Mom expects her sister to pick her kids up from school without asking her if she's free to do it: 'My nephew called me asking where I was. I had no idea I was supposed to be picking them up.'

Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor

Aug 29, 2026 7:45 AM EDT

Is she supposed to know through osmosis that she's supposed to pick up her niblings?

Nobody likes to sit in the school pickup line. I remember my mom had to show up to school like an hour early to get a good spot in the school pickup line. If I were to do it all over again, I might've just taken the bus or walked from school so I wouldn't have to put my poor mother through the slog of sitting in her car and waiting for me to get out.

Some people are willing to go through the school pickup ordeal for their children's comfort, or because they don't have any other options. The mom in this story is more than happy to let her sister pick up her kids from school, and she doesn't even think she needs to ask if her sister is free to do so. She just expects it at this point.

Jolly cute boy and girl are sitting in safe car seats and using digital tablet — *Niece and nephew in the backseat of their aunt's car after school.*
*_{Featured likenesses do not identify those mentioned.}*

Am I the bad guy for refusing to keep picking up my sister’s kids when she doesn’t ask me first?

My sister has two kids, and every now and then she'll ask me to pick them up from school if she gets stuck at work. I've never really minded helping out when I'm free Lately though, she's started telling the kids that I'm picking them up without

Why would this mom rely on her kids to communicate to her sister that she needs to pick them up from school? She should've asked her first thing in the morning!

actually checking with me first The first time it happened, my nephew called me asking where I was. I had no idea I was supposed to be picking them up. A few minutes later, my sister called and said she just assumed I could do it because I

It happened again the next week because she let it happen the first week.

normally help, I didn't want the kids to be stuck there, so I moved some things around and went to get them Then it happened again the next week. This time I already had plans and couldn't just drop everything. I told her

If she wants her to pick them up every week on certain days, then the aunt can plan her schedule around school pickup. The mom wants her to be able to pick them up regularly without having a regular schedule.

I wasn't able to pick them up, and she got annoyed with me. She said I should've told her sooner I reminded her that she never actually asked me I told her I'm happy to help when I can, but she can't make plans based on my availability without

What's so wrong with taking the school bus home? Aren't families like these the people that the school bus was made for?

checking first. She said I was making things way more complicated than they needed to be and that family should be able to help each other without having to ask every single time my mom agrees with her and thinks I'm making too

The fact that the mom tells her kids before she tells her sister shows just how entitled she is.

much out of a simple favor I don't see it that way, If she asks and I'm available, I'll probably say yes. I just don't want to find out I'm responsible for picking up her kids because she already told them I was coming Now my sister says I'm making

things harder for her, but I feel like I'm only asking for a little consideration. AITA?

I bet the grandma has some great excuse for why she can't help with picking up the kids.

Impressive-End241 Tell mom thanks for volunteering to pick up the kids everyday.

I wonder how much she will like it

kaivoren3 Honestly, this is the only logical solution. If the mom thinks it's "not a big deal" and family should just step up automatically, she can be the one on permanent carpool duty.

This is basic common sense when it comes to asking anyone to do a favor.

alicat777777 No, she has to ask to see if you're available.

notastraycat It's not reasonable to assume you're her free nanny.

She thinks that her job is more important than whatever is going on in her sister's life

uwupingu NTA. Why can't she pick up her own kids? So your schedule and plans aren't important but hers are? And that time your nephew had to call you because she didn't even bother to tell you that you're picking up the kids - are you supposed to be psychic?

Boogity2024 NTA but both your mom and your sister sure are. They think you're psychic or something??? Stay strong and firm in your boundaries. Your sister is the one complicating things.

kindofanasshole17 So basically your sister is saying your calendar needs to be free every day at school pickup time, so you are always free to go whenever her uncommunicated whim suits her. No. NTA

That sounds like a reasonable boundary to set with her.

Usualusername190845 1d ago NTA. What on earth is wrong with her? Her poor child had to contact you to see what was going on because of her terrible communication skills. Tell her from now on if it's not agreed on in advance or it's not an emergency, it's not happening. I agree it's lovely for family to help family, but it's the parent's job to make sure they're being picked up on time, and that means checking with people in advance.

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