How would you feel if your neighbor wanted to do something kind for you, but then pulled a bait and switch and tried to actually scam you into paying them for favors?
This woman has a neighbor who is a single, stay-at-home mom, and all three of her children have developmental delays. The way her neighbor affords her kids is through the disability checks she receives for them.
One of her neighbor’s children is constantly playing with her dog through her fence, and not too long ago, her neighbor sent her a text asking if her kids can take her dog out for walks.
Her neighbor mentioned that her kids are big animal lovers, and walking the dog would help them be more active and get out of the house more often.
She thought this would be perfectly fine, as her dog has an incredible personality and has been raised alongside kids.
She texted her neighbor back that she and her kids could walk her dog anytime they wanted to. Her neighbor replied that it would be amazing, because she could use the additional income since she’s a single mom.
“I was confused at this point…as we also have three kids, one of [whom] is a teenager [who] walks our dog regularly as part of his allowance,” she explained.
“Also, while I’m very thankful that I have a support system through my husband, he is a stay-at-home dad, and I am the breadwinner.”
“We do this to avoid daycare, and it’s temporary until our two youngest start school. This is relevant because we are also on a single-person income, and while we afford our life, we live within our means.”
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She decided to tell her neighbor that if she did require a dog walker sometime in the future, she would reach out to her, but then declined to pay her to walk her dog.
Her neighbor sent her another text requesting that their son come over for a playdate with her daughter. She asked her neighbor for more information, and her neighbor said one of their other neighbors pays her to watch those children, and she needs the money.
She politely refused that offer, and since then, her neighbor has come to treat her in a strange way. Her neighbor will not look her in the eye or even greet her when they’re outside at the same time. It’s been this way for the last six months.
“I do genuinely feel bad, but we live the way that we do to avoid paying for babysitters. I didn’t explain our financial situation to her because I felt like it was our own business, but her reaction makes me feel like we are in the wrong,” she continued.
“Am I the [jerk] for not being more empathetic to her situation and just paying her to walk the dog and have playdates?”
Her neighbor is sneaky and only out to take advantage of her, so she should stay far away from her and tell her kids to do the same.
I think it’s already a good sign that her neighbor is pretending she doesn’t exist, because it should be easy for her to cut her out of her life now.
What do you think?
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By Bre Avery Zacharski
Hi, I'm Bre, Chip Chick's CEO! I have a degree in Textile/Surface Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology, and... More about Bre Avery Zacharski
