I Am Not Your Free Babysitter!

Our new neighbors dump their three kids at our house all day while they do home improvements on their house. Um, I am not your free babysitter!

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Brenda Simmons: When the new neighbors moved next door in our Utah neighborhood, I was excited. I knew my kids would be happy that they had kids their age. Maybe they could be friends. I remembered the years growing up next to my neighborhood pals. I was so excited that my kids could have that same experience.

The new neighbors decided to do a remodel and put in a pool right away -- and there were workers at the house 24/7. The dad -- who is supposed to be watching the kids -- is one of the construction workers. The mom works full-time. So what did they do with the kids? Send 'em to camp? No, too expensive. Why not send them to OUR HOUSE instead?

The kids have routinely started coming over for hours at at time. Now, I may be a stay-at-home mom, but I still have things I need to get done around the house, and it's impossible to do with my three kids and their three kids running in and out, wanting snacks, and tattling on each other. It's like the freaking Brady Bunch ... but three of these kids are not mine, and I'm not Carol Brady!

I send the kids to their house, but they are back within 30 minutes pounding on our door! These are relatively nice kids, but I am not being paid to watch them, and it's breeding resentment.

What would you do if you were in my shoes?