Mom refuses to let neighbor's 7-year-old play with her 4-year-old son after discovering neighbor is using her as a free babysitter every weekend: ‘She didn't even thank me for looking after her child’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
May 13, 2026 3:15 PM EDT

We all owe our moms a big thank you for how much they have put up with when we were growing up.

We're not just talking about putting up with us, the kids, even though that is a big part of being a mother. No, there is much more to motherhood than only handling your own kids. Because other than taking care of her own kids, a mother often finds herself taking care of other children as well, and dealing with their mothers on top of it.

Every mother wants her kids to have plenty of friends. Other children who enjoy spending time with her kids and inviting them to playdates, birthday parties, and fun outings. But it's important to remember that any friend your kid makes will eventually find their way into your home, and you will find yourself taking care of them on top of your own children. Which, if the mother below is any indication, is no simple task.

When the Mom below agreed to a playdate for her 4-year-old son with their 7-year-old neighbor, she didn't think it would turn into an unpaid part-time job. Yet, after one playdate over the weekend, the 7-year-old started showing up at her house uninvited. Every weekend, he would ring the doorbell and invite himself in for hours on end. 

After a few conversations with his mother, the neighbor, Mom realized she was somehow cornered into becoming a free babysitter to this 7-year-old, and no matter what she did to keep him from coming to her house, he wouldn't stop. That was until she finally reached a breaking point and decided to do something about it.

While her 4-year-old won't remember how hard his Mom works to ensure he enjoys his time with his friends, we are sure this won't be the last time she does so, and hopefully, next time, he will be old enough to thank her for it. So, even though Mother's Day just passed, which we hope you all spent thanking and appreciating your mother, maybe don't wait until the next one to do it again. Maybe even call them up today and tell them just how much you appreciate them for everything they've done for you.

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  • 01
    Tired mom trying to work with her kids around her.
    via Getty Images

    Tired mom trying to work with her kids around her.

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

  • 02

    AITA for not letting our neighbors kid stay over anymore?

    So my sons Alex (4) best friend Jay (7) lives across the street. A year ago or so I suggested a playdate at ours, his mom was happy about that, because I quote,,I can focus on my older
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 03
    one for an afternoon and help her with schoolwork". My son was genuinely super excited and we prepared games and ordered pizza and it was super fun.
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 04
    What began as a planned once in a while playdate, turned into weekly unpaid „babysitting" sessions for me. Mind you I work part time, my husband full time, I am still in Uni and we don't have
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 05
    a support system here, since we live far away from any family or friends.
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 06
    Every weekend for about 6 weeks straight he would come over unannounced and spend 3-5 hours at ours. If we had plans to go somewhere it was always a cry-parade from
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  • 07
    my 4 year old since he didn't understand why his best friend had to leave. Fast forward to a month or so ago, I ran into Jays Mom and we talked a bit, I told her how
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  • 08
    stressed I was with uni and everything and I had some midterms coming up, which were super important and needed my full attention.
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 09
    She never once offered to have Alex over for a change, which is fair, I didn't ask her directly and she has no obligation to offer. But what she did next was were | drew the line.
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 10
    The following week, Alex and Jay were playing outside with my husband, whilst I was studying for my upcoming exams. An hour or so later it started pouring and they decided to come back inside our apartment. It was around 1pm.
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  • 11
    I told Jay he had to ask his mom first before he was allowed to stay here and I'd rather him stay home with his family since I had to study and my husband was going out with some friends
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 12
    (which had been planned for weeks since his friends live in another city). He called his mom and she said that it was okay for him to stay there, since she had stuff" to do anyway. She runs a business and her busiest days are usually on weekends.
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 13
    A young boy sitting on a wooden swing
    via Lia Bekyan

    A young boy sitting on a wooden swing.

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

  • 14
    I was left flabbergasted, but I didn't want to break my son's heart and also I felt bad for Jay. So I let it pass without saying anything (I know my mistake), what started as a short stay
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 15
    ended with them sending his sister to pick him up at around 9pm because Jays Mom, - husband and older daughter decided to go to an event site Jays Mom was hosting or
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 16
    something and SPEND THE WHOLE DAY THERE. Without even saying a word. (Side note: Jays Grandparents live 5 Minutes down the street, where she could have dropped him off anytime)
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 17
    (Of course I texted and called her during the day she said she was working and they would be home back soon to pick Jay up).
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  • 18
    Honestly I was p. ed, she didn't even care to come pick him up herself and thank me for looking after her child for a whole day, she just sent me a WhatsApp saying Thank you that's it.
    via Ok-Raspberry149
  • 19
    Since this happened I have not allowed Jay to come over anymore. I feel used and not appreciated. AITA?
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  • 20
    zombie kittens Why did you tell him to ask his mom if he could stay when you didn't want him to stay? That one is in you. Your husband should have taken him home and said he was going out, so here's her kid back. Stop letting him come over if you aren't up for it. The mom isn't going to pick up on your hints.
    via zombie__kittens
  • 21
    byrandomchance20 ESH. Jay's mom is taking advantage and definitely s ks more BUT you're not innocent because you're refusing to communicate.
    via byrandomchance20
  • 22
    Instead of letting things build up to the point where resentment is boiling over and now you've banned the neighbor kid from coming over, you could have, dunno, been up front with his mom about things. Set some boundaries
    via byrandomchance20
  • 23
    like Jay is only allowed over X times or only when his parents call ahead and make arrangements with you with explicit time limits. If you like the kid (other than the responsibility of watching him) and he and your son get along and it
    via byrandomchance20
  • 24
    would be worth communicating openly with the other parents and coming to a better understanding. Sometimes people are natural takers and sometimes they're just literally clueless. But either way you
    via byrandomchance20
  • 25
    can settle some things by actually expressing your feelings and needs with words, not just hoping someone catches your vibe.
    via byrandomchance20
  • 26
    Azuralyns NTA. She turned a cute playdate into a free weekend daycare subscription and hoped you wouldn't notice. The 9pm pickup after saying she was "working" would've sent me into orbit.
    via Azuralyns

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neighbors kids neighborhood mother siblings parenting babysitting family home women parents children Father
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