Originally Posted by kane

I actually had a falling out with a friend for several years over something like this.

I started building adult sites and was getting to where I was doing well enough that it was all I did. After a year or so of working for myself a friend asked me if I would meet his kids when they got off the bus at his house and watch them for an hour or so until either he or is wife got home (they both were stuck working late). Always happy to help a friend, I was glad to do it.

One time turned into two times and pretty soon I was going over there 3 times per week. Each time took 2-3 hours out of my day. They never asked if I was okay with doing this, they just assumed I was their new babysitter.

So one day, after a few weeks of me being there multiple times per week they both came home later than normal. I then found out that they had actually left work early and had spent the day shopping, going to lunch and going to see a movie. They didn't bother telling me this or that they would be late so I was kind of pissed off. Then his wife said something like, "Having you has made our lives so much easier." I told them I didn't know how much more of this I could do and she said, "It isn't like you have a real job."

I went on to explain that I was working 10-12 hours a day at least. Every hour I spent at their house was another hour that night I had work. I don't get sick or vacation days. I don't work, I don't get paid. She actually got offended and stormed out of the room and I went home.

A few days later I called him up because we had talked about seeing a new movie that was coming out. He said, "Can you find time in your precious schedule to see it?" It really pissed me off.

We didn't talk for about five years. Occasionally I would see him at parties or other things were multiple friends were, but things were very cold between us. Then he started his own business and suddenly realized for himself just how hard it was and how much work it took. He actually called me up and apologized.

The moral of the story is that if you work for yourself most people think you don't really work and money just rains from the sky and into your pockets.