New Mom Takes Her Retired Mother In To Help Out With The Baby, But Now She Wants To Be Paid For It

Some family favors start out simple, then quietly turn into something much messier. That is exactly what happened when one new mom welcomed her retired mother into the house to help with the baby.

At first, the arrangement seemed ideal, with three adults under one roof and an extra set of hands for a 9-month-old. But after months of help, the grandmother suddenly said she wanted to be paid, and even seemed upset that no money had been offered sooner.

Now the daughter is left wondering whether this was ever really just a favor. Read on.

Grandparents love to spend time with their grandchildren, or is it a job for them?

cilesfineline (not the actual photo)

OP explained her problem:

Candyfloss11

Her mom was really helpful

Candyfloss11

But now wants to be paid for her help

Candyfloss11

She never mentioned that she was expecting to be paid for her time

Candyfloss11

She has all expenses paid, and she is retired, so there is no income loss

Candyfloss11

For OP, it just doesn't feel right...

Candyfloss11

And thinks about sending her baby to the nursery

Candyfloss11

So, who is right here? We totally understand the OP.

Her mother never hinted that she was expecting to be paid for babysitting. But how much babysitting does she actually do?

OP mentioned taking the kid to the nursery when she starts to work again. So, we can assume that OP is mostly at home, and her mom occasionally takes care of the baby.

Okay, we have to admit that taking care of babies, even when it is only occasionally, is not easy and requires substantial effort. But is it okay to ask for money for that effort? For a grandchild?

Of course, we are not talking about cases where the person is working, so taking care of their grandchildren prevents them from working. In these cases, it is normal to reimburse grandparents for lost pay.

This also echoes the AITA debate over whether a friend should split baby expenses after helping with childcare.

That is where the debate really starts.

Redditors were a bit surprised by this grandmother's actions

Candyfloss11

And they ask if the grandmother pays for anything around the house?

Candyfloss11

Some people believe that the whole setup seems a bit unhealthy

Candyfloss11

This is spot on. It seems weird that OP's mom would suddenly think of this. Maybe something happened...

Candyfloss11

Or maybe OP's mom has cash problems?

Candyfloss11

Does the grandmother want to end the arrangement?

Candyfloss11

Some Redditors were pretty straightforward...

Candyfloss11

Some people actually pay...

Candyfloss11

Let's knock it off...

Candyfloss11

But most of them agree it is a sad situation.

Candyfloss11

Wait, that gets messy fast, just like when a financially struggling cousin asked to pay rent after months staying. Should I Ask My Financially Struggling Cousin to Pay Rent After Letting Her Stay for Months?