Aunt demands 15-year-old babysit 7 kids at Halloween party, mom considers sending her $15 hourly rate: 'What else is a teenager doing on a Saturday night?'

Ally Perry • Writer and Editor

Oct 24, 2026 7:15 AM EDT

Should childcare always be free just because a parent is related to the person providing it?

Finding a good babysitter is the ultimate challenge for any parent who still wants to have some form of a social life that doesn't always involve their kids. There is nothing wrong with wanting some time that is adults-only now and then, but this is something that is likely to come at a price. The person who is most likely to take on any childcare duties without complaint is the one who is getting a paycheck out of it.

Of course, most parents would argue that it isn't unreasonable to expect a family member to provide some free babysitting now and again. Most moms and dads hope that they have some kind of village to fall back on when they really need it.

However, there is a big difference between generous relatives offering their help on their own terms and expecting them to watch the kids at the drop of a hat. Even the most willing of babysitters is likely to get a little bitter if their childcare becomes something that doesn't even warrant a proper discussion. Although the topic of compensation can be controversial when a family member helps out with the kids, it is sometimes appropriate to bring it up. For younger babysitters in particular, this may be one of their few forms of income, and it makes it worth it to give up their free time in favor of caring duties.

*_{A teenage girl rests her chin on her hand while looking at her phone. Individual pictured is a model used for illustrative purposes.}*

A mom got annoyed at her sister-in-law for her assumption that her 15-year-old niece would babysit for free while she hosted an adults-only Halloween party. The girl made money by offering childcare to a couple of their neighbors, and her aunt thought that she would be happy to look after seven children during the party without thinking about her livelihood.

The girl told her mom that she would be happy to do it if she got paid her usual rate, but her aunt seemed to be ignoring that. This led the mom to wonder if she should send the message herself.

Would I be wrong if I posted my 15 year olds babysitting rate in the family chat after my SIL volunteered her for her adults only party?

My daughter Maddie babysits for two families on our street, they pay her $15 an hour and she's been putting all of it toward driver's ed since the summer. She's also the oldest of the cousins on my husband's side by a lot.

His sister throws a Halloween party every year and this year it's adults only. When she put the invite in the family group chat on Monday, the very last line said the kids would be downstairs with Maddie for pizza and movies and everyone can just drop them off. Between her kids, my husband's

brother's kids and a cousin's that's 7 kids in one basement, and the littlest still wears a pull up at night. That invite was the first Maddie heard about any of it.

The girl only wanted a fair wage for her work.

Maddie's fine doing it if she gets paid what the neighbors pay her, so I texted my SIL that she's happy to do it at her normal rate. She wrote back “what else is a teenager doing on a Saturday night, I'll make sure there's enough pizza for her."

Tuesday after school Maddie came into the kitchen and showed me her phone. My SIL had texted her directly to say thank you so much for doing this, the kids can't wait.

What I want to do is reply under the invite in the group chat and say Maddie's rate is $15 an hour per family, everyone can pay her at pickup. I'm pretty sure the other parents think she offered. I'd rather have kept it between me and my SIL but she already went around me once, and my husband's staying out of it and going along with whatever Maddie and I decide. WIBTA?

There is no doubt that it is a pretty entitled move to expect a teen to provide hours of childcare for multiple kids, whether they usually make money for it or not. That is a real commitment, and one that deserves to be treated with respect. This aunt wasn't doing that.

*_{A teenage girl sitting cross-legged on a bed puts her head in her hand while looking at her phone. Model portrayal.}*

This was a commitment that deserved more recognition than the aunt was giving it.

BeneficialHandle 1870 NTA. Your SIL literally signed your kid up for a free 7 kid daycare shift in a group chat and then went around you when you said no. "What else is a teenager doing on a Saturday night" is crazy coming from someone who's planning a whole party so she doesn't have to watch her own kids. Post the rate. If she's that broke she can skip the party.

Sea_Roof3637 As a former teenager, there's a lot of things a 15 year old could be doing on a Saturday night. Mainly getting paid for babysitting. YWNBTA

Fragrant-Half-7854 I would post in the group text "This is the first Maddie has heard about providing child care for the party. She is available for $15 per family payable at the end of the evening".

It was time for her to state her terms.

Boogity2024 NTAH. Put in the group chat this: "Wow! Maddie wasn't planning on babysitting but luckily is willing to do so for her regular rate of $15 per hour per family, payable on dropoff." Not pickup, because someone will "forget" and she will never get paid, or SIL will tell them they don't have to pay her.

FOCOMojo Your husband is staying out of it? That doesn't seem right. In any case, yes, I think a text stating what her hourly rate would be for SEVEN children is absolutely the right thing to do. And I don't think that $15/hr is nearly enough for that many kids.

InfoSecPeezy Everyone can PAY HER AT DROP OFF!!! She could make more and have more fun babysitting strangers that night!

She could make other plans for herself.

Katcar2007 If she were my kid, I would encourage her to get another babysitting gig that night. In family chat: "Oh, I'm sorry but Maddie actually already has a job lined up for that night, so other arrangements are going to be made for your kids."

titikerry I'd make it $20 per hour just because they "assumed". Dare them to find a cheaper option. If they say one word, it becomes $20 per CHILD per HOUR.

formynexttrickanvils That's rather gutless of your husband, considering the she's his sister.

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