Abby Connolly
When a friend is going through a tough time, it goes without saying that you should do everything in your power to help them out. But, of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t boundaries to what we can sometimes do.
One woman feels guilty after telling her struggling friend she can’t babysit her two toddlers for a few days, although she’s already given her money and other resources.
She and her best friends are both in their late 20s and grew up together.
“We were there to help each other out whenever one needed the other and vice-versa,” she explained. “We made promises that we’d always be there for each other and have been good friends since.”
Although they stayed close over the years, they began to lead very different lives. She’s currently in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend. They have no children and are getting ready to buy a house.
Her friend is a single mother of two kids, ages two and four. She broke up with their father last year after he was sent to prison. She doesn’t have much help due to her strained relationship with her parents.
“I recently wrote her a check for $1,000 and gave her information on local legal aid, food pantries, and churches that may be able to help further,” she said. “She said what she needs most, though, is a break from her kids.”
As much as she wants to continue helping her struggling friend, she feels there is only so much she can do. For example, she was recently asked to watch her friend’s two kids for multiple days and had to say no.
“She’s begged me to watch her kids for a few days, but I just don’t have it in me to watch over two toddlers,” she added. “Neither does my boyfriend, who works with older kids on the regular as a gym teacher.”
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