A woman has been left outraged after being charged £16 per hour to have her mum babysit her newborn. The 29-year-old asked her mum to watch over her baby so she could return to work - but never expected to be billed for the service.
She says it'll "spiral her into debt" - and doesn't understand why her mum won't do it for free. Taking to Reddit, she said: "I asked my mum to help me take care of my newborn so I could go back to work once my leave is up. My mum is 64, has been a homemaker/stay-at-home-mum since 1992, and hasn't been part of the workforce since then.
"She refused, saying she's too old and that she already raised her kids. She added if I really wanted this baby, then maybe I should have thought about staying home like she did to take care of it while my partner goes to work and provides for us like a 'traditional' family.
"[She said] that if she and my dad were able to work it out, so can we."
In response, the new mum explained how she can't afford her family on one wage packet - and has no other option but to return to work.
On top of this, she and her partner were struggling to support themselves financially due to their wages and outstanding student loans even before their child's birth.
"When I explained all the above to my mum, she then proceeded to say that she will charge me $20/hr for each hour she takes care of the baby, plus late fees if we are late for pickup," she added.
"[She said we] must provide her with a car seat, stroller, bottles, and pretty much double of everything we have at our home to compensate for taking the baby to her house.
"She will not step foot in my house for her own personal reasons (she's come in once, and I've lived with my partner for five years; she's a 15 minute drive away)."
The new mum went on to explain how enrolling her baby in childcare would be cheaper than meeting her mum's demands.
But she finds comfort in knowing her baby is spending the day with a family member rather than a stranger.
She said: "I don't want to pay her as much nor invest as much in double of everything as it will spiral into more debt for me and my partner.
"I'm on the fence about enrolling my baby into an infant day care instead as the cost will overall be lower and a little closer to our home.
"Due to our jobs, we cannot work from home so we are in desperate need of childcare.
"Everyone else in our family works full time so they cannot help us as they have a similar 9 to 5 schedule."
Wanting to know whether her mum is being unreasonable, she asked Reddit users: "Am I wrong for wanting my mum, who again is at home all day long, to take care of my baby for free while me and my partner try to fix our finances?"
One user said: "Your mother is under no obligation to babysit for you. Why are you having a child you don't seem to know what to do with? And why have you not worked all this out before now?"
Another user added: "Sorry to be blunt and rude but maybe don't have a child if you can't afford to take care of them.
"If your plan was always go back to work you should of discussed that during the pregnancy with your mum."
A third user said: "You chose to have a child, not your mother. Your mother isn't a free babysitter. She is right, she raised her children.
"Her babysitting on occasion would be kind and appreciated but you sound entitled thinking you are owed childcare."
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