The five words my sister said to embarrass me at family dinner

"Now, I won't ever babysit for her again."

One would expect that when a person is receiving free childcare or babysitting from family, gratitude would be a priority.

 

But, as a woman has recently discovered the hard way, that's not always the case.

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"You don't have a life"

Sharing her experience on Reddit, the user explains that her 27-year-old sister has three children -  aged six, four and two. Until recently, she’s loved spending time with her nieces and nephews, and doesn’t mind doing it for free. 

However, at a family dinner, her sister made constant barbs towards her that she “doesn’t have a life”. 

“...she kept going, making jokes about how I’m ‘basically a live-in nanny’ and how she’s doing me a favour by giving me ‘something to do’.”

While the author didn’t bite back at the time, those last five words really stung. So when her sister reached out looking for babysitting over the weekend, she lied and said she was busy.

“Now she’s furious, saying I’m being childish and punishing her kids over a joke…I feel like if I don’t set a boundary now, she’ll keep walking all over me.”

Their mum has also joined in, saying that the writer should be the “bigger person” and move on. 

Now she’s wondering - "Am I the bad person? Should I just get over it, for the sake of the kids?"

Image: iStock

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"Don't bite the hand that feeds you"

According to the comments, which are in their thousands, the resounding answer is: absolutely not. 

“The kids are not being punished, she is. Now she'll realise how much she depended on you when she has to pay for a sitter for three kids. As the expression goes, don't bite the hand that feeds you,” one user posted. 

Another, who works in childcare, said she’s witnessed many relationships be ruined by similar situations. 

“It’s better to set boundaries now… not when you’re deep in it and it blows up big time. No one is entitled to your time whether you’re doing something or not. It’s your time and no one else’s!”

A number of comments have also shared that their mother should call the sister out on her behaviour. 

“Your mum is part of the problem. Your mum should’ve stopped her nonsense… Your mum only wants you to be the bigger person so she doesn’t have to take over watching the kids since her and your sister see how easy to manipulate you’ve been.”

The user has since updated the post and said she was close to caving in to her sister’s demands, but after seeing the comments, decided to stick firm with her decision. 

Originally published as The five words my sister said to embarrass me at family dinner