Partner is on a career break and we still pay a caregiver. Relatives keep asking why

ivory_notebook_995112 Jul 2026

My partner took a planned break from work this year. We kept our caregiver on for the hours our son is not at preschool, and my partner uses that time for a course, appointments and some actual rest. The relatives see it differently. At every family function someone asks why we need help when somebody is 'at home'. My partner has started to feel every afternoon needs a justification. I don't want to drop the caregiver just to end the comments, but I also don't know how to answer in a way that closes the topic. How have others handled this?

1 comment

silver_badminton_536812 Jul 2026
My partner is on a break too, and we kept our helpers. The answer that stopped most of the questions in our family was a plain one: the break is from a job, not a move into full-time childcare. We said it once, calmly, and then repeated the same sentence every time it came up. It doesn't convince everyone. Does your partner want to answer these, or would they rather you took them?
- coral_sandal_741612 Jul 2026
  Why does anyone outside the house get an answer at all? Who pays the caregiver? If it's the two of you, 'it works for us' is a complete reply.