18-year-old girl leaves family at airport to avoid babysitting her 3 and 6-year-old half siblings: 'They didn't handle the airport well at all'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Aug 16, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

The more you can travel in this lifetime, the happier you'll be. It's not always easy, and it takes a bit of planning, but taking that time off from work to leave your current city and explore the world is an amazing feeling. 

I think a vacation finally starts to feel real once you enter the airport. There's a lot of preplanning that goes on before that — getting your PTO approved, paying for your hotels and excursions, and coordinating everything with your family members. Finally, after months of waiting, it's time to head out the door with your suitcase! This feels especially transformative if you have an early morning flight. It's the weirdest feeling to wake up at like 3 or 4 AM and creep around the house gathering your last-minute belongings. By the time you get to the airport and through security, the sun is just starting to rise, and you get this wonderful feeling of lightness inside you, because you know your adventure is just beginning. 

Okay, that scenario I described, though, is the kind that happens if you're traveling alone, or maybe with a spouse. If you travel with your family members — and heaven forbid, small children — you will not experience this type of peace. No. You will all be kind of stressed and rushed. Hopefully, you actually get to enjoy your vacation too, but I don't blame this 18-year-old for hopping on a flight alone in order to get some R&R without the hectic nature of a family vacation. 

Next, read about some startling travel experiences people had, like one weary traveler who lamented, "After 24+ hours of traveling... [airline] lost my luggage." 

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  • 01
    Airport lounge with red chairs, a young woman with blonde hair, gray dress, blue jean jacket and sneakers walks with a brown wheeled suitcase while smiling
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • 02

    "Am I [wrong] for boarding a flight without my family?"

    I'm 18f and in highschool, currently traveling for the holidays. I was supposed to fly down with my mom, her husband Phil, and my young half siblings (3 and 6 years old) to spend Christmas with my maternal grandparents. We live in California and my grandparents
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  • 03
    live in Wisconsin, so we don't see them very often, and when we do we fly. This was my half siblings' first time flying, and they didn't handle the airport well at all, and my mom and Phil handled them even worse.
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  • 04
    They screamed and cried the whole time, and I was basically expected to take over my mom's part of the parenting because she's pregnant, which I mostly did without complaint. Right before our boarding group was called (the last boarding group since we're not rich Imao) my mom ran off to use the bathroom.
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  • 05
    I waited with Phil and the kids until last call, but my mom still wasn't back, so I left them behind and boarded. I offered to take the kids with me if Phil wanted to stay back for my mom, but he insisted that the family had to stay together. I went to board but he grabbed my arm and took this fatherly tone that he freaking
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  • 06
    knows I hate, and basically ordered me to stay with him and the kids. I boarded anyway and left them all behind. I was really looking forward to spending time with my grandparents, and I honestly couldn't care less what Phil tells me to do, he's not my dad.
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  • 07
    Anyway when I landed and got service back, I had a ton of texts voicemails, but I only listened to a couple of them since they were basically all either Phil and the kids saying how much they miss me or my mom crying about how abandoned and she feels. I'm at my grandparents' house now and they've invited me to stay for the
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  • 08
    rest of winter break and said they'd pay for my flight home. I really want to accept since a week without little kids around sounds really nice, but I know my mom and Phil will be ped at me if I do. I also know that they're
    via u/[deleted]
  • 09
    Woman with straight blonde hair sits on airport seat while looking at her phone looking relaxed and smilling
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • 10
    were relying on me to look after the kids when they both have to go back to work, and if I stay here in Wisconsin they'd have to take unpaid time off or use up precious sick days, or hire a babysitter, and I know they hate doing that.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 11
    This whole situation has made me feel rotten, like a daughter and sister, but I can't really talk to anyone irl about it since my friends are back in California spending Christmas Eve with their families. I guess I just wanted to get this off my chest anonymously/ask if I'm in the wrong here.
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  • 12

    Commenters supported her bold choice

    J. You're 18. Better to break the cycle now. You aren't responsible for their choices to have kids. Fortunately the cost of living in Wisconsin is much cheaper. This is a hard situation but you are clearly NTA. You should probably get out of that house sooner rather than later before you wake up at 28 as a full time caregiver.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 13
    [deleted] um do not feel bad...you didnt get your mom pregnant. and why in the h | are they having so many kids if they cant handle the 2 they have already? look its great youre helping. take care of your younger siblings but its not your duty to do so.
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  • 14
    so nta, and kinda for mom & phil to expect you too. stay at your grandparents and let yer mom be pissy.
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  • 15
    Woman walks through airport terminal with sunlight shining on her, wearing brown pants, white shirt, carrying a tan jacket, and walking with a suitcase
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

  • 16
    Stay in Wisconsin. You deserve a vacation away from your family. Why is your mother pregnant AGAIN? That's her choice, and not your problem. Rest and relax with your grandparents. Don't let your family guilt you into leaving until you're good and ready...which they were not when it counted at the airport.
    via u/[deleted]
  • 17
    Have a great time! (And turn off your phone!)
    via u/[deleted]

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family drama airports mother airport flight family daughter son Father flying teens teenage kids teenagers siblings children
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