Never accept anything from her, and never ask for favour. It's always going to come with an invoice. Make your kids aware they should also never accept any help from her too. Trying to monetize her children's social life is crazy work.
    via BulbasaurRanch
  • leeryplot When your kids are already developmentally delayed, this is a really good way to make it even harder than it already might be for them to make friends.
    via lerryplot
  • NTA KronkLaSworda She tried to hustle you twice. I would not reach out to this lady again.
    via KronkLaSworda
  • jrm1102 NTAI mean... shes out there hustlin. But no, you dont have to pay her for anything you dont want her to do.
    via jrm1102
  • Cute-Shine-1701 Obviously that woman is not the smartest person on Earth... After all, how many disabled kid or kid with 24/7 constant care one needs to have, especially with no income, before they stop having more kids altogether? (Even if this sounds rude.)
    via Cute-Shine-1701
  • Agrarian-girl She's a grifter how does inviting someone over to play with your kids turn into babysitting? How does asking to walk your dog because her kids love dogs, turning into a hired dog walker?
    via Agrarian-girl

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family drama neighbors grifter entitled family small town mom single mom
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