Before inviting me to a family dinner, please let me know if it comes with babysitting responsibilities such as changing diapers. I might pick a different seat. Or a different dinner.
I didn't know that sitting near diapers came with responsibilities. Next time, I'd sit near the bread, where helping out involves passing a basket. I would appreciate knowing how these assignments work before getting comfortable.
A woman in her 20s posted on the Reddit AITA subreddit under this username that she visited her boyfriend's family after about 20 months together. With eight children under three at the gathering, there were plenty of little ones to spend time with. Spending time with toddlers does not include changing diapers, as far as I'm concerned. That would be called babysitting. Since I don't know you and I don't know your baby, why would I be responsible for changing him? The woman was just a guest. She didn't think changing someone else's child was her responsibility.
The explanation she received in return was that "everybody eventually had to help or nothing would get done." Okay, I understand wanting extra hands at a busy gathering. What I don't understand is asking a guest who is nearly a stranger to change your baby's diapers.
What is even worse is that the guest was being questioned for not doing something she never informed the family she knew how to do. They never questioned her diaper-changing abilities; they thought it was obvious that she knew how to do that and that it was her responsibility. This wouldn't have happened if the guest was male.
