AITA for asking for pocket money because “I am a kid too”?

A Reddit user shares their experience of being treated as both a “kid” and an “adult” during a family gathering, depending on what suited the adults. While they were tasked with babysitting the younger kids all weekend, they were excluded from receiving pocket money given to the children. Frustrated by the inconsistency, the user playfully but pointedly asked for pocket money too, leading to an awkward moment and backlash from their parents. Were they justified in making their point, or did they take it too far? Read the full story below.

‘ AITA for asking for pocket money because “I am a kid too”?’

I am 19F, have a little brother who is 8, and living with my parents at the moment. I am still studying so I cannot pay rent yet, but I do earn my own pocket money from part-time jobs. My father’s 3 brothers and their family came to our town for a vacation for 3 days over the weekend. They have not met for years so it’s their big gathering and they had been planning for a long time.

That plan seemed to have the members split into 2 groups – the adults and the kids. I had been arranged to join the kids’ group, when I tried to protest they insist that I am a “kid” too, so I just had to submit to my fate. Clearly they all just wanted a babysitter for their 5 kids(age 5-10) while they “adults” get out and enjoy their reunion.

So I spent the weekend babysitting a total of 5 kids. That includes organizing games at home to entertain them, bring them to Science Park and the likes for outings and food and just overall watch over their safety and be an “adult” when needed.

To be honest it was quite fun, though tiring when I sometimes had to raise my voice to make myself heard and drag the younger ones back when they stray too far(I admit, I am not really babysitter material). The kids seem to like me, so I guess it went well too. However, I still would rather be either hanging out with other adults or just having my weekend to my own.

When my 3 uncles’ families’ were leaving after the weekend, they gave pocket money to each of the kids, including my brother, my father also gave pocket money to each of my cousins. Almost as expected, there wasn’t a share for me. Now, I don’t really care about the pocket money, they are just a couple of notes I can easily earn in a few hours, but I am rather annoyed for the fact that conveniently, I was skipped for being an “adult” this time.

I put on the biggest smile I and asked politely for pocket money from my uncles and aunt-in laws. They were a little taken aback. I said as sweetly as I could that I deserve pocket money too for being a “kid”, they said so themselves. In all awkwardness I got my pocket money. Needless to say, my parents looked like they had s**t smeared across their faces. I got the biggest s**t from my parents after they left. In their words, I am a major AH to have deliberately made my parents lose face, and so on and so forth. AITA?

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

IridianRaingem −  NTA. It is kinda in poor taste considering you do work, BUT they conveniently categorize you as a child or adult based on their needs. Need a free babysitter? Kid. Handing out pocket money to children? Now you’re an adult. It was the adultier adults here who were assholes. They used you for free childcare when they could have literally just asked you do to it. I’m sure you would have said yes if they hadn’t manipulated you into doing it.

Good on you for asking for the cash anyway. You can give it to your brother if you like, but the point is you taught the adults a lesson. Just because you are someone’s child does not make you a child.

doradiamond −  NTA. Either they pay you pocket money for being a kid, or they pay you a hourly rate for being a babysitter. Their choice.

WallabyInTraining −  I-N-F-O: Were you paid for your babysitting duties? Edit: NTA. They thought they could trick you into being a free babysitter. Depending on what you ended up getting as ‘pocket money’ they probably still got a pretty cheap babysitter. Next time simply offer them your babysitting duties at $10 per kid per hour. See if they still want you to join the kids group.

Cleverpantsname −  deliberately made my parents lose face. No, their allowing you to be treated unfairly for their benefit made them lose face. NTA, and thanks for the laugh!

ChimeraSugar −  HAHAHAHA NTA at all! That was a boss move! Parents have the worst double standards, always extra critical when it comes to our responsibilities once we turn adults, but in the same vein when we demand our rights, suddenly we are just children again! Yes, you embarrassed your parents and relatives, but honestly, they deserved it.

justmy2centsforyou −  NTA. Lol. They got what they had coming. But I wouldn’t have asked for pocket money. I would have asked prior to the event to be paid per hour for babysitting. If they had refused then you could have declined doing it.

NagaApi8888 −  NTA. Go to your parents and apologise and say you’ll also apologise to your uncles and return the pocket money… IF they pay your babysitting bill. And show them how much the babysitting would have cost, broken down by cost per hour per child. Show them this thread to let them know they are guilty of major double-standards.

maudem −  Hahaha NTA at all, you should have asked for more considering they worked you all weekend. Well played.

JackNotName −  YTA. A beautiful, well thought out a**hole, but an a**hole nonetheless. I applaud what you did. It is exactly what you parents, aunts, and uncles deserved, but let’s make no mistake, you were intentionally an a**hole. It was a truly brilliant move. In life there are moments when being an a**hole is necessary. This was one of them.

algelb −  NTA. They got free babysitting and clearly don’t respect you. It’s such a pet peeve when people blatantly flip the kid/adult switch with the teens/YAs in their lives according to whichever benefits them most at that moment.