My Childfree Best Friend Wanted to Babysit My Kids — It Nearly Broke Our Friendship

Jessica, 35, trusted her best friend to help with babysitting, but that decision quickly turned into a parenting nightmare. What seemed like a small favor quickly spiraled into a situation she’d never forget and made her question who she could really rely on.

Jessica and her closest friend had supported one another through everything over the years.

One of our readers, Jessica, a 35-year-old mom of two daughters, found herself in a really difficult place recently. In need of support, she turned to the one person she trusted most, her lifelong friend. She wrote in, hoping to share her story and get feedback from others who might relate.

Jessica began by explaining that she and her best friend Maya had shared nearly two decades of friendship. Over the years, they built a strong bond with an unspoken agreement: when one of them needed help, the other would be there, no questions asked. And Maya had truly lived up to that promise. She’d stood by Jessica during her pregnancy with twins, helped her through postpartum struggles, and was a rock during her painful divorce. Jessica always believed their friendship was built on mutual care and trust, and she never doubted she’d do the same for Maya if the roles were reversed.

Maya stood by Jessica’s side during one of the hardest chapters of her life.

Jessica continued her story. “After the divorce, I was basically left to raise my girls alone. My ex just walked away. I didn’t really ask anyone for help, but Maya always had a sense for when I was struggling,” she shared. “Even though she had never babysat before, she’d often tell me, ‘If you ever need me to watch the girls, I’ve got you.’ I never pushed, but those words stuck with me.”

She went on, “So, when I recently had to deal with a major personal matter, I finally asked Maya if she could watch my daughters for two weeks. I gave her several chances to back out. I told her she could take them to drop-in daycare if needed or even call her own babysitter, and I’d cover all the costs.”

Jessica added, “Technically, we planned for two weeks, but the first week I stayed at her place with the girls to help them settle in. That way, she’d only have one full week with them on her own. While I was there, I walked her through every part of their routine, probably more than once. I’m a super cautious mom, and I just wanted to make sure she was comfortable.”

Right after Jessica left, things started to spiral in a wrong direction.

Jessica explained, “When I left, I felt totally at peace. I honestly thought I could focus on my situation without constantly stressing about the girls. Maya kept texting me sweet updates like, ‘They’re doing great!’ and ‘We’re having a good day,’ so I didn’t suspect anything.”

She went on, “But the moment I got back, something felt off. My daughters were talking back, acting defiant. When I tried to set some structure again, they snapped, ‘Maya let us do whatever we wanted at her house!’” I’d clearly asked Maya to keep the same limits we have at home, but now I realized she ignored all of them. She thought she was doing them a favor by being the ‘fun adult’ and letting them eat fast food, stay up late, and have endless screen time. Now they see me as the strict one, and it’s caused a real strain between us."

Jessica realized she couldn’t rely on Maya like she used to.

Jessica shared, “I honestly didn’t know how to feel. I talked to Maya about everything, but I didn’t expect her to get upset with me. She said, ‘You should be thankful I even agreed to watch your girls. They had fun, didn’t they?’ I was stunned.”

She continued, “I tried to explain that I wasn’t criticizing her help. I just needed her to stick to the routine for the sake of my kids. But she brushed it off and said, ‘I don’t have kids. I had no idea what I was doing, so I just let them do whatever.’ Now I feel like that trust is broken, and I don’t know what to do. How do I fix this?”

Here’s another wild \story with a twist. A 34-year-old woman went to her best friend’s wedding, only to be stunned by how her friend of two decades treated her. The behavior on such an important day left her feeling deeply hurt and confused.