There’s a classic phrase that says beggars can’t be choosers. It follows that if you’re asking for something for free, you can’t really be particular about what you get. After all, nobody truly owes you anything. If, for example, someone came over with a tray of cookies just because they were being nice, I wouldn’t have the right to say, «Oh, these are chocolate chip? I really prefer Snickerdoodle. Can you make those instead?» That would be ridiculous, and entitled, and I would probably lose a friend. 

The same idea applies when you’re asking for free childcare. Everyone has different preferences for taking care of their children, and you’re entitled to your own child-rearing method. But when you’re forking your kid over to someone else, you have to surrender your preferences temporarily. One woman refused to internalize that concept and caused tension in her relationship with her sister along the way. Read on for the story.