Rude much?

So...I had a situation recently that made me wonder if I was the crazy one. After discussing with several friends (married with & without children), I've come to the conclusion that I am, in fact, NOT crazy.

Here is what happened...

A few weeks ago, I got a text from an acquaintance. Now, I like this woman, her husband, and her 2 kids, but I wouldn't call them friends. We socialize maybe twice a year and I never call her just to chat or go do something. And I would never call/ask her for a favor, because I'd feel like I was imposing, since we aren't close friends.

Anyway, she and two of my friends (a married couple) were going to a big game that Saturday. She texted me asking if I could watch her kids for 2 hours in the morning. Now, it's not that I'm not willing to help out, but I was a little shocked that she'd ask that of me...an acquaintance?

I couldn't watch them the whole 2 hours, but offered 45 minutes - assuming she wouldn't take me up on it. Well, she DID take me up on that. So, I agreed to do it. (If a friend told me they could only help for 45 minutes, I 1) wouldn't take them up on it, because why inconvenience them for such a short amount of time, and 2) I'd figure something else out as 45 minutes wouldn't seem worth it.)

Later that night, she called me, and I thought she was just calling to say thank you. Well, she was... But then she said, "Well, we've pieced together child care for most of the day Saturday..." Oh, frick - she's going to ask me for MORE? Seriously?

So, she asked if I was busy at 9:30pm that night...and if I could go pick up her kids, then bring them home, do the bedtime routine, then WAIT for them to get home from the game, which ended up being close to midnight.

Here's the thing - I know that I could, SHOULD, have said no. But, being single and childless, I knew she figured I probably had nothing going on at 9:30 at night. I mean, what excuse could I give?

I agreed to do it, even though I was floored she was asking this of me. It totally messed up my previously "free" day to get things done.

When I got there the next morning, the husband said, "Thanks for doing this...we were trying to think, 'Who wouldn't be watching the game?'" Um, I actually DO watch the games from time to time and if I wasn't watching the game - WHY would I want to cart your kids around instead? Seriously?

Bottom line - If i'm not a good enough friend to consider inviting to the game, then I'm probably not someone you should ask to babysit your kids. And, by the way, isn't that what babysitters are for?

NONE of my actual close friends would ever ask me to do something like this, EVER. They were all floored and annoyed. To me, the whole thing showed a lack of thought, and a lot of selfishness. All they cared about was going to the game.

Side note - the kids know me alright, but not well. They had to ask what my name was when I picked them up that night...yah, we are SO close.

She did give me a gift card, so that was nice. But really, I'd rather have my Saturday back. I can get myself a gift card. It's the principle of the thing.

Lesson learned? First of all, I will never agree to do something like this ever again - unless it's for close friends who are in an emergency family situation. Secondly, I need to learn that I can say no and not give a reason. It wasn't my problem that they didn't have child care...it was theirs. So, I could/should have said I wasn't available, and then not given any reason. I don't owe them an explanation. This is something I'll have to work on, for sure!

As always, I love to get your feedback!