My entitled neighbor expected free babysitting for months, but the one time I needed her? Radio silence. That’s when I realized kindness has limits. So, I got a little too creative and drew the line with a twist she never saw coming.
Motherhood is a beautiful journey, filled with ups and downs, laughter and tears. But what happens when someone sees your maternal instincts as an opportunity to exploit? When they assume that just because you’re a stay-at-home mom, you’re available 24/7 to be their personal, unpaid nanny? Hi there, I’m Annie, and boy, do I have a story for you…
Picture this: a quaint suburban neighborhood where tranquility reigns supreme. You know the kind? Pristine lawns, friendly waves from passing cars, and block parties that wrap up by 9 p.m. sharp.
That was my slice of paradise, quiet and drama-free. Until Hurricane Megan blew in next door.
From day one, Megan strutted around like she owned the place. Head held high, designer purse swinging, she was the walking definition of “extra.”
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve got nothing but respect for single moms. It’s a tough gig. But Megan? She wore her single mom status like a badge that entitled her to everyone’s time and energy. Especially mine.
Apparently, I was Megan’s personal target for FREE childcare.
“Hi there! I’m Megan,” she chirped, flashing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “And this is my daughter, Lily.”
I bounced my son Tommy perched on my shoulder. “Nice to meet you! I’m Annie, and this little guy is Tommy.”
Megan’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you’re home during the day? That’s fantastic! I’ve been looking for someone reliable to watch Lily. My work schedule is just crazy, you know!”
I felt a twinge of unease but pushed it aside. “Well, I’m usually pretty busy with Tommy, but if you need help in an emergency, I can try.”
Megan’s smile widened. “That’s so sweet of you! I’m sure we’ll be great friends.”
As she left little Lily with me and walked away, I turned to Tommy. “Well, buddy, looks like we’ve got new neighbors. What do you think?”
Tommy gurgled and reached for my hair. If only I’d known what I was getting myself into.
Weeks rolled by and I was at my wit’s end. Megan’s “emergencies” had become a near-daily occurrence.
Despite my growing unease, I brushed it off. We moms gotta stick together, right? But one favor turned into two, then ten, and then I lost count.
The doorbell rang, and I groaned. “Tommy, want to bet who that is?”
I opened the door to find Megan, perfectly coiffed, with Lily in tow. “Annie, you’re a lifesaver! I’ve got this important meeting. You can watch Lily, right?”
I hesitated. “Megan, I’ve got a lot on my plate today and I can’t—”
“It’ll just be a few hours,” she interrupted, already ushering Lily inside. “You’re the best!”
Before I could protest, she was gone, leaving me with two kids and a growing sense of frustration.
Lily looked up at me with big eyes, holding a drawing of red and pink hearts. “Can we play dress-up, Annie?”
I sighed, forcing a smile. “Sure, sweetie. Let’s go find some costumes.”
As I watched the kids play, I couldn’t help but wonder how long I could keep this up.
Picture this: You’re knee-deep in diapers and alphabet songs, cherishing every moment with your little one. Then your neighbor knocks on the door again, flashing a smile and making the same monotonous request.
“Oh, Annie, would you be a sweetheart and babysit Lily for a few hours? I’m sure you wouldn’t mind watching her while I get my nails done.”
Spa days, shopping sprees, hair appointments… you name it, I was babysitting through it all. FOR FREE.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love kids. But there’s a fine line between being neighborly and being a doormat. And folks, I was starting to feel like I had “Welcome” printed on my forehead.
The last straw came on a Tuesday. I was in the middle of a virtual doctor’s appointment when Megan burst in, Lily trailing behind her.
“Annie, emergency! I’ve got to run to the salon. Watch Lily, okay?”
I gaped at her, my doctor’s voice still coming through my earbuds. “Megan, I’m in the middle of—”
“Thanks, you’re a doll!” And just like that, she was gone.
I turned back to my screen, where my doctor looked confused. “Everything okay, Annie?”
I laughed humorlessly. “Just peachy. Now, where were we?”
That night, I vented to my husband, Dan. “I can’t believe her! She just assumes I’m always available.”
Dan frowned. “Honey, you need to set some boundaries. This isn’t fair to you or Tommy.”
“You’re right. Next time she asks, I’m putting my foot down.”
Little did I know, my chance would come sooner than expected.
The following week, Dan and I had a doctor’s appointment. I figured it was the perfect opportunity to ask Megan for a favor.
I knocked on her door, my hopes soaring. Megan answered, looking annoyed at the interruption.
“Hey, Megan. I hate to ask, but Dan and I have a doctor’s appointment. Could you watch Tommy for an hour? I’d really appreciate it.”
Megan’s face twisted. “Oh, Annie. I’m really not comfortable watching other people’s kids. It’s just… stressful, you know? And I need my ‘me time.’ You understand, right?”
I stood there, STUNNED. After everything I’d done for her, she couldn’t spare ONE HOUR?
“Sure! I understand completely.”
As I walked away, something inside me snapped. It was time for a little creative problem-solving.
My opportunity came a few days later when Megan knocked on my door, Lily in tow.
“Annie, I’ve got a hair appointment. You can watch Lily, right?”
I smiled sweetly. “Actually, Megan, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been meaning to tell you about my new babysitting business.”
Her eyes lit up. “Babysitting business?”
“Yep! I figured since I’m home anyway, why not make some extra money? And since we’re neighbors, I’d be happy to give you a discounted rate.”
Megan leaned in, intrigued. “That’s amazing! How much?”
“Well, normally I’d charge $20 an hour, but for you, let’s say $15.”
Her jaw dropped. “Fifteen dollars an hour? That’s insane! I can’t afford that!”
I shrugged, feigning sympathy. “I know, childcare is so expensive these days. That’s why it’s important to find people willing to help out. Don’t you think?”
Megan’s face reddened. “I’ll figure something out.”
As she stormed off, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. The tables had finally turned.
Over the next few weeks, I fully embraced my role as a “professional” babysitter. Every time Megan asked for a favor, I responded with mock invoices and rate sheets.
One afternoon, she came to pick up Lily ten minutes late. I greeted her with a smile and a piece of paper.
“Here’s your invoice, Megan. Don’t forget the late pick-up fee!”
She snatched the paper, her face contorting with rage. “This is ridiculous! You’re nothing but a greedy witch!”
I raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“You have no right to charge me after all the times I’ve done favors for you!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “FAVORS? Like the time I asked you to watch Tommy for one hour and you said you weren’t comfortable watching other people’s kids?”
“That’s… that’s different! I’m a single mom. I’m busy!”
“And I’m a stay-at-home mom running a business,” I countered. “We’re all busy, Megan.”
She grabbed Lily’s hand and stormed off, leaving me feeling both guilty and oddly empowered.
Word of my “babysitting business” spread quickly through the neighborhood. I hadn’t planned on it, but soon other moms came to me with their Megan stories.
Chelsea, another neighbor, caught me at the mailbox. “Annie, you’re a genius! I started charging Megan too, and suddenly she stopped asking me to watch Lily.”
I laughed. “Really? I thought I was the only one.”
Chelsea shook her head. “Oh no, she’s been trying this with everyone. But now? She can’t find anyone to help her for free anymore.”
As we chatted, I saw Megan pull into her driveway. She glared at us before slamming her car door and stomping inside.
I turned to Chelsea. “I almost feel bad.”
“Don’t! She needed to learn she can’t take advantage of people.”
I nodded, watching Megan’s house. “I guess you’re right.”
Weeks passed, and I hardly saw Megan anymore. The constant knocking had stopped, and an eerie quiet settled over our little corner of the neighborhood.
One evening, as I was watering my front garden, I saw her struggling with groceries. For a moment, I considered offering help. Then I remembered all the times she’d left me in the lurch.
“Some people need to carry the heavy weight of their actions!” I muttered and turned around, ignoring her.
Megan soon found herself in a bind. Every time she asked for help babysitting, she was met with either a rate card or a “Sorry, I’m just too busy!”
Frustrated, she realized she couldn’t rely on “FREE” favors anymore and had to pay for a professional sitter.
So, there you have it, folks. Was it petty? Perhaps a bit. Was it satisfying? Absolutely! But sometimes, the best revenge is learning to communicate effectively and set healthy boundaries. Have you ever dealt with an entitled neighbor? How did you handle the situation? Share your stories in the comments!
A baby with a rare skin disorder is born after an urgent C-section by medical professionals.
Throughout the nine months of pregnancy, a mother’s heart is filled with anticipation, excitement, and a hint of doubt. When an expecting parent gives birth, they all want the child to be healthy and happy. Regretfully, our expectations are not always met by the way things work out.
Jennie Wilklow, of Highland, New York, was looking forward to meeting her daughter. Jennie and her spouse were overcome with happiness the moment they held their baby.
After multiple ultrasounds and check-ups with the physician, the results consistently showed a healthy baby.
This assurance put their minds at rest, and they had no idea that their darling Anna would be born with a disease that would permanently alter their lives.
At 34 weeks, Jennie had a C-section to deliver Anna. She peered into Anna’s eyes when the physicians placed the baby in her arms and felt an overwhelming sense of love.
Everything was going fine with their cute little one. However, Jennie couldn’t help but feel apprehensive about her husband when he came to visit her.
Jennie told Cafe Mom, “My husband’s silence scared me.” I pressed him for additional information as the doctor was leaving the room, and he just sat there looking shocked. With remorse, he added, “It’s bad.”
Upon meeting her gaze, her spouse said, “Jennie, she has the most beautiful soul.” Jennie did not know what such terms meant at the moment. Her mind was racing, but she had no idea what was wrong.
Anna suffered from an uncommon disease known as harlequin ichthyosis, which showed up as thick, severely fractured diamond-shaped plates. Jennie said to Cafe Mom shortly after giving birth, “Her delicate skin hardened as they desperately tried to help her.”
The dramatic splitting that followed the hardening left her slathered in open wounds throughout her body.”Anna prevailed despite the physicians’ concerns about her prognosis. She was quite beautiful,” Jennie proudly declared.
Unfortunately, there is no known cure for harlequin ichthyosis. The treatment involves regular showering and thorough skin moisturization, which takes consistent effort. I used to bathe her for hours every few hours, slathering her in Vaseline.
It might not seem like much, but it was one of the things I struggled with the most. I had visualized all the amazing clothes my child would have,” Jennie said.
She set up the “harlequin diva” Instagram page and started posting images of Anna there in an effort to raise awareness of this illness. Through her articles, she sheds light on the challenges faced by parents of children with harlequin ichthyosis on a daily basis.
“Anna won many people’s hearts and is the pinnacle of perfection in its purest form.” She has a natural capacity to carry out these mundane tasks. The world celebrates with us every time we achieve a new milestone, Jennie said to Cafe Mom.
She went on, “I now realize that my love for my daughter is the reason Anna was given to me.” Because we were destined to be together, we will work together to redefine what true beauty means to the world.
In addition to being beautiful in her own right, Anna is fortunate to have parents who will stop at nothing to ensure that she has a happy existence.
Let’s help spread the news about Anna’s story by inviting our friends and family to read this article on Facebook. Despite our differences, we can work together to raise awareness of and respect for the incredible beauty and power that each individual holds.
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