Am I overreacting for thinking this is just bait and switch?

👥 friendship

Convo between me and a family friend. She starts by asking am I still working and have I had dinner, then says I shouldn’t be working too hard and have more rest time, which I agree with. But then she says “for example when you’re free on a Saturday or Sunday you can help me take care of my kid”. I feel like I’m getting roped into this, and the whole “free time” thing is just her way of asking me to do this but dressed up as concern. Also somehow the message feels a bit contradictory, like use my free time to do more “work” in a sense. Although in my case (maybe related to being an introvert and social anxiety) it’s not just about free time, I don’t want to see anyone or do anything on the weekends (I have a full time job) because I also don’t have the energy or mental bandwidth.

She also expected her parents to take care of her kid, got into an argument about it and most people sided against her, but her parents are way older and also live far away, neither of which apply to me. I guess the only thing that still applies to my situation is “her children, her responsibility”. What makes this more complicated is that she has done a lot to help me and my family out when we really needed it, so I do want to help her out. Don’t get me wrong I am willing to make sacrifices and return the favour but it does feel like guilt tripping, and her steering the convo from me working too hard to taking care of myself to taking care of her kid is a bit annoying, and feels like she is dominating the convo. Am I overreacting? Am I being too selfish? Also what would you do in this situation? If I take care once she’ll likely expect me to keep doing it so it’s a slippery slope I feel. If I don’t at all she’ll feel neglected and think I’m selfish. Or should I just try to help in other ways?

Posted Jun 8, 2026, 4:35 PM UTC

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