iPom

Mr iPom is flying to the UK on Thurs for two weekends, plus the week, so two weeks in all, on business.
He's flying in to Heathrowe, and then after dealing with a little business in London, catching a train up to my sister's place for the weekend to see them. She lives up North. He could just stay in the South which is where said business is, but he's going to see them for the weekend.
My sis has just rung to ask him if he can babysit for her boys on Saturday night as they have a night out planned....it's with one of my BIL's mates... no big deal.

I have just reversed the situation in my mind... If they flew all the way here and I asked them as they weren't going out to look after our children so we could go out.... I just can't imagine doing this.. It's so...so... gobsmackingly typical of my family.


I'm so ashamed she's even come up with it to be honest. I'm sort of angry on my iPom's behalf because my sister is just so unbelievable sometimes. I love her dearly but I'm just a bit gobsmacked. It seems such an appalling thing to suggest...
At first Mr iPom thought they were inviting him out for the night, so I feel doubly ashamed that the realisation was that he wasn't being asked out and that he was being asked to babysit had to hit him.

Is it just me or is it awful? I can see it's practical, but ffs, I'd clear my night out if my sis was flying here so I could spend time with her, not presume on her to babysit for my kids in a jetlagged state.

So, is it just me, because frankly, this sort of thing reminds me why I'm living in Australia...

VikkiL

Bloody hell, thats ridiculous!! No way are you being unreasonable in your thinking, for him to come over just to be used for babysitting

I think if that was me then something would have to come up unexpectedly to stop me from going to visit them...................................

steve`o

no its not you

your sisi has more front than sainsburys

and thats the cleanest way i can say it

iPom

I'm so embarrassed. I want to say something to her, but I know if I do, it will cause an argument.
I guess they see it as him sleeping there, so he can do them a favour.
If it was me, I'd still hire a babysitter and leave him to his own devices...

I'm mortified for him.

nickyjohnt

What a bloody cheek !!! I would be really peed off aswell. Would be quite tempted to have a sudden change of plan & leave them without a babysitter for the night.

Nicky

Wendy

I can't believe the cheek of some people

chris and farideh

I have sister just like yours, I remember when I was living in Germany, she called to say she's coming over with her partner & her daughter(my niece).
she got there and damp my niece with us, and she said cant wait to go holidaying around Germany, because I know how much you love children, left her daughter before I could say no. huh
the other half was so shocked, I didnt know what to say, I'm still shocked after 10 years, everytime I think about it. I'm sure most people have one those sisters, just have to be like them & say no.

asher

done this been there tell him to visit someone else as obviously they just do not appreciate the effort and he could have more fun in a transport cafe!!


she has a bl**dy cheek and needs to be told where to get off.
I also have family like this and can honestly say that this will happen again and again unless you nip it in the bud now

Tableland

Sitcom material. Really. Next time you get angry about it, imagine it all with canned laughter.

sme

Your OH must be quite hurt by it - hes going out of his way to see them and they can't seemed to be arsed, even using him to save on baby sitting ! Surely they could have invited him along if its such an important date that they couldn't cancel ? I would be upset but I get upset at things like that - take it personally etc - though it probably wouldn't upset Mr SME as much, he's more pragmatic than me.
Gillian

iPom

You see, my sister thinks this is reasonable thing to ask.... Like the time we didn't see them for 6 months because she was too busy and I was pregnant with my son, so pretty ill, and she had a wedding in London and wondered if we could have her two for the entire weekend... like I didn't have enough energy to cope with my own two ...

I just wonder what goes on in her head.


I always thought I was adopted but then I found my birth certificate. Can't tell you how devastating that was.

iPom

This is very funny, Tableland... good tip.

St.Georges Girl

That's unreal iPom. If either of my sisters did that, I'm afraid I would have to say something toot sweet. If he is travelling up north from London to see them, surely the decent thing to do is invite him out with her for the evening? I would tell my OH not to go if it were me. I think it's quite disgusting, sorry.

shears

No it's not just you - that's totally unreasonable behaviour especially from family. Does he get on with them - did you ever socialise with them when you were living in UK? I'd have thought the BIL would ditch your sis for the night and take him out instead - ah well, he's only flying half way round the world, sure what else would he be doing?

I think the least he should do is demand a video, a pizza, some Ben & Jerry's, a lie-on in the morning and breakfast in bed

iPom

It's with my BIL's bezzy mate who he gets tanked up with and one other person. It's certainly not a major deal and imo, I'd pretty much cancel anything if it was the other way around.
Yes, I think he's hurt but he's not going to dwell on it.

I think he should stay in London and sleep there... He's got to go down to bloody Southampton for work on the Sunday night... He doesn't HAVE to be doing this.

I am probably more hurt on his behalf, but For F***S sake, where are her bloody manners?