Aunt gets roped into babysitting nephews for 8 hours, despite parents' promise to be gone for only one, she lets the kids do whatever they want while waiting: 'Not really my problem'

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jan 17, 2026 6:00 PM EST

While parents constantly struggle between discipline and having fun with their kids, that is usually not an issue for the aunts and uncles. As an aunt myself, I would choose to be the Fun Aunt almost all of the time, and leave the discipline and education to my nieces' parents; they don't need it from me.

However, there are some occasions when you have to show these kids who is the boss, and ensure they don't cross lines that should never be crossed. So, for example, if I am babysitting my lovely nieces, as much as they would love it if I let them eat candy for dinner, and that would definitely make me the fun aunt, I know I can't do that. I want them to be healthy and happy, so I will act like the responsible adult they deserve.

That being said, if I were roped into babysitting as the aunt in the story below was, I might not have been as responsible as I could be, just like her. When her sister invited the family for dinner, that was all that was supposed to happen that night. Then, the sister and her husband asked the aunt to stay for an extra hour to watch the kids while they could run some errands. The aunt agreed, but made it clear that she can't stay longer than an hour.

An hour passes, and the parents are nowhere to be found; they don't even answer their phones. It becomes clear to the aunt that she will have to stay there for longer than an hour, but as far as she was concerned, she had no responsibility to do more than the bare minimum as the babysitter. All she cared about was that the kids stay alive. She didn't make dinner, didn't enforce bedtime, and didn't blink an eye when her young nephew started drawing on the walls of the living room. She was just there to watch the kids.

When the parents finally returned at 1 AM, they were surprised to see all their kids still awake, watching TV, playing games, and drawing on the walls. As soon as they arrived, the sister left without a word, and since then, the family has been split up.

Was the aunt's action justified, or did she take it too far?

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  • AITAH for only doing the bafe minimum when I got roped into babysitting.

    My sister 38, invited me over for a family meal. Our parents were there too. After dinner my mom and I helped clean up while my dad and brother- in-law watched my nieces and nephew.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Three kids watching TV and cheering
    via Imgorthand

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Afterwards my parents left. Then my sister and brother-in-law asked me if I could watch the kids for an hour while they went for a quick errand.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • agreed. They got very dressed up for errands but I didn't ask. They've done this before.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • I didn't usually have anything going on so I don't really mind. Today I was clear that I had plans and one hour was my limit.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • My sister agreed to one hour. After an hour I called and she didn't answer. Half an hour later I texted my friends and said I couldn't make it.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Then I proceeded to keep the kids alive. I felt I owed her that as family.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Did I put them to sleep? Nope. Did I make them a snack rather than let them use the stove?
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Yes. Did I keep the little one from drawing on the walls while his older brother played fortnite and the middle kid watched Stranger Things with me.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Nope. I kept them alive. My sister got home a little after one AM. Nephew was still playing Fortnite.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Middle kid and I were still binging Stranger Things. Little was passed out on their bed.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • I got up and left. I've been hearing about it for a few days now about how irresponsible I am.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • That 12 is too young for such a scary show. That my nephew has limited screen time.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • That they still haven't got the drawings off the walls. My parents are getting involved as well.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • I really don't care. I was told one hour. I agreed to one hour. I feel that I did a great job for one hour.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Not really my problem after that. So four people think I'm being an asshole. Three kids had a great night.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • And I think they won't try it again.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • a woman and two boys playing with toys on the floor
    via Andrej Lišakov

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Ok-Eye1638 NTA. Your sister knew what she was doing, she just doesn't like the consequences of her actions.
    via Ok-Eye1638
  • Impossible-Carob 1746 Original Poster's Reply She's done it before. I knew exactly what she was doing.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • sashmii At one point when I was a kid I saw my little brother take a steak knife to the armchair my parents had reupholstered in Naugahyde. When I yelled at him to stop. My mom hollered from the kitchen to "quit yelling at your brother ". She wouldn't listen to me about what he was doing. So I quit yelling at him and he made several cuts the chair arm. She was beside herself when she saw the damage. My attitude was "you told me to shut up and I did". Best malicious compliance I ever did.
    via sashmii
  • Impossible-Carob 1746 Original Poster's Reply That is excellent
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Minute-Frame-8060 1 am is incredibly rude and irresponsible. NTA, it doesn't sound like money was involved so you went above and beyond in that not only were the kids alive, but present and accounted for! I hope all three were super tired and grumpy for their parents for days while also going on and on about how much fun they had with you!
    via Minute-Frame-8060
  • Impossible-Carob 1746 Original Poster's Reply My niece is still watching stranger things. That's the biggest thing right now. The drawings are second.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • MamaLlama629 My question is this...were you more responsible for that one hour? (ie not letting them color on walls etc) Also, for curiosity sake...how old are you? And are parents telling her off or taking her side?
    via MamaLlama629
  • Impossible-Carob 1746 Original Poster's Reply Absolutely. If they had been home even a half hour late they would have caught me coloring with the little while watching something appropriate with the middle kid. Oldest would be playing fortnite
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Curious_Matter_3358 Load them up in the car, figure out where the parents are, and dump the kids in the parents' laps. Bar? Restaurant? Here's your kids, byeee
    via Curious_Matter_3358
  • Impossible-Carob 1746 Original Poster's Reply I was going to take them with me to go out. But I was just as happy doing this and it cost less.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Level_Concept235 What time did the parents leave the house for their date errand?
    via Level_Concept235
  • Impossible-Carob 1746 Original Poster's Reply Around five.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • Traditional_Buy_8420 "She's done it before" And not paid the 20$/hr after the agreed time to the present day I assume? Tell them to frame the drawing on the wall.
    via Traditional_Buy_8420
  • Impossible-Carob 1746 Original Poster's Reply She was never going to pay me.
    via Impossible-Carob1746
  • retiredcatchair NTA, but possibly someone who'll go far in life.
    via retiredcatchair
  • lefthandedbeast II you said one hr you lied came home late so from now on pay for a sitter I will never baby sit again." Tell your parents if they have a problem with this from now on they can babysit and see how they like it when they're lied to.
    via lefthandedbeast

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family drama kids mother siblings parenting babysitting aunt family sister women parents children Father
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