Dad's unwanted comments towards younger brother leave him without a babysitter, he refuses to provide free childcare after being labeled irresponsible

Author image for Ely Bulnes
Ely Bulnes • Writer and Editor
Oct 7, 2025 12:00 PM EDT

Family dynamics can sometimes shift dramatically once a new baby enters the picture. Everyone in the family — not just the parents — takes on new roles and finds themselves proving something in new ways. When one young man, branded as "immature" by his older brother, was asked to babysit for free, he declined. He never did like being thought of as the "irresponsible one" for no good reason, but suddenly, that label disappeared the moment his brother needed a favor.

I've seen this kind of thing play out firsthand. I'm the baby of my family; some of my cousins have more than a decade on me, so I got used to being pampered, dawdled on, and occasionally excluded from the big kid activities. Somewhere along the way, me being the youngest turned into me being the go-to "free babysitter." Anytime a cousin had plans, I was suddenly the most responsible person in the room. It's funny how quickly family perceptions change when it becomes about convenience. 

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  • 01

    AITA for refusing to babysit my niece after my brother accused me of being "irresponsible"?

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  • 02
    I (26M) don't have kids. My older brother (32M) and SIL (30F) just had a baby. Before she was born, my brother often joked that I'm "irresponsible" and "too
    via u/MiriamPuff9
  • 03
    immature" to be trusted with anything important. He even told my parents I should "never be left alone with a baby."
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  • 05
    Now that his wife is going back to work, he asked if I could watch their daughter twice a week
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  • 06
    because daycare is expensive. I laughed and said, "Wait, I thought I was too irresponsible to
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  • 07
    babysit?" He got annoyed and told me I was being petty.
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  • 08
    My parents are on his side, saying "family helps family," but I can't get past how little he respected me before he needed help. AITA for refusing to babysit?
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  • 09
    Interesting_You_2315 NTA. You are much too irresponsible to babysit.
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  • 10
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    via didesign021 from Getty Images

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  • 11
    Defrocked Wizard1 yep, they need someone older and wiser like grandparents because they are family who help family
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  • 12
    jonwar5 The OP's parents..are by their own admission..not. Let them do it.
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  • 13
    Spacer_Spiff NTA. You are not being petty. You are agreeing that you are too irresponsible to watch an infant.
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  • 14
    Ironically, that is being responsible. And if family helps family, grandma and grandpa can step up to babysit.
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  • 15
    languagelover17 Babysit for free when he belittled you? Nope. Your parents can do it if family helps family! NTA
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  • 16
    pegasussoaringhigh Hypocrisy knows no bounds. Parents can babysit then. You have your own life to live.
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  • 17
    Consistent_Spring853 NTA. He just wants a free or cheap babysitter. Don't give in.
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  • 18
    017- 02 -- BOL ONE DOLLA BARONE DOLLAR BARONE R U RONE DOLLA
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  • 19
    3kids_nomoney Nta - family does save family but in this case he's officially on his own unless your parents step up, if not they should be quiet.
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  • 20
    I agree with you. And who knows what he would say if you did watch the child. Save yourself the antics.
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  • 21
    Typical_Tomorrow_290 No your NTA, you should tell them exactly what they said to you "I can't be left alone with the baby."
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  • 22
    They need to understand they can't make jokes like that (which doesn't seem like a joke) and then expect you to drop everything without notice to watch THEIR baby.
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  • 23
    MitchtheCunn "Based on your opinion of me I am not a responsible person, so leaving your child with me is not a good idea."
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  • 24
    NTA, if you have it in text or writing send it to him.
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Tags

childcare relationship advice family drama married with children brother siblings relationships parenting babysitting love family sister parents entitled people
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