Since I was a stay-at-home mom, I thought it was nice of me to help my friend Megan with her kids. But I quickly saw that she was taking advantage of my kindness. She said she didn’t want to return the favor because she was stressed and needed “me time.” I chose to teach her a lesson after that.
Megan would often drop off Lily without telling me ahead of time and expect me to watch her for free. She had “emergencies” every day, and I felt like she had a personal, unpaid maid. But when I really needed her help, she was suddenly not accessible.
That’s when I understood how far kindness can go. With the help of my husband Dan, I came up with a way to set limits.
Megan asked me for a favor again, and this time I gave her a fake babysitting business with rates and bills. The way she responded was hilarious.
“$15 an hour? “That’s ridiculous!” she yelled.
I gave a sweet smile. “I understand childcare can be costly, but I’m running a business now.”
Megan’s face turned red with anger, but I didn’t give in. People in the neighborhood quickly heard about my “babysitting business,” and soon, other moms talked about how they had dealt with Megan’s sense of entitlement.
Chelsea, another neighbor, came up to me and laughed. “Wow, you’re smart!” After I began charging Megan, she stopped asking me to watch Lily.
I saw that I wasn’t by myself. Megan took advantage of many of us, but now she was going to pay for it.
I felt both happy and guilty as I watched Megan fight to find free child care. I felt better when Chelsea told me, “Some people need to carry the weight of their actions.”
Setting limits and speaking clearly are important lessons I learned from the experience. I would no longer be used without my permission.
Have you ever dealt with a friend who thought they were better than you? What did you do to deal with it? Feel free to leave your stories below!
What I Learned:
Be strict with yourself to keep your time and energy safe.
Be bold and polite when you talk to people.
Do not be afraid to say no.
Creative thinking can help you solve problems.
Being entitled has costs; be strong and say what you’re worth.
Remember that being kind is not a sign of weakness; letting other people do bad things is. Protect what you’re worth.
