Don’t get DINKs wrong, they like to hang out with your kids. Some even have honorary aunt and uncle titles. But DINKs didn’t have kids for a reason. While they love that your kids are a part of you, they don’t want to give up their weekend plans to babysit your children. Even if your DINK friends are free, it doesn’t mean that you should ask them to babysit. It will probably just create an awkward situation between you and your friends when they say no. If they say no, it isn’t because they hate your kids or are selfish or immature. You shouldn’t assume the worst of DINKs who don’t want to watch your kids. Here are a few reasons why DINK couples might not want to watch your kids.
1. A Childfree Lifestyle Was Chosen
Many couples without kids didn’t just forget to have children, or haven’t considered it. There are many reasons why this lifestyle was chosen. Maybe it’s about prioritizing careers, travel, personal time, or parenting isn’t for them. Of course, some DINKs can’t have children. If that’s the case, they might be open to spending more time with your kids.
2. Being Child-Free Doesn’t Mean Ample Free Time
There’s a common assumption that not having children equals having nothing better to do. If you say this to DINK couples, they actually might be insulted. DINK couples can have full schedules and lives even without children. Furthermore, their time is valuable, even if they aren’t raising children. They might have other obligations like family, pets, demanding jobs, and so on.
3. They Aren’t Comfortable
Some DINK couples don’t have a lot of experience with kids. They may feel unqualified to watch yours alone. Some people aren’t naturally good with kids. Even if you leave detailed instructions, they may not be confident in their skills. Watching your kids is a huge responsibility. It isn’t for everyone.
4. They Are Tired Too
Watching kids is hard work! While your DINK friends may say yes to be nice, they may not have the bandwidth to babysit your kids. Treating DINK couples like free childcare is asking for a lot. If they do say yes, you should return the favor in some way. Don’t take advantage of their kindness.
Final Thoughts
Your DINK friends understand that parenting is hard. As a parent, you’re constantly pulled in a thousand directions. You deserve help and rest. But if your DINK friends don’t offer to help, don’t assume that they want to babysit. They may enjoy hanging out with you and your kids, but babysitting may be asking for too much for a variety of reasons. It’s entirely possible to love your friends and not want to babysit their children. So the next time you’re about to text your child-free friend, “Hey, can you watch the kids Saturday?”, maybe pause. Respect your friends’ boundaries and maybe hold off on asking them to babysit.
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Teri Monroe
Teri Monroe started her career in communications working for local government and nonprofits. Today, she is a freelance finance and lifestyle writer and small business owner. In her spare time, she loves golfing with her husband, taking her dog Milo on long walks, and playing pickleball with friends.
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