Mom asks brother to pick up 10-year-old son from soccer practice, assumes he'll do it twice a week without asking: 'No please, just instructions'

A favor from a family member should not be treated differently from one from anybody else.

While it may be true that family members are (sometimes) obligated to help each other out, it is also a fact that they are more likely to want to help you when you treat them with respect and a lack of entitlement. Even the most forgiving of people will have their patience wear thin when they are treated like a service and not a human being.

Unfortunately, there are many people who have a tendency to be users when it comes to their helpful relatives. They simply expect that they will always drop whatever they are doing to cater to their whims, particularly if they decide that they need childcare. This is the perfect guilt trip, as few caring family members want to leave kids in the lurch. It is something that a lot of parents are happy to exploit.

Those who find themselves in the babysitting trap have to assert firm boundaries before it is too late. Otherwise, they will likely become the go-to for those awkward times when it is easier for parents to hand off their kids to somebody else.