I have a parent who only had their child in daycare a couple of days each month while they were going through custody proceedings. Originally, parent asked if I’d be willing to barter for yard work since they only had part-time work and high lawyer fees. Wanting to help out and since it was so infrequent the child would be in daycare, plus it would allow me to spend the time I’d spend doing yard work with my own family. Unfortunately, parent isn’t good at time management and kept asking me to provide care on the weekend so they could do the agreed upon yard work. I’m not open on weekends so that didn’t work in my favor.

All along parent has been complaining to me how other parent interferes in their parenting time. Finally, after two years equal custody was awarded to both parents, so I will provide care for child more often.

Of course I put an end to bartering arrangement that didn’t benefit me in the least.

Already this week, I’ve had said child in care 12 hours while parent has only worked two. Why fight for custody to send child to daycare when you’re not working?

I’m not looking forward to the conversation I’m expecting about how this parent can’t afford the care and wants to make more bartering arrangements. 🙄

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