Entitled father expects 20-year-old bio son to babysit his stepchildren so he can go on honeymoon, son refuses, causing family feud: “[They] want a free babysitter”

Author image for Briana Viser
Briana Viser • Writer and Editor
Apr 17, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

Welcome back ladies and gentlemen. When families become divided, there's little to be done to mend it. Sometimes things can get so bad that they're eternally affected, and everyone involved feels like they got the short end of the stick. Not everyone is born into the same family dynamic, and even though it's not fair, it is the biggest reason we are who we are, and the reason we have the flaws that we do. Everyone takes their past family dynamics into their relationships, their friendships, and even elsewhere in their personal lives. It's unavoidable to just pretend like the past doesn't exist. 

In the story below, the protagonist is a 20-year-old whose father has recently gotten remarried. As if that wasn't bad enough, his new stepmother has 4 children from a previous marriage. The children are significantly younger than the protagonist, and he keeps getting guilt tripped into forming a relationship and connection with his stepsiblings, but he refuses. Things come to a crossing when the father and stepmother want him to babysit so they can go on their honeymoon. 

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  • 01

    AITA for not playing an active role in the lives of my dad's future stepkids?

    Cheezburger Image 10494604800
    via Valerii Honcharuk / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    My dad raised me (20m) on his own. He was single the whole. time once my mom left when I was still a baby. He started dating someone after I moved out. Her name's Jessa and she has four younger kids under 7. Jessa and my dad moved in together last August and they're getting
    via u/Spare_Issue2157
  • 03
    married this August. I met them when I went back home for Christmas. But I didn't spend a lot of time with them. I was more focused on spending some time with my dad.
    via u/Spare_Issue2157
  • 04
    Apparently Jessa has been frustrated ever since that I don't play any kind of active role in her kids' lives. My grandparents mentioned her and dad were bickering about it. That dad reminded her I was grown and in college and focusing on my future. She was even more
    via u/Spare_Issue2157
  • 05
    frustrated when I didn't offer to babysit the kids so dad and Jessa could go on honeymoon. She's talked about how I should at least call and get to know her kids that way and make an effort to do something for their birthdays. She wants me to play the role of a brother and she's talked about how disinterested I appear to be in her kids.
    via u/Spare_Issue2157
  • 06
    The truth is I am. These kids will be around so I'll be nice to them when I move close to home after graduation. But I'm not planning to take on the role of a brother. Being nice is just a given but the age gap is huge and I'm used to being an only child. My grandparents told me that's all
    via u/Spare_Issue2157
  • 07
    anyone would expect of me but I can see Jessa isn't. Apparently dad's okay with it. He never pressured me to spend time with his future stepkids and he's not pied at me. AITA though?
    via u/Spare_Issue2157
  • 08
    SonOfSchrute • 16h ago NTA. She's not looking to for an older brother, she wants free childcare. She can right off.
    via u/SonOfSchrute
  • 09
    KronkLaSworda • 16h ago NTA and I'm glad that Dad is on your side. > She was even more frustrated when I didn't offer to babysit the kids
    via u/KronkLaSworda
  • 10
    Here we find the root of her frustration. She was hoping for free baby sitting from you. Sorry, Jessa. You'll have to pay some teenager for that.
    via u/KronkLaSworda
  • 11
    Backgrounding-Cat 16h ago. NTA you are not even living there so expecting you to babysit is ridiculous. Would she really leave her kids with someone who isn't experienced babysitter? Focus on your own life and let her rot
    via u/Backgrounding-Cat
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10494604544
    via anyaberkut from Getty Images Pro / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 13
    • fiestafan73 16h ago Literally no one but the person who wants a free babysitter thinks you're the AH. You need to have your dad put her in her place now before they are married. Tell him you have no interest in
    via u/fiestafan73
  • 14
    babysitting or being a big brother, and his fiancee needs to stop harassing you about it if he still wants you coming around. She's marrying him, not his family. NTA.
    via u/fiestafan73
  • 15
    teresajs • 16h ago NTA Jessa hasn't spent any time. getting to know you, right? And that's because she doesn't actually care about you as a person. She just thought she was getting a free built in babysitter.
    via u/teresajs
  • 16
    Just continue to ignore her.
    via u/teresajs
  • 17
    uncommonbreed... • 16h ago NTA. You have a good dad.
    via u/uncommonbreeddogmom
  • 18
    Cheezburger Image 10494633728
    via Zurijeta / Canva

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 19
    Apart Foundatio... • 16h ago So Jenna thinks a stranger who has zero experience with kids would make a perfect babysitter for a bunch of under 7's for an extended time! What the h I is wrong with his woman???
    via u/Apart_Foundation1702
  • 20
    She is marrying his dad, thinking she has a built-in babysitter! SMH NTA
    via u/Apart_Foundation1702
  • 21
    I_wet_my_plants 15h ago NTA, she was expecting a free babysitter for her kids. Otherwise why isn't she coming to your college town with your dad to get to know you as her future son, and bonding and meeting you in a space where you're comfortable?
    via u/I_wet_my_plants
  • 22
    It's because she's literally only interested in how you can serve her
    via u/I_wet_my_plants
  • 23
    • CaptainBeefy79 16h ago NTA. You'd likely feel the same even if they were your biological siblings, the age difference is just too much.
    via u/CaptainBeefy79
  • 24
    Your dad is right, you were already out of the house when she came into the picture; you're an adult now and living your adult life. Being cordial with her and her kids is a pretty good relationship, all things considered.
    via u/CaptainBeefy79
  • 25
    Advanced-Pear-8... • 16h ago NTA- you're an adult. As long as you're nice to the kids and not mean should and is enough.
    via u/Advanced-Pear-8988

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family drama stepmother drama siblings family feud relationships babysitting lol love family reddit thread Reddit funny dating
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