A mum has sparked a furious online debate after she was asked by friends to look after their children while they went away on holiday. Posting on a Mumsnet discussion forum, she fumed about feeling "mugged off" at being left to babysit the four littles ones and their pets - not to mention her own children - whilst staying over at their house.
Wanting to gauge other readers' opinions about what had been asked of her, she asked what was the "very minimum" they'd expect to be laid on in terms of food and provisions to help her make good on the favour. Because, by the sound of it, she was royally left in the lurch by her pals while they went off to live it up in the sunshine.
"I feel I've been proper mugged off this weekend," she wrote. "As a favour looked after my friends four children and pets for four nights/five days - Friday through to Tuesday - so they could go on holiday.
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"The children include a teething and weaning six-month baby who doesn't sleep. The older ones are in different primary school years."
She added that the weekend included "getting the kids off to their separate activities such as sports etc, some ferrying journeys and all the usual kid stuff you would expect," including "administration of medication, cooking, cleaning , laundry etc." She then had to do all the school runs on the Monday and Tuesday with the baby in tow.
"What as a very minimum would you expect to be provided in the house if you are there to look after them but also have your own children there too?" she asked. "Would you expect to have to provide your own food or would you think you'd just all eat together as a family?
"I don't think I'm being unreasonable but I'm feeling really hurt and taken advantage of with how things were left and what I had to do, provide and pay for. So I'm just canvassing opinions."
And, as you'd expect, those opinions came thick and fast. "That is indeed one massive favour," wrote one person.
"I would expect there to be enough provisions for you all - including your family - for the weekend. And some treats.
Another added, "Was it a surprise holiday or a competition win? How did you get roped in to that? If I looked after someone's four kids for that long I'd want a damehood and three weeks in the Maldives."
However, no everyone was entirely sympathetic. "Why did you agree to this without setting the terms first?" read a third response. "Who the hell leaves a six-month-old baby to go on holiday anyway?
"No one in their right mind would agree to take on what you did. There’s being kind and wanting to help, and then there’s being a door mat."
