Mom garners support from the internet for not wanting to be neighbor's babysitter over the summer

Though being nice to everyone is generally a great virtue, it becomes a drawback when people take advantage of it. Recently, a mother, u/Surfergirl7681, shared on Reddit that her neighbor took her for granted and expected too many favors, especially caring for the kids. The 38-year-old mom of two girls (an 8-year-old and an 11-year-old) often let her neighbor's two sons (an 8-year-old and a 12-year-old) play with her daughters. But things took a turn when the kids didn't get along and the mom, who was busy herself, refused to watch the boys. 

The neighbor, whom the mom referred to as "Sara," worked from home and often sent her sons over to play with the girls next door so that she could do her job. "The kids were friends when they were younger, but as they got older, they don't really have much in common," the mom, who worked as a teacher, mentioned. Also, she was concerned about Sara's kids fighting with each other—and her daughters—while playing. But, being a teacher, she had time to spare during school breaks. So she tried to be nice to Sara and let the boys play at her house over winter break. Over time, the boys began making spiteful comments about the girls' house and even called them "dumb" for not letting them play with the X-box. 

After that, the mom was determined not to let that happen anymore. When Sara approached her to watch the boys for a couple of days during spring break, the mom told her about her family's vacation plan for the spring. Sara replied, "I guess I'll just hit you up in the summer," and the mom instantly notified her that she wouldn't be "babysitting" her boys during summer. "I said, 'I'm sorry, but just because I'm not in school during the summer does not mean that I am your free childcare,'" she wrote and added, "I don't physically go to work over the summer, but I take online classes for my Masters and I teach online summer school. Meaning, I am also working from home."

It did not sit well with Sara. "She blew up at me and told me that I should help her because she's alone a lot and now that the kids are older, it's harder to keep them entertained all day," the mom wrote. Though the mom refused to take care of Sara's kids, she was fine with letting them play outside together. But she wasn't ready to let Sara take her time for granted without compensating her. Also, when she mentioned that the boys often fight while playing, unlike her daughters, this infuriated Sara. To top it off, Sara's eldest son told her daughter that her mom was "not a good person" for refusing to help. The mom wondered if she was wrong for not helping her neighbor during the summer, but people supported her decision.

"She wants a free babysitter for her undisciplined kids. A 12-year-old should be able to keep the 8-year-old out of trouble, but it sounds like no one has taught these boys basic manners or how to behave. Just because you live next to her doesn't mean she gets to take advantage of you," commented u/yrnkween. "You set a boundary that your neighbor didn't like. An appropriate boundary. You living in the house next to hers doesn't make you responsible for her kids. 100% NTA," wrote u/alexis_adeline. "You tried being polite and she kept pushing and then she badmouthed you to her kids (who are already mean to your kids). That would be the end of any help from me," wrote u/Nervous-Jury3715.