“When you first step into parenthood, it’s natural to seek a bit of help. Typically, this happens in your 20s or 30s when you’re trying to advance your career and keep everything balanced, so having a baby can complicate things. Many new parents turn to their own parents—the grandparents of the little one—for support.
Grandparents often pitch in and may even take on a regular babysitting role, which is a lifeline for many families. However, not every family views this arrangement the same way. In our case, things took a turn when my mother-in-law expressed that she wanted to be paid for babysitting her grandchild. Now, I find myself in a difficult situation. My husband and I have been happily married for a decade, and we recently welcomed a wonderful six-month-old baby while both working full-time.”
“My husband works from home while I commute to the office. Recently, my mother-in-law retired and generously offered to care for our baby during our work hours. We gladly accepted her help, and it’s been going smoothly—she’s wonderful with kids, and I truly appreciate everything she does.
In addition to watching our little one, she also helps with cooking, cleaning, and doing the dishes. However, yesterday, a conversation we had left me completely stunned. She asked us to pay her for babysitting our precious Katie.
I can’t believe she would put a price on spending time with her own grandchild. When I was a child, my grandma babysat me and my sister without ever expecting anything in return—she did it purely out of love. I also used to watch my siblings for free for hours when I was younger. Now, I’m at a loss for words. This situation is really frustrating and is creating tension in my marriage.
My husband thinks she should be compensated because, without her help, we’d have to hire a stranger to care for our child, which could end up costing us more. I feel stuck and overwhelmed. I’ve considered everything, and I just don’t know what to do. My mind is racing!”