I have a particular family member who seems to view my status as a SAHM to mean I am constantly available to run her errends for her.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not averse to helping when I can, it’s just the assumption that I am here and available at the drop of a hat to do her bidding. Because I have “nothing else on”. Of course.

So when she calls and asks me to go out of my way to do a favour for her, at short notice, and tries to couch it in terms that I should be grateful for being asked to do it - I have to admit my first instinct is to say no.

“Will you come and wait at my house tomorrow for a tradesman to show up (or not)? It will get you out of the house and give you something to do.”

Actually, no I won’t be doing that. Firstly, because believe it or not, I have other things planned. Things that don’t require me to entertain two active children in your house, which is NOT set up for children, during the six hour window the tradesman gave you for when he will show up (or not!).

“Oh. So I’ll make the appointment for the next day then”.

No. Not the next day, not the next week, not the next month. NO.

“Will you be able to pick up a prescription for me tomorrow on your way past my Drs surgery?”

Actually no. No, because I have things on. Things that are not “on the way past” your doctors surgery. And the only available parking is metered and I’m not sure why I should pay for parking to do something for you that I need to fit into a day that is already quite full, while carting my children around with me, putting them in and out of the car, just because you didn’t plan your time better.

When I say I’m not averse to helping, that’s not true. I am averse … because every time she calls me the day before, or the day of and ‘asks’ me to do things for her I remember the last three times she’s offered to babysit and pulled out at the last minute. I remember her demands that we visit her because she can’t be bothered coming here, in spite of the fact that I have to pack up the children and all their assorted paraphanalia including toys to entertain them at her house. I remember every demand she’s made over the years and realise that she has no concept of compromise and is no closer to “growing up” now as she was then.

And suddenly I am really keen to be in Copenhagen already.