‘We already treated them to a S$600 meal’: Parents frustrated after grandparents ask for more in exchange for babysitting

A Singaporean father expressed his annoyance on Reddit after his parents requested payment for babysitting their grandchild, even proposing he should fund their vacation in return. The father, under the username "Transactional parents" on the r/asksg forum, recounted how his parents, who only babysit the child a few times a week and are not the primary caregivers, had agreed to watch him while he and his wife went on an overseas trip.

However, the grandparents demanded a monetary compensation, suggesting the father cover their vacation expenses. The father noted that his parents often brought up the topic of compensation or rewards when they occasionally helped with childcare, making it less endearing over time.

The father remembered a previous instance when his parents took care of their son for two nights during their holiday. As a sign of appreciation, the family dined at a high-end hotel restaurant, incurring a S$600 bill for the grandparents. The father felt that the grandparents' expectations of returning favors felt insincere, as they had not always been this way during his upbringing.

Reddit users responded with various suggestions. One user found the grandparents' demands peculiar and questioned if money had always been a contentious issue within the family. Another advised the father to decline helping with childcare when offered and instead find alternative childcare arrangements. A third suggested inquiring about the grandparents' financial situation, while a fourth recommended discussing the discomfort these demands cause or distancing from the parents if necessary.

The father also shared another related story on Reddit, where a university student in her final semester complained about employers offering her internships instead of full-time jobs. She detailed her struggles in finding permanent employment despite applying for multiple positions.