Finding childcare can be a fraught experience for any parent. Getting a babysitter who is both competent and reliable often feels like an impossible challenge, not least when you have to do it on short notice. While in theory, it’s easy money for a responsible teen who is not doing anything else for a couple of hours on a particular evening, this isn’t always how it plays out in practice.

It is no wonder that many moms and dads often turn to their family and wider social circle when they need somebody to watch their kids. It can be a darn sight easier than trying to recruit a random babysitter who might not even turn up. However, there are limits to these acts of generosity. It is easy to overstep the line from welcome to entitled, especially if you are relying on somebody that you don’t know all that well.