It’s totally normal for people to feel frustrated with the way life has turned out sometimes. It can be hard to watch people who don’t work as hard as we do, for example, come out smelling like roses.
That said, if those people are doing you a serious solid on a regular basis, you might want to think twice about letting those inside thoughts get out.
OP lucked into money that allows him to work only when he really feels like it.
Introduction: I (27m) did some accidental good financial decisions years ago that today put me on position where I can do mostly what I love – mess with all kinds of electronics, play video games a lot etc, I am a huge nerd.
I own a small electronics/computer shop where I fix customers devices etc, also sell general computers stuff and other small electronics, I live in the same building.
I don’t spend all my time in the shop, I have 2 workers who work in shifts and I work when I feel like it or when they ask help, I also replace them when they need a vacation or sick days.
Because of this, he’s also free to babysit his niblings free of charge.
I have a sister, Jane (34f) and she has 3 kids, Mary (14f), Julia (6f) and Jack (4m) and as I am only one with basically “unlimited free time to watch the younger kids”, (Mary don’t need to be watched anymore, but she often hangs out in my shop either way).
I do it every time the kids are sick or my sister is at business trip for her work, and after the COVID, kids are sent home for every tiny cough and sneeze…
At least, he did before his sister called him out in public.
What happened?
My grandmother had her 80 years birthday and everyone was invited, relatives I don’t remember ever seeing before, my sister and I were sitting close to each other and suddenly one old lady (who was maybe my grandmother’s cousin or something) started to ask everyone what they do.
I told that I run the small business and my sister out of nowhere: “Yeah, by running a business he means being very lazy and sleeping until noon, sometimes chills out in the store and plays video games or watches movies all day while some of us had to work hard for their success!”
What is all technically true, while she studied her whole life, I went to trade school and got lucky with few business decisions.
I felt kind of hurt that she forget, that for her to get all that education, others had to watch the kids, so I told “Oh, don’t forget that I am also full time free babysitter, but I decided to quit and focus on being lazy!”
Now he doesn’t babysit anymore because she is ungrateful.
She did not say anything more, did not take me seriously either as week later I get phone call in the morning that the Jack threw up at night few times, she would bring him to my place.
I said “don’t you forget that I quit as I am way too lazy to watch the kids” and ended the call, went back to bed.
When I woke up later there was multiple messages from my sister telling me that I am a selfish a—— and I act like I am the centre of the world, I replied politely “sorry you feel that way”.
Later my mother called and told me, that I put my sister in really tough position as she (mom) can’t take days off from hospital in such short notice either and Jane has nobody to watch the kids!
Am I the a—— for not watching them? I am not hurt because of the “truth”, I know I am lazy, it hurt that she acts like watching her kids has been nothing.
(Names are changed, I still have good relationship with my small relatives, I just don’t babysit anymore, I don’t even avoid my sister. Burner account for privacy.)
Is he being petty? I’d love to hear Reddit’s take!
The top comment says the sister and her lack of respect are to blame, not OP.
This person agrees the sister has no one to blame but herself.
People don’t do favors for folks who insult them.
He is under no obligation to give her free childcare.
A little bit of gratitude goes a long way.
I feel sad for his niblings.
But his sister is absolutely meeting the consequences of her actions.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.