When you first become a parent, it’s common to need a little assistance. Often, this is when you are in your 20s or 30s and you’re trying to build your career and maintain the status quo, so having a child can make it difficult to be well-rounded. One of the ways that we often get help is through our parents, who are the grandparents of the new baby. They will chip in to assist and sometimes, they may even be a regular part of their lives as a babysitter. This is something that many people rely on but it is also something that is not held the same in every family.

That includes this family, and when the mother-in-law said she wanted to be paid for babysitting the grandchild, things got ugly. I’m in a tough spot right now. My husband and I have been happily married for 10 years. We have a lovely six-month-old baby, and we both work full-time. My husband works from home, and I work at the office. Recently, my mother-in-law retired, and she offered to take care of our baby while we work. We accepted her offer and it’s been working out well. She’s great with kids, and I really appreciate what she does. She not only looks after the baby but also helps with cooking, cleaning, and doing the dishes. Yesterday, my mother-in-law and I had a conversation that left me in shock. She actually asked us to pay her for the time she spends with our precious Katie. I can’t believe she would put a price on spending time with her own grandchild. When I was a baby, my grandma used to babysit me and my sister without ever expecting payment, money, or gifts. She did it out of pure love for us. I also used to babysit my siblings for free for hours on end when I was younger. I’m at a loss for words. I’m feeling really frustrated, and this situation is causing tension in my marriage. My husband believes that she should be compensated because, without her help, we have to hire a total stranger to take care of our child, and that could end up being more expensive. I am out of options. I have thought through everything and I’m lost. My head is just AAAH.