It is okay to set boundaries with your family members. In fact, you should be setting boundaries with your family members because otherwise they will get crossed and you won’t have recourse to say that they wronged you. This is especially true when it comes to children. We’re all happy to pitch in every now and then to take care of kids, but that doesn’t mean that we have to. It means we’re doing them a favor when they really need it, not that we’re signing up to be another parent figure in the child’s life. 

So that means we get to pick and choose what we’re willing to help out with. Maybe we’re happy to take them to the park when their parents are busy. Maybe we’ll make them lunch when they’re visiting our house. Maybe we’ll offer to babysit while they’re away. But we’re probably not offering to change their diaper when their parents are sitting right there.