Woman sparks debate on paying family members to babysit kids
A TikTok video has sparked debate about whether family members should be paid.
A TikTokker has sparked a debate about paying family members to babysit children.
In a TikTok video, Kaitlyn Wilson explained that while talking to someone, she mentioned she watches her nephew about once a week "and they were so shocked that I did it for free."
Wilson told "Good Morning America" it was an "innocent comment" but later, when she was mulling over their conversation, she grew curious and wanted to share on TikTok to ask if others were like her and watched their relatives' kids for free as well.
"It was so normal to me to not expect payment from my little sister for watching my nephew, especially because she's my little sister," the 26-year-old said. "And I was like, 'Wow, I wonder if other people's families charge them for babysitting.'"
TikTok users soon chimed in on Wilson's post, which has since been viewed over 345,000 times and has garnered over 2,600 comments.
Some agreed with Wilson's view that her watching her nephew on a regular basis was an "opportunity to create a relationship."
"It's a privilege to watch my grandchildren. I do it anytime I'm asked, unless I am working. I am cultivating a lifelong relationship with my grandsons. Love has no price," wrote one commenter.
Others had a different perspective and shared what they do with their family.
"I pay my mom cause she's with my daughter for 12hrs and she doesn't work I give her money to treat herself 💗," another commented.
Wilson said she agreed with the practice of paying younger family members, like high school-age teenagers, to babysit kids, but for older family members, she didn't think it was a necessity.
"If you're an adult, we should go out of our way to help our siblings or family members, that sort of thing," she said.
Following the buzz from her post, Wilson said it helped her realize that her situation and relationship with her younger sister Kim and 5-month-old nephew were not as universal as she thought and made her "more determined to make sure I was there for my nephew in any capacity."
"I was like, 'Oh, wow.' I kind of realized … how privileged I was specifically to have a village and have people that wanted to be around me as a kid, were interested in the things I did, going to my sports games, hanging out with me, including me in things," she said. "Me and my sisters were very fortunate to have that and not everybody has that."
Wilson, who said she is "very lucky" to live close to her family in the Buffalo, New York, area, said she cherishes her time with her nephew and sees it as a chance to spend quality time with him as he grows up.
"It's a privilege to get to know them this way, especially because a lot of those bonds are forged when you're a kid," she said.
"I would pay my sister to watch my nephew, if I had to, like I would be like, 'Here's money. Go to Target so I can watch him,'" Wilson added.
Wilson said she hopes her TikTok post can encourage others to build strong bonds with family members.
"Don't be afraid to … reach out [and] build your own village," Wilson said.
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