There are a few simple rules to follow when attending a wedding: don't wear white, show up on time, and respect the couple's wishes on whether or not children are invited.
Some couples choose to embrace the little ones in their family, inviting them to be a part of the ceremony. People even go so far as to make special arrangements to keep children entertained during the hours-long process of getting hitched.
People Either Love Or Hate Inviting Small Children To Weddings
Traditionally, the children who are closest to the bride and groom are given the roles of flower girls and ring bearers.
However, more recently, some couples have opted to skip inviting kids altogether, hoping to achieve a carefree, classy evening.
Whose Responsibility Is It To Keep Children Entertained At A Wedding?
For the couples who choose to extend their wedding invite to kids, there is often some kind of expectation that there will be kid-friendly activities there.
Some couples have a plan in place to make sure that the kids stay safe and entertained during the ceremony and reception.
When Children Are On The Wedding Invite List, It's Smart To Have One Of These...
Event planners online are praising the idea behind the "kids' table" at weddings, offering children the opportunity to hang out with other kids and keep busy with activities.
Unfortunately, not all couples are this well-prepared and sometimes they end up scrambling to decide what to do with the children at their wedding.
A Reddit User Asks The Internet If She Is Wrong For Not Wanting To Babysit Children At A Wedding
Reddit user Present-Objective-88 asks the popular r/AITA community for their opinion on whether she is the a**hole in this particular situation.
She starts by offering some background information on what led up to her post.
She Was Told She Would Have To Go To An Acquaintance's Wedding To Provide Childcare
At first, this person thought their friend was joking when they sent a text asking them to come to a wedding to provide childcare.
When she realized her friend was serious, she asked if she would at least be paid for watching the children. She was told that attending the wedding was payment enough.
She Felt Disrespected That She Only Got Invited To Be A Nanny
The Redditor suggested that she actually would have been interested in attending the wedding as a regular guest, but she didn't feel comfortable being responsible for other people's kids.
She also mentions that she doesn't feel qualified to babysit them, saying she wouldn't want to take care of kids "under 10 years old that I don't know how to handle."
It Seems Like She May Have Been The Last Resort
Even though the invite was off-putting, she ends her post by asking whether she is overreacting at the request or if she should stand her ground and refuse the request to babysit.
The response to her question was overwhelming, with people offering her advice on how to handle the situation.
Commenters Said Babysitters Deserve Pay Just Like Anyone Else
The commenters made clear that they support the original poster and disagree with the couple's belief that "attending the wedding is enough payment."
They rated her not the a**hole and agreed that she deserved more than the couple getting married were offering.
There's A Way To Make Your Wedding A Great For All Ages
Wedding and event planners will agree that planning for children is a bit of an extra challenge—though not at all impossible.
If you plan accordingly, you can create a wedding that is both kid-friendly and adult-classy all at the same time. A great way to start is by paying someone to provide childcare when necessary.