A mum has reached out to other parents online to ask if she is wrong for expecting people to pay her child when she bakes for them.
She explained that her 9-year-old daughter recently got into baking and has become very passionate about it.
However, since the rest of her family found out about her impressive skill, her mum said it encouraged “family members to stimulate said passion by requesting her to bake small items they happen to be craving right as they’re coming over/have invited us over.”
She said it started off fine with family hinting “ooh i’d sure love some brownies” and her mum said at first: “People asking/complimenting her genuinely makes her heart smile I only support it and don’t mind paying for the ingredients.”
Things have begun to get out of control according to the worried mum as she explained: “Now, one of my family members is hosting a gathering and asked my daughter to bake 75(!) cupcakes. They said they would take her shopping for ingredients.”
Her mum gave her permission to make the cupcakes and even jumped on board to help by contacting the family member to ensure there were no allergies among her upcoming guests who would be enjoying the baked goods.
While chatting to them, the mum “brought up the fact that she was so excited to have her very first, paying customer.”
This led to the family member expressing that she was “appalled at the expectation of paying my child for hours of labour and stated that since she is a minor and doesn’t have a genuine business yet she shouldn’t expect payment.”
Her mother went on to say if that was the way she felt then: “I am not going to let someone exploit my child like that.
“She accused me of ‘promoting child labour’ and when I retorted that she appeared to be fine with said child labour until she had to pay for it she hung up on me.”
The mother then clarified: “I didn’t expect a full hourly wage, just something extra to thank her for her hard work.”
Many parents immediately jumped to the defence of the little girl’s mum, with one responding: “Asking the child to make 75 freaking cupcakes without any kind of reimbursement is just ridiculous. She’s taking advantage and got called out for it.”
Another wrote: “She’s 9. Crossing the parent and going straight to the child for such a request is unbelievable. They knew exactly what they were doing. Shame on them.”
A third added: “You’re not wrong. Asking anyone to bake 75 cupcakes for free is absurd. Sounds like she was just trying to be a cheapskate and get 6 dozen cupcakes for free. Ridiculous.”
Let us know your thoughts. Would you pay a family member to bake for you?
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