Siblings can be tricky to deal with, especially when you hit a point in life where you’re used to seeing less of them.
This guy’s brother wanted to move in with him but he wasn’t sure he wanted to share his personal space with a whole family.
Find out how things got messy between the siblings.
AITA for refusing to let my younger brother and his family move in with me?
I’m a 35M, and I live alone in a house I bought about four years ago.
I’ve always been the type to enjoy my personal space and, to be honest, I like having my home to myself.
It’s peaceful, and after years of roommates and shared living situations, I finally have a place where everything is mine, and I’m really comfortable.
They wanted to move in with this guy.
Recently, my younger brother (29M) hit some financial trouble. He lost his job a few months ago and has been struggling to make ends meet.
He has a wife (27F) and two young kids (4M, 2F).
They’ve been staying with her parents temporarily, but that situation isn’t ideal because her parents live in a small apartment.
They weren’t planning to stay for long…
He reached out to me a few weeks ago, asking if they could move into my place “just for a few months” until he gets back on his feet.
Here’s where things get complicated: I don’t want them to move in.
I know that sounds harsh, but the idea of having a family with two young kids in my house just sounds exhausting.
My house isn’t huge, and I’m really used to my routine.
He wasn’t sure about the kids…
Plus, I work from home, so I can’t imagine having the chaos of toddlers running around all day.
I told him I was sorry but that I wasn’t comfortable having them all stay with me, and I offered to help him out with some money to get them a temporary place to rent.
He didn’t take it well. He called me selfish and said that family is supposed to help each other in times of need.
The brother knew this guy had space at his place.
He also pointed out that I have a whole house to myself and that it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to let them stay.
My parents are now also on my case, saying that I should step up and let them live with me for a while, especially because I’m in a better financial position.
I feel bad because I know they’re struggling, and I do want to help in some way, but I really value my space and my peace.
He’s wondering if he’s being mean.
At the same time, I’m wondering if I’m being too cold and unaccommodating.
So, AITA for refusing to let my brother and his family move in with me, even though they’re going through a rough time?
You can really sympathize with both sides here.
Let’s find out what the Reddit community has to say.
This user knows this guy isn’t wrong for wanting his own space!
This user thinks the brother has been unplanned with his life and that’s not this guy’s fault.
This user has been supporting this guy from the beginning.
This guy thinks the parents need to step up.
This guy has similar views on parents pitching in to fix the problem at hand.
You’re not obligated to help people just because they’re family.
This brother was being more than generous.
If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.