'You're weak minded': Couple drops off 8-month-old baby with sister at 3AM every week without asking permission, sister feels taken advantage of

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Feb 4, 2025 4:00 PM EST

Having a new baby around the house is a BFD (a big freaking deal). They take so much work to take care of and can't be left alone. They might be fussy, they might be cranky, and they might generally be a pain sometimes, keeping you up at night and whatnot. If you're a parent, though, this is what you signed up for. Them's the breaks. 

If you're simply the sibling of someone who has just had a baby, them's not the breaks. It's their life, not yours. But sometimes the boundaries of family get pushed and you can easily get taken advantage of. It's one thing to pitch in if there's an emergency, but it's another thing to be constantly relied on for childcare, especially if it's in the middle of the night. If someone dropped off a baby at my apartment every week at 3 AM, I would politely ask them to stop doing that. But that isn't always so easy to say.

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    "Stand up for yourself"
    via Isaac Del Toro

  • That's what happened in this story when a couple with a new baby figured out a childcare situation that worked for them but didn't quite work for everyone else involved. And when they started to complain, things got ugly. Read on for the story and see what you think. 

  • 02

    AITA for refusing to babysit my baby niece?

    I'll give a little context. My brother has an eight-month-old baby, and his girlfriend is pregnant with their second. He comes over every weekend so my mom and I can care for the baby on Sunday and Monday nights. They leave for work at 3:00 a.m. and leave the baby with me until my mom gets home at 8:00 a.m.
    via u/Dizzy_Masterpiece886
  • 03
    Then my mom takes over until they get back from work at 2:00 p.m. My mom works 12-hour night shifts. I do this once or twice a week, depending on my mom's schedule. Mind you, I did not sign up for this. They pretty much said, "She's not doing anything anyway, so she can take care of the baby while my mom
    via u/Dizzy_Masterpiece886
  • 04
    gets home." I'm currently not working, hence why I'm home and living off savings. I also have had health issues since November. I will be having surgery soon. This is another issue. I clearly told my mom that I did not want people coming in and out of our house because if I get sick, my surgery will be
    via u/Dizzy_Masterpiece886
  • 05
    canceled. She does not care, and my brother and his girlfriend were sick last week, coughing and sneezing all over the house. Now, this weekend, the baby has started to get sick. I just texted them that one of them will have to call off work to take care of the baby because what if she gets worse? I know for a fact that they
    via u/Dizzy_Masterpiece886
  • 06
    || are still going to leave her and my brother is going to get ped and start with the name calling. You're a selfish *****, she's your niece. That's the reason things happen to you because you're a ***** and hypochondriac. You're weak minded." When I wanted to go to the ER for my pelvic pain
    via u/Dizzy_Masterpiece886
  • 07
    nobody wanted to take me. I had to call my bf. He had to get out of work and come get me. I feel like I'm always helping out my family one way or another, but when I need a favor, it's crickets.
    via u/Dizzy_Masterpiece886
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10463306496
    via Unsplash+ (Toa Heftiba)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 09

    Members of the community chimed in on whether or not this was a justified reaction.

    LouiseJones2025 .7h ago NTA: you didnt choose to have a child, there is no reason at all you should have to put up with the responsibility of one. Tell them to pay you if they want regular childcare, they would have to pay someone if you refused so why should you miss out on that.
    via u/LouiseJones2025
  • 10
    • Dizzy_Masterpiece886 OP · 7h ago I don't even want to do it if I got paid
    via u/Dizzy_Masterpiece886
  • 11
    Chelular07 .7h ago Not your baby not your responsibility. You didn't choose to have s and keep the resulting child. Tell them to find a PAID sitter for those times that your mom isn't home. Which is what most people have to do. H I I had to pay my FAMILY to
    via u/Chelular07
  • 12
    babysit for my children if it was on a regular basis. An occasional emergency or mix up in scheduling is one thing, dropping off the baby every week at 3am for someone to babysit unpaid is another. Also the baby is 8 months and they are pregnant again? How far along is she? That seems pretty irresponsible on their part.
    via u/Chelular07
  • 13
    No_Philosopher_1... .7h ago NTA. Their child, their problem. They don't do anything in return for the help you give them, so they can start paying for child care.
    via u/No_Philosopher_1870
  • 14
    Individual_Ad_9213 .7h ago NTA. What you describe, assuming it's accurate, looks like a one-way street of responsibility. You are being almost-forced to care for an infant while they do nothing to help you. What is more, they seem to lack the most basic considerations
    via u/Individual_Ad_9213
  • 15
    for your health and well being by ignoring the fact that you can't afford to get sick and coming over when they are ill. You may wish to consider moving in with your boyfriend, who seems to be the only person who you can rely on. Good luck.
    via u/Individual_Ad_9213
  • 16
    TeenySod 6h ago Kinda feeling like everyone S ks here tbh (apart from the baby) because of so many assumptions and what sounds like a lack of adult conversations and boundary setting around working this out.
    via u/TeenySod
  • 17
    Let's just go with the actual question: NTA for not wanting to babysit. If it's your mother's house then you don't have any say about who she has over/staying. You say you are living off your savings, it's not clear how much you are contributing to household costs if you are
    via u/TeenySod
  • 18
    paying rent, or more than your fair share of food/bills then you need to talk with your mother about your financial contribution being used to cover babysitting. EDIT - just seen in a comment that your mother offered you money. Tell her to use it to pay for an external babysitter because you're not doing it.
    via u/TeenySod
  • 19
    Seems to me like your only options are to move out, or call child services for abandonment if a child is left in your care and you're not willing to provide that care.
    via u/TeenySod
  • 20
    Quiet_Village_1425 • 6h ago So you'll be stuck with two babies soon. You need to find a way to move out.
    via u/Quiet_Village_1425
  • 21
    . RoyallyOakie • 7h ago NTA...you need to take care of your health first and foremost. If they're going to have multiple children, they need to shoulder the burden.
    via u/RoyallyOakie
  • 22
    SirenWhisk • 7h ago Yo, honestly, I get why you're fed up. You didn't sign up for this full-time babysitter role, especially with your own health issues going on. Like, it's one thing to help out sometimes, but they've been taking advantage of you and your
    via u/SirenWhisk
  • 23
    time way too much. Your brother and his girlfriend being sick and still expecting you to look after their baby is just messed up, especially when you're about to have surgery.
    via u/SirenWhisk
  • 24
    The whole "selfish" and "weak-minded" comments? Nah, that's straight up manipulation. They're trying to guilt-trip you into doing what they want while ignoring your needs. If they can't even take responsibility for their own
    via u/SirenWhisk
  • 25
    kid, then that's on them, not you. You've already told them you're not up for it, so if they try to throw shade or get mad, just stand your ground. It's your health and well-being that comes first, not their convenience.
    via u/SirenWhisk
  • 26
    • LadyWiezel 7h ago NTA. You are doing them a big fat favour repeatedly when this is not your mess or responsibility in the first place. As a thanks they treat you like trash. Let them figure it out on their own, take care of yourself and your own health. These ppl don't appreciate you.
    via u/LadyWiezel
  • 27
    BridgeBeautiful5... • 6h ago NTA. So you provide free childcare and when you are unable to help THAT is the way your ungrateful brother talks you? Wow, I would never accept that level of disrespect, he's a giant loser.
    via u/BridgeBeautiful5478

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

childcare aita AITAH infant brother sibling rivalry sibling memes siblings money problems reddit story family feud parenting babysitting family sibling sister reddit thread Reddit money
Scroll Down For The Next Article