Are we obliged to let family stay with us no matter what?

For a lot of people, having relatives visit is simply another part of family life, and babysitting the kids is something that is even more inevitable. If you are related to a parent with whom you are on decent terms, it is highly likely that you have watched their children at least once or twice. It is one of those favors that almost always come up.

That being said, people often have limits on this form of generosity, both in practice and in principle. Not everyone has the lifestyle and the setup to support multiple individuals, let alone kids, for an extended period of time. They can’t be the go-to person for free childcare simply due to proximity; all the other factors have to be considered as well. 

As a parent in desperate need of a babysitter, this can be one disappointment too far. Still, it is important to be realistic when it comes to whether relatives can cope with the level of childcare that they may be needing. It isn’t always fair to dump this responsibility on them, in particular when there are other viable options available.