23-year-old woman snaps at 29-year-old boyfriend's parents after they keep treating her like his babysitter: 'Make sure Josh goes to the dentist'

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Apr 26, 2025 4:00 PM EDT

There is a thin line between being someone's girlfriend and being someone's mom, and you usually cross it without even noticing.

When you become comfortable in a relationship, it makes sense that you start relying on each other and helping each other out in your day-to-day life. The problem is, if you are a woman who is dating a man, usually the one who is doing the relying is the man, and the one who is doing the helping is (you guessed it!) the woman. Which is how many women find themselves acting more like their boyfriends' mothers than their romantic partners. They have to buy their clothes, remind them to go to doctors' appointments, and make sure they eat something for lunch.

If you landed yourself a boyfriend who is incapable of taking care of himself, you have to draw a line if you don't want to do it for him. You have to make sure he, and everyone else around you, knows that it is not your responsibility to ensure your partner acts like an actual adult.

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  • That is why the girlfriend in the story below thought it was necessary to stand up to her boyfriend's parents. They started treating her like she were her boyfriend's babysitter, and like he is not capable of taking care of himself, so she simply had to say something to make them stop.

    Keep scrolling to read how that went down.

  • 01
    O "I'm not his babysitter"
    via Dragos Condrea

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

  • 02

    "WIBTA for telling my boyfriend's parents I'm not his babysitter?"

    123f have been dating my boyfriend Josh 29m for 2 years. We live together as well. Recently, his parents have started asking me to get him to do things. "Make sure Josh
    via Common_Category_269
  • 03
    to go to the dentist for his cracked tooth." or "Make sure Josh updates his passport." or "Make sure Josh changes his pet food for his cat. We don't like the brand." Or "Make sure
    via Common_Category_269
  • 04
    Josh updates his passport." or "Make sure Josh changes his pet food for his cat. We don't like the brand." Or "Make sure Josh does his taxes. You may need to sit with him and help."
    via Common_Category_269
  • 05
    The most recent has been convincing Josh to get a new job in an entirely unrelated field because Josh's parents don't feel like he makes
    via Common_Category_269
  • 06
    enough money. (Josh makes 70k, I make 110k so we are doing fine.) Typically I respond with some variation of "I'm fully capable
    via Common_Category_269
  • 07
    Josh can figure it out himself, and if not, it will be a good learning experience for him." but that hasn't stopped Josh's parents. Now I'm planning on being a little harsher and
    via Common_Category_269
  • 08
    telling them I'm not Josh's babysitter and to leave me out of these concerns. WIBTA for saying that? Is there anything else I should do differently?
    via Common_Category_269
  • 09
    TL;DR Boyfriend's parents want me to make sure he does normal adult tasks. I feel it is not my job.
    via Common_Category_269
  • 10
    milee30 Warning - if they believe this is your job as the woman, they likely have raised Josh to believe this as well. It may not be evident in the early stages of your relationship but as time
    via milee30
  • 11
    goes on and pressures add, responsibilities pile on and maybe you add kids, you might find Josh doesn't pick up tasks like this because hes never had
    via milee30
  • 12
    to and deep down believes that's your role. Ask me how I know this. Lived it. NTA but keep a very close eye on this. You may not be seeing
    via milee30
  • 13
    it yet and his words may be saying the right thing, but watch to see what he does over time and pressure.
    via milee30
  • 14
    Cheezburger Image 10497474560
    via Robert Kneschke

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

  • 15
    CSurvivor9 Ugh, they sound awful. Where's Josh in all this? Why isn't he telling them to shut up? He's really the one that needs to confeont his parents to get it to stop.
    via CSurvivor9
  • 16
    While you're NTA for being fed up, you can turn into one by creating drama if you go too far.
    via CSurvivor9
  • 17
    pokedabadger NTA I think Josh needs to handle his parents, that's not your job. He needs to tell them, "hey, I keep hearing you tell OP to remind
    via pokedabadger
  • 18
    me about things and make appointments. It feels a little weird to me when you treat her like my personal assistant."
    via pokedabadger
  • 19
    wandering_salad NTA I'd just tell them: "I'm his partner, NOT his mother/babysitter/personal assistant. Please stop
    via wandering_salad
  • 20
    messaging/calling me about this stuff." And then just block if they keep harrassing you.
    via wandering_salad
  • 21
    Trishshirt5678 Why are they eating Josh's cat's food? Seriously, though, they sound awful.
    via Trishshirt5678
  • 22
    Sylas_23 "Make sure Josh doesn't get spoiled and is unprepared for life because his parents have catered to his every need for his entire life."
    via Sylas_23
  • 23
    EwwDavvidd NTA, but I think it's best if Josh tells them to stop. It won't be well received from you and could create issues down the road.
    via EwwDavvidd

Tags

boyfriend relationship advice aita drama relationship-drama reddit story relationships girlfriend babysitting advice couples love Reddit parents dating
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