An aunt says her 8-year-old niece lost her father two years ago and now has a baby half-sister from her mom’s new marriage.

The girl insists on calling the baby her “half sister” and correcting anyone who says otherwise, despite family efforts to change her mind.

When asked to intervene and push the child to accept the baby as a full sister, the aunt declined—causing family drama.

AITA for not getting involved in the attempts to get my 8 year old niece to love her half sister and see her as just a sister?

My sister gave birth to her second daughter Callie 7 months ago. She already has a daughter Amy (8) with her late ex-husband.

My sister and Amy’s dad were divorced. Two years ago he passed away.

My sister was already dating her current husband. Amy was very much a daddy’s girl and has not bonded super well with my sister’s current husband. She also hasn’t bonded much with Callie.

So sad.

She’s not mean to Callie or anyone but it bothers almost everyone that she calls Callie her half sister and will correct to half sister when people ask her if Callie is her sister.

My sister has tried to talk Amy out of thinking like that, has asked her why she uses it.

Amy told her they have different dads and that makes her not as much of a sister.

Well…

My sister told her it doesn’t matter if they share one or two parents but Amy said it does to her because Callie’s dad isn’t her dad and her dad isn’t Callie’s dad and she doesn’t want people to think either of those things is true.

My sister asked Amy if she knows anyone who makes the distinction the whole time and cares less for siblings for only sharing a mom or dad and she said yeah and she named two of her friends.

I’m not entirely clear if the friends care less for a half sibling or if they’re cared for less because they themselves are the younger half siblings but my sister told me it has come up in her friend group.

What a pickle.

My sister put Amy into therapy and our parents are involved.

They never liked Amy’s dad and so it’s distressing for them that Amy doesn’t like my sister’s husband because they feel everyone would be better off if she accepted him as her new (and better) dad.

So there’s attempts going on to make her love and accept him too.

Oh boy.

Amy says she doesn’t hate or dislike Callie but she doesn’t love her or see her as a real sister. This was said to her therapist who spoke to my sister a couple of weeks ago.

My sister is trying to wrap her brain around it and she’s backed off at least somewhat on it but she wants them to love each other at least, even if it’s in a different way.

My parents know Amy is close to me and they told me I should be taking charge of the situation and applying pressure to Amy to love and accept Callie as a sister instead of a half sister.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

My sister said I should carry on being the supportive aunt. My parents say I’m failing both Amy and Callie with my inaction.

My sister’s husband agrees with our parents but doesn’t push it because of my sister’s stance.

AITA for not getting involved?

Reddit sided with the aunt—forcing labels won’t create love, and staying a supportive, trusted adult in Amy’s life is far more important than parroting what others want to hear.

This person says pushing is only going to build resentment.

This person advises not to jeopardize the relationship.

And this person says the whole thing is asinine.

You can’t strong-arm an 8-year-old into sibling love—family bonds aren’t built by pressure, but by patience.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.