A new mother on Reddit shared a dilemma she’s facing with her 64-year-old mother. After giving birth, the woman needs help caring for her newborn as she prepares to return to work. Her first choice for babysitting duties is her mother, a homemaker since 1992. However, her mother is hesitant to take on the job full-time.
The grandmother’s reasoning is that she’s too old and has already raised her children. She suggests that her daughter should have considered staying home to care for her baby. The grandmother and her husband had a traditional arrangement, where he worked and provided for the family while she stayed home to care for the kids.
The new mother understands her mother’s perspective, but her situation is different. She and her partner are struggling financially after surviving the pandemic, which took a toll on their income. The woman earns $55,000 per year, but has significant debt, including $39,000 in student loans and $20,000 in other debt.
Given her financial situation, the woman cannot afford to stay home and care for her baby. She needs to return to work to support her family. However, her mother is unwilling to babysit for free. She’s asking for $20 per hour, plus additional compensation for late fees, a car seat, and a stroller.
The daughter finds her mother’s requests unreasonable, especially since she would need to invest in additional baby gear. She’s torn between her desire to save money and her need for childcare. The situation has caused tension between the mother and daughter, with the daughter wondering if she’s wrong to expect her mother to babysit for free.
The Reddit community has weighed in on the dispute, with many commenters siding with the grandmother. They argue that the daughter should have discussed childcare arrangements with her mother during her pregnancy and that she’s being entitled by expecting her mother to babysit for free. Others point out that childcare is a demanding job and that the grandmother has the right to refuse her offer.
