When it comes to family, most people treat those they’re related to with care and respect.

But others use that title to take advantage, mistaking family for obligation.

And unfortunately for the woman in this story, she has married into one of the latter families.

Nevertheless, she tries to do her sister-in-law a favor and be civil, hoping to gradually work her way into her in-laws’ good graces.

Even though she knew it was bad, she never expected the treatment she received at a recent family dinner.

Read on to find out what happened.

AITA for refusing to babysit my sister-in-law’s kids after I saw text messages between her and my mother-in-law saying horrible things about me?

I am a 26-year-old woman, and am married to my husband, who is 28.

I don’t have the best relationship with his family, but I have always been civil. I’ve never had a problem with my sister in law (30) but there was always some tension between us.

She asked me two months ago to babysit her children, since she likes going out with her girlfriends on weekends but never got the time because of the kids – and plus, I don’t work weekends.

My husband thought this would be a great way to bond with her kids (a four-year-old girl and a seven-year-old boy), and smooth the tension between me and my sister-in-law.

Let’s see how this arrangement worked out.

I thought a few weekends here and there wouldn’t hurt, but she was also refusing to pay since I’m ‘family’.

I didn’t want to without payment, but I did want make my husband happy and keep the peace because I knew she was going to cause drama in his family if I didn’t, so I said yes.

It wasn’t so bad and the kids are nice and respectful – plus she payed for food.

Then, things suddenly changed.

Fast forward to this weekend, and my sister-in-law was next to me at a family dinner.

I saw a notification on her phone for a conversation between her and my mother-in-law, in which they were talking badly about me, saying stuff like that I’m annoying.

I was shocked because I had been babysitting her kids for free and been very nice to her.

I confronted both of them with my husband, who said it wasn’t a big deal and to drop it, but I was enraged.

Read on to see how the two women reacted.

They both said I had no right to snoop and crossed a line, but eventually they gave a halfhearted apology – but I was still mad at them, and at my husband for not sticking up for me.

My sister-in-law asked me if I could babysit on Sunday, to which I said no and told her I was shocked at the audacity for her even asking.

Now her, my husband, and his family are mad and saying I’m overreacting and blowing things out of proportion.

I think I’m in the right, but my husband isn’t speaking to me and is sleeping in the guest room.

AITA?

This woman has been completely disrespected by her in-laws, it’s no wonder she’s upset.

But the issue here isn’t just the sister-in-law who thinks she can say mean things behind her back but still expects her to take care of her kids.

The real problem is that she has a husband who would rather side with his mom and sister than with his wife.

Let’s see what Reddit had to say about this.

This person agreed that a big part of the problem was her husband.

While others pointed out how toxic the whole family seems.

And this Redditor offered some firm advice.

They can’t have it both ways.

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.