Hypothetically, your parents partly own a company. They ask you to do some technical stuff for this company (They think its easy, but technically speaking its not. IT isnt magic), but you've got a graduate school, an unfinished research proposal, and a day job with deadlines to deal with. You still do it anyway. Do you have a right for some sort of compensation? Do you have the right to reject?

If you work for free, it creates an expectation and you'll suddenly become the "oh @123abc can fix that"
when ever something comes up that they don't want to pay for.

But... your family, your choice, either way, someone's going to be pissed off by the end of it.

Why do you need opinions from Internet strangers? Don't you know how to deal with family?

If you don't want to do it for free then don't. What good can come out of it if you are begrudging it out of the gates? It sounds like you have legitimate reasons to guard your time. That said, it is your family - so you know, you do have to do the loving thing as well - whether that is helping them, or avoiding stress and resentment for everyone by not doing it, depends on that situation. If they are struggling financially then I would just do it - because not doing it could lead them to scapegoat you and become resentful, and also, you do want to help them I'm sure. If they are financially fine then just refer them to somebody who can help them. BTW, if you completed a project without ever talking about compensation then you did it for free - just let it go; be sure to agree on compensation next time.

@theabbie I dont know how to deal with any human being

@C0D4 I am, kind of. this already happened several times. they also insist on something thats not possible for an uncommited/uninvested person.

Thanks mate!

@comfycoding ugh. you're right.

@rutee07 right. it always feels like 24 hrs a day isn't enough.

You have to set that expectation up front before you do the work.

What's shareholder agreement says ? All details are inside of it.

@rutee07 Not if you are a shareholer and agreementrs states that if you reject technicly doable tasks you lose your shares. Which is pretty standart

@theabbie Nothing wrong with hearing about other people's perspectives

@bakk There is no perspective here, if he doesn't want to help, he shouldn't.