“AITA for wanting a break?”
I (22F) and a friend (24F) have kids the same age (2). We recently did a girls’ beach trip. I left my child at home with my husband for the first time and in consequence for the first time in two years was child-free (my husband does what he can regarding our kid and does a lot but is gone a lot for work so I’ve never been apart from my kid for more than a few hours before someone says I have a husband issue.
That isn’t the issue here. My friend brought her child which no one in the group had a problem with at all. Except my friend has a habit of letting, or rather forcing, others to watch/parent her kid. Every time we hang out she kinda checks out, goes on her phone or wonders off and sort of…dumps her kid on the friend group.
Well, on this beach trip (overnight), she did just that to me. Now, remember this is the first time in a long time I’ve been kid-free (of at least my kid-free) and here she is, dumping her kid on me. Her kid is asking me to play with them, walk with them, you know, kid stuff. And I just want a BREAK.
But here my friend is, playing on her phone just totally checked out. I try to redirect her kid back to her saying “oh you should ask your mom to play” to which she says without missing a beat “no, you have more patience for (kid’s name) anyway. You play with him.”
My blood boiled and I explained to her that I left my kid at home because I wanted to be kid-free for the night and not babysit hers. She rolled her eyes and I just lost it and told her to “stop being lazy and watch your own kid.” Of course, she was pissed but the rest of the group had my back. But my “friend” was so angry I can’t help but feel like I’m in the wrong.
Here’s what people had to say to OP:
Nearby-Ad5666 said:
NTA she should parent her own child or should have left them with a caregiver.
ehumanbeing said:
NTA. You arranged for care for your child. Your friend chose to bring their child along so it is their job to watch their kid.
Every-End7495 said:
Your friend brought her kid, so she has to watch HER OWN kid. NTA.
bodegazzz said:
NTA. Your friend really needs to respect boundaries. What caught my eye specifically was her saying “no, you have more patience with [her kid] anyway.“ It seems shes a bit overwhelmed with the kid, does the father of the child help her out?
Carmen_loves_good said:
Your friends unwarranted anger makes you feel in the wrong? Think about that.
Drama-Mama7 said:
NTA. She shouldn’t have brought her kid in the first place if she’s not gonna take care of/ babysit them. It’s a girls trip, so it was supposed to be kid-free. Going forward make sure that no one is bringing their kid in a girls only trip.
