24-year-old woman refuses to babysit sister's 4 and 6-year-old following a last-minute request, causing sister to miss a promotion meeting with boss: ‘I'm becoming her default childcare’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
May 1, 2025 2:00 PM EDT

Finding a babysitter you are comfortable with is not an easy task for parents. Not because it's particularly hard to find babysitters, but because you are trusting that person with quite literally the most important things in your life. You are letting them into your home, you are entrusting them with your child, and you have to walk away with the full belief that everything will be alright by the time you return. 

It is natural that parents' first instinct is to only turn to people they know for babysitting favors. Like their parents, siblings, friends, or even cousins. It's much easier to entrust your children to people you already know you can rely on, rather than complete strangers. The only issue is that they don't always have to say yes when you ask, since it's not actually their job.

If you constantly ask a relative for babysitting favors, even if it is because they are the only ones you can trust, they might end up feeling exploited. Which is not a pleasant situation for either side, and the sisters in the story below can attest to that. 

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  • The woman who wrote this story is a 24-year-old student whose sister always asks for babysitting favors. The main problem with that is that she always waits for the last minute to ask for help, but refuses to take ‘no’ for an answer.

    When the helpful sister finally put her foot down, it led to a huge family dispute…

  • 01
    "I had a huge exam I needed to study for"
    via South_agency

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

  • 02

    "AITA for refusing to babysit my sister's kids when she had an important work dinner?"

    I (24F) am currently working full-time while taking night classes for my master's degree. My schedule is PACKED. My sister (30F) has
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 03
    two kids (4 and 6) and constantly asks me to babysit last minute. Like, I've helped her out at least 15 times in the past 3 months alone. Sometimes
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 04
    with literally 2 hours notice. I've missed study groups, rescheduled meetings, and even called out sick once to help her. I love my niece and nephew but omg it's
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 05
    getting ridiculous. Yesterday, she texted me at 4pm asking if I could watch the kids from 6-11pm because her regular sitter canceled. I had a HUGE exam the next morning
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 06
    exam the next morning worth 40% of my grade that I needed to study for. I told her I couldn't this time and suggested she try the babysitting app I showed
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 07
    her before. She freaked out saying it was an important work thing and I was the only person she trusted. I stood my ground for once and said no. She ended up
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 08
    missing her work event. Now my whole family is blowing up my phone. Apparently this "work thing" was actually a dinner with her boss where they were discussing a promotion. My
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 09
    parents are saying I'm selfish and should have just "studied earlier" (as if grad school works that way lol). My sister is giving me the silent treatment and posted
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 10
    a vague FB status about "people who don't value family." Like??? I've dropped everything for her kids so many times but the ONE time I prioritize my education, I'm the villain? I
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 11
    feel bad about the promotion thing, but also feel like I'm becoming her default childcare without any consideration for my life. AITA for refusing to be her emergency babysitter this ONE time?
    via Original_Storage1199
  • 12
    Cheezburger Image 10499222528
    via fizkes

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

  • 13
    kurokomainu NTA Just keep reiterating that you were asked last minute the night before a major exam worth 40% of your grade. You already babysit at the drop of a hat, often making personal sacrifices to do so, which is already an
    via kurokomainu
  • 14
    unreasonable expectation. You don't owe her the sacrifice of your future so she can have kids with no drawbacks to her life. These are not your kids. It is not your responsibility. If in a crazy spin of the wheel of fate two important events
    via kurokomainu
  • 15
    coincide and one of you has to sacrifice something in order for her kids to be looked after she is the one who will have to make the sacrifice because they are her kids. You must feel like you are taking crazy pills.
    via kurokomainu
  • 16
    If I were you I'd tell them that their attitude is so wrong that you are backing off from making any sacrifices to babysit her kids entirely. It's like no good deed goes unpunished. Maybe after her life starts suffering when she has to make her own sacrifices more often, rather than you making them in
    via kurokomainu
  • 17
    her place, she might start appreciating what you have been doing for her so far and give up the expectation that her life always comes before yours. You won't hold your breath though.
    via kurokomainu
  • 18
    Blue-Being22 I would seriously Never Babysit For Her Again. She's built up this entitlement with all her last minute shenanigans, which you've complied with. Now it's time to change that dynamic entirely by not allowing it any longer.
    via Blue-Being22
  • 19
    It's not as if you're getting credit for all the times you've moved. your own plans around, you're just getting denigrated for saying no once. One time!
    via Blue-Being22
  • 20
    So change it up. Make a statement about it beforehand, or not, but don't babysit for her again. She's lost her rights to your time by being a total AH to you. Anyone who's giving you cr p about it can babysit for her. Done. NTA
    via Blue-Being22
  • 21
    Jdawn82 A lack of planning on her part doesn't constitute an emergency on yours. Why is it always you who has to rearrange your schedule for her? Does she ever do the same for you? And why can't your parents babysit if it's so important? NTA
    via Jdawn82
  • 22
    New-Comment2668 NTA. If your parents feel a certain way about it, they need to step up and start babysitting for your sister. You did not lay down and create those children and you do not owe your sister free babysitting whenever she feels like it.
    via New-Comment2668
  • 23
    Jodenaje NTA All those people blowing up your phone could have babysat. Your sister needs to have backup sitters besides you
    via Jodenaje
  • 24
    Treehousehunter If your sister had her sh together she would have more than one emergency babysitter option. Also, where is the father of her two kids??
    via Treehousehunter

Tags

family drama aita baby babysitter students kids mother siblings reddit story babysitting aunt family sister Reddit women parents children Father
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