Cousin’s Widow And 4 Kids Are Living Rent Free In Their House While She Grieves, But They Insist She Gets Help Or Leave
by Matthew Gilligan
There’s only so much you can do to help someone…
And at some point, it’s up to them to address the problems they have.
Which brings us to today’s story!
Is the woman who wrote this story acting like an *******?
Read on and see what you think…
AITA for telling my cousin’s widow I will no longer be supporting her emotionally or physically?
“I (32f) am from a small, tight knit family.
There is my family of 4, my parents, my grandmother, my aunt and uncle, their two kids and families.
We all live in the same area and will do whatever we can to help each other.
The family suffered a tragedy.
My cousin, Derek (28m) tragically passed away a year and a half ago after an accident with an intoxicated driver. He left behind his wife, Monica (27f) and 4 kids, all under the age of 8.
It was devastating and Monica completely shut down. We all understood and started caring for her and the kids.
This included me no longer charging her rent (they lived in a house I own, next door to me), helping prepare meals, taking care of the kids, helping with appointments, school work, shopping, etc.
I can’t tell you how many times I was her shoulder to cry on. She let me put the kids in therapy but refused to go herself.
Things have gotten worse.
On to the now and the issue.
As I said, it’s been a year and a half… and she is still completely shut down. She doesn’t work, she doesn’t cook or clean, and I have been raising the kids along with my 2.
This isn’t sustainable.
The kids miss her. They lost their mom the day they lost their dad.
I sat her down the other night and was trying to be empathetic towards her but nothing was getting thru.
She just kept crying and saying she couldn’t do it without Derek.
She is trying to reach her…
I told her she doesn’t have a choice. She has 4 kids who need their mother.
She still wasn’t listening but I had enough. I told her she has a week to get an appointment with a therapist before I stop supporting her and went for custody of the kids.
She ran out crying.
The rest of our family thinks I’m being cruel because she loved my cousin deeply but I think this is what she needs.
She can’t live like this and can’t keep putting her kids thru this!”
Check out what people said about this on Reddit.
One person said she’s NTA.
Another individual shared their thoughts…
This individual talked about grief.
Another person says she needs to help herself.
And one person said she’s NTA and it’s obvious what’s going on here.
Sounds like they were totally over it.
It might be seem heartless, but eventually she’s going to have to get her life together.
If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.
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