How do I (F32) help a friend (F35) who is a mom without being her maid or babysitter?
Hello, first of all a friend is allowing me to use her account, so this is kinda a throwaway and kinda not.
Now onto the problem. I am chidlfree, there are many reasons for that but it basically comes down to me not enjoying childcare and all it includes.
A friend of mine, A., has two kids, a toddler and a baby. I will admit that she has not been a good friend since her first pregnancy and I have been the one to put more in than she ever has, which has me kind of pissed at this point, so I am already questioning the friendship.
Since her first pregnancy she has been complaining about everything, which kinda is already tiring because she complains about the things that are the exact reason I don't want kids, so it's hard for me to not be like "well, duh, whyyyyy?", but I've been listening and listening and being ignored whenever I have a problem for years now.
I have a shitty job and am back in school, so finances are tight, I live in a shitty place because I can't afford anything else. Recently, my friend was complaining again about having no village and how she wants more support. My question is now how can I support her without doing childcare or chores? I hate doing both those things and she also never cleans my place, so I don't really want to clean yours when I hate that I have to clean mine already. I listen to her and I still invite her to dinner and other outings, which she mostly declines. I'm starting to think there is no real support she wants that's not just free labor she herself would not do for me.
So, is there a way to 1. support her without hating it? 2. make this friendship more equal again? At the moment I am just there listening to her complain without any positive input or outlet to me, been like this for around four years now.
TLDR: Mom Friend (F35) wants support, but I (childfree, F32) don't want to be her maid or babysitter, is there other ways to help without losing myself?
Posted Apr 4, 2026, 1:08 PM UTC