When young parents need childcare support, grandparents often step in, but not all families agree on how this should work. One family faced conflict when the grandmother requested payment for babysitting her grandchild.

The couple, married for ten years with a six-month-old baby, both work full-time, though the husband works from home. The mother-in-law, who had recently retired, offered to watch the baby while helping with household tasks like cooking and cleaning. However, the arrangement took an unexpected turn when she asked to be paid for her time.

The daughter-in-law was taken aback, comparing this to her own grandmother’s unpaid help. The request sparked marital tension, with her husband siding with his mother. He argued that hiring a professional nanny would be far more expensive, making payment a reasonable option.

Now caught in a difficult situation, the daughter-in-law struggles to balance her shock over the request with the strain it has placed on her family relationships, leaving her unsure of the next step.