People make all kinds of parenting choices, and unless a kiddo is in danger, I think the best course of action is just to mind your own business and take care of your own family.

Some people, though, they just can’t help themselves.

OP had a child the same year as her much-older sister, and was always made to feel like because she’s young, she doesn’t know what she’s doing.

My sister and I had our sons around the same time. My nephew turned 7 in October and my son turns 7 next month. I was 20 when I had my son and this was a big deal with my sister.

She’s 10 years older than I am and really had no expectations when it came to me as a mom. She predicted I would end up single and my son’s dad would bail and that I would give up within the first year.

Instead we are married and we had two little girls after our son.

We are very different parents. My sister is very strict and regimented as a mom and has a lot of rules and “swift, harsh punishments” for bad behavior or any subpar behavior.

My husband and I would probably fall more into a gentle parenting kind of deal.

We teach our kids how to act in public but we do so in a very different way to my sister and her husband.

The opposite has shown to be true.

My nephew can be very challenging and he’s an angry little boy. I suspect it’s because his parents are often angry and he is picking up on that and building resentment which has made his behavior worse.

Our parents have brought this up to my sister in the past and she has told them it’s not true and claimed my son behaves far worse despite them saying it’s not even close to the truth.

Recently, a neighbor confronted OP’s sister about her son’s bad behavior.

Our parents had both boys on Saturday and my sister and I arrived at the same time to pick them up.

Our parents elderly neighbor approached my sister and told her that she should have a word with her son because of how rude and disrespectful he is to others.

My sister told the neighbor that she had the wrong sister and my son was the kid who gets into trouble. The neighbor said she knows the boys apart and knows who the mom to each is.

She told my sister that my son was very sweet and showed no disrespect the way her son did.

My sister was furious.

The neighbor told her that thanking someone (my son) for picking something up for her does not warrant being yelled at and cursed at by a small child.

Apparently my nephew got an attitude and told her nobody has to help her because she’s old and can’t do anything for herself.

My sister went off on the neighbor and said her son is so much better behaved and accused her of spreading lies.

Her sister tried to attack OP, but she threw it back in her face.

The neighbor walked away mid tirade and then my sister started to turn on me and instead of letting her I said she needs to stop being so bitter and examine her parenting instead of going off on people who complain about her son’s behavior.

I told her I would not let her take it out on me that she was wrong about me as a mom and that I feel like a lot of her anger comes down to that. That she hates that I don’t get the same comments.

She tried to yell at me but I just got my son off our parents and left.

OP is wondering if she went too far.

My parents asked me what happened and I told them. They said I did nothing wrong but my sister and her husband are both now coming for me for what I said and they told me it wasn’t my place to say all that disrespectful stuff. AITA?

ETA: My parents are supportive and it was my sister and her husband who told me it wasn’t my place. I realize now I did not make that super clear in the end!

Reddit is going to let her know!

The top comment thinks OP has the right read.

This person agrees that OP’s sister needs some serious self-reflection.

They agree the whole thing is both frustrating and sad.

And no, gentle parenting is not the easy way out.

This commenter thinks the sister just wants someone else to blame so badly.

This is a frustrating situation, especially when it’s family.

Because deep down, you truly want the best for your sister and nephew, too.

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.