Woman refuses to give back sister's 8-year-old son after adopting him and raising him as her own: 'He is my son in every way that counts'

Advertisement
  • 01

    AITA for refusing to give my sister back the child I've raised as my own?

    A boy smiles and hugs his mother
  • 02
    I (35F) have been married to my husband (38M) for almost 10 years. Our marriage always felt
  • 03
    incomplete because we weren't blessed with a child, no matter how much we tried.
  • 04
    A few years ago, my sister got pregnant unexpectedly and the father was never in the picture.
  • 05
    A pregnant woman holds her belly and gazes out of a window
  • 06
    She came to us asking if we could shoulder all the hospital bills and take the baby in. My husband and I agreed, we paid
  • 07
    for everything, and we even registered the child under our last name. From that day on, we raised him as our own.
  • 08
    A woman smiles as a toddler touches her face
  • 09
    We loved him wholeheartedly treat him as our firstborn. We always told him that biologically,
  • 10
    his mom is my sister, but he never cared he only recognized us as his parents.
  • 11
    After many years of trying, my husband and I were eventually blessed with a biological child of our own. We're beyond grateful,
  • 12
    but now my sister has started making comments that she wants to take her child back since we "already have our own."
  • 13
    This feels so unfair. I never kept her from visiting she's always been welcome in our home to see him but she never showed
  • 14
    much gratitude. she now feels entitled to just take him away, as if the years we've spent raising him don't matter.
  • 15
    I can't imagine giving him up. He is my son in every way that counts. AITA if I fight to keep him with us and refuse to hand him over to my sister?
  • 16
    PS: My firstborn son is 8 years old and my daughter is 4 years old.
  • 17
    EDIT INFO: Yes, the child is legally under our name. We have a signed agreement from her, and
  • 18
    on the birth certificate we are listed as the legal parents. I believe that's enough proof against her claim.
  • 19
    Two pairs of hands holding cut-outs of a 4 person family
  • 20
    Mera1506 INFO. Did you legally adopt him? Tell sister a child is not a possession. She should be doing what's best for him. And best for him is not uprooting his entire life.
  • 21
    Jolly For You OP Yes, we adopted him legally. She even signed the papers because she don't want to raise the child on her own.
  • 22
    Certain-Thought531 "Dear sister, while I am verry happy that your life has gotten better to the point you can consider raising children, I would like to remind you that
  • 23
    children are living people, not some commodities that can be given or taken whenever one feels like it, even pets don't deserve to be treated in such a way, even less children.
  • 24
    Please understand that while you will always be welcome in his life as his loving aunt, ***** is now my and my partner's child, and will remain as such for both his well being and stability"
  • 25
    Sorry if it might be a bit weirdly written, english is my 3rd language
  • 26
    JipC1963 Absolutely NTA! Your Son may be cognizant of who his biological egg-donor is but YOU are his Mother in every sense and purpose and have been since his birth. I hugely doubt that any authority or medical/
  • 27
    psychological professional would ever "sign off" on your Sister regaining parental rights or custody unless there was any evidence of ab e. Keep fighting for your child and children. He's not a toy to be shared or taken back.
  • 28
    Jolly For You OP Thank you! We've been his parents in every way that counts. and we'll keep fighting to protect him.
  • 29
    p3canj0y363 NTA. How unfair to your son, to uproot his entire life? I would feel legal advice here. Is your sister stable, emotionally and financially? What an awful, selfish thing to do to.

Tags

Scroll Down For The Next Article