DEAR ABBY: I am 15, and I have been helping my older sister watch her two kids since her boyfriend left her five months ago. She has been paying me $20 a week to watch them six hours a day while she works. I was fine with this arrangement until recently, when she began relying on me completely for baby-sitting. Now she expects me to watch them every time she goes shopping or out with her current boyfriend.
She has begun spending the night at his house and not calling to let me know I need to take care of the kids when they wake up. I know something needs to change. Am I being selfish, or should I confront her? Please help me. -- TEEN SITTER IN ABILENE
DEAR TEEN SITTER: By all means talk to her. It will be a good experience in learning to stand up for yourself -- a lesson you had better learn quickly, because from where I sit it appears your sister is taking advantage of you.
Responsible child supervision costs a lot more than $20 a week, and you should not have to wonder when your sister leaves for work whether you'll see her again before the next day. What she is doing is palming off her responsibility as a parent onto you.
You were sweet to help her in the first place, but it's time to draw the line. To do that isn't being selfish; it's being smart.