‘Raise your own kids’: 17-year-old daughter raises 4 younger siblings instead of mom, she reaches a breaking point when her mom gets pregnant again

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Apr 15, 2025 7:00 PM EDT

Parents, say this with me: "Having an older child does not mean you get to use them as a free babysitter".

Got it? Good. Because it is 100% true.

Being the older sibling does not mean you have to be put to work in your own household. Your parents should never expect you to babysit your younger siblings whenever they want you to. You are entitled to your own life, without having to commit to a job you never signed up for, and that you most definitely are not getting paid for. And if there are any parent who are reading this who still think they can put their kids to work like this, maybe the story below will be the cautionary tale you need to fully let this lesson sink in.

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  • The 17-year-old in this story is about to take legal action against her mother because she found herself doing all the parental work instead of her mom. With 4 younger siblings, the teen decided she could not keep doing all the hard work alone, especially without so much as a ‘thank you’ from her neglectful mother.

     So she finally stood up to her mom, keep scrolling to read the full story and find out how that went down.

  • "She was only thinking about herself"
    via Africa images

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

  • "Aita for telling my mom to raise her own kids because I'm not doing it?"

    I(17F) can be harsh sometimes and regret it instantly but this time I didn't because I allowed too much, but I guess that's growing up.
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • I'm the oldest of 4 siblings, I was the one doing everything. around the house, cooking, cleaning, picking my siblings up from school. I was the parent, I did grow resentment
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • because I never had time for myself. One time cps was called but I was a kid and lied because I didn't want anything to happen to me or my siblings, about 2 years
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • ago cps came again but my mom and grandmother lied. My siblings are in my grandma care so if anything happens she will take care of them.
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • My mom met her boyfriend a year ago, 2 months into their relationship she let him move in and I knew it was a dumb idea but she didn't care. This man controlled the house
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • and she let him, he tried to act like my father but I wasn't going for it, no one can replace my father. About 7 months in, my mom told me she was pregnant and I wasn't happy about it.
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • I didn't understandwhy my mom still wanted kids at 42 if she knew she was not going to raise them, it ped me off becauseshe was only thinking about herself. Now that all
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • that passed, she had the a baby girl and I haven't been feeding into my mom. Every minute she wants me to feed the baby, bathe the baby, wash the baby clothes. Jordan
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • started acting weird, its been days since we saw him. My mom been crying ever since, she's been wearing the same clothes and everything.
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • Cheezburger Image 10493995776
    via Creativa Images

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

  • I go to my boyfriend house so much just to get away from it, sometimes I don't even see my siblings for a week or two. They get sad because I always make them.
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • a special lunch but I'm never there to make it, my mom usual give them money for their lunch. Since I'm not there, my siblings and ngs stay with our grandma so my
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • mom is home allow with the baby unless my grandma takes her and watch her. I already contacted cps but I already know my grandma got all the kids because she
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • knows this is normal. They still have to investigate any ak se, hopefully they actually do their job. Everything she wants me to do like I don't have my own
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • life, can't even focus on work because she's there nagging me. It just got the the breaking point, one day was it for me. She kept yelling my name to come take the baby
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • because she has was crying non-stop and I couldn't do it so I told her to raise her own kids because I'm not doing it. The way she looked at me
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • with hurt and then started crying, she ended up telling my grandma which is why I'm TA to her. Aita?
    via Decent-Choice-8762
  • JTBlakeinNYC NTA. Can you get a part-time job and start saving money to move out?
    via JTBlakeinNYC
  • Clean_Shame_4697 NTA. Your mum and her new man decided to bring a baby so it's their responsibility to ensure they look after the baby. They are trying to parentify you by
    via Clean_Shame_4697
  • giving you so many responsibilities that aren't yours. You are not a parent. They need to understand that it's not your job to look after everything in the house. Time to step up ma & pa!!!
    via Clean_Shame_4697
  • I hope you have some support network and can live your life one 18. Take care of yourself kiddo!
    via Clean_Shame_4697
  • gobsmacked247 Oh honey, no you are NTA. Good for you for finally standing up for yourself! Keep this thought in your mind and let it guide you: You cannot care more about her kids than she does.
    via gobsmacked247

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