Sometimes, the only way to help someone is to make them help themselves.

So, what would you do if you opened your home to a struggling sibling, but rather than helping themselves, they couldn’t seem to get back on their feet? Would you continue helping them, even if you couldn’t afford it? Or would you draw the line and let them know you have to put your family first?

In the following story, one brother finds himself in this situation and tries to teach his brother a lesson. Here’s what happened.

AITA For kicking out my brother due to financial reasons

Two years ago, my (30M) brother, 21 at the time, wasn’t getting along with our dad because our dad made promises to help him run the drywall business and didn’t keep them, so when things got heated, I offered to let him live with us and find a new job.

He accepted, and when he arrived, he didn’t hesitate to start looking for work.

I was willing to let him live there till he got a job and saved to start renting an apartment. He got a job as a janitor at a casino and made good money. He even chipped in to help us out around the house, mostly with groceries.

They began having financial problems.

Later, my brother struggled to get to work on time, or even at all, because he had to rely on Uber and Lyft. At the time, the prices were increasing to a monstrous amount. For example, rides that used to cost $30 to $40 increased to $100 to $150.

He couldn’t afford to keep doing that, but still needed to work. Eventually, he lost his job and started to get depressed. He tried to look for other jobs, but he had trouble because he had been fired. He eventually just stopped looking. He sat at home to play video games to fight off depression.

Now my wife and I both worked, and we had trouble supporting him and our daughter. I was getting irritated at this point, but I wanted to help him.

His brother left for Maryland.

One day, he found a school in Maryland that would teach him heavy equipment operation, and he said he would find a job there after he finished school.

A month passes, and he changes his mind and tells me he’s coming back to figure things out.

Note, it’s been a year and a half since he moved. I then had an epiphany, during the time he was gone in Maryland and going to school, my family and I weren’t struggling anymore. We were actually able to pay bills or buy groceries. I then made a decision that I hated.

By this point, he needed to confront him.

When I picked him up from the airport I decided to stop by a rest stop so he went to the bathroom and I sat a bench and waited for him to come out.

When he did, I asked him to sit. And I broke it down. I told him that we couldn’t afford to keep him there anymore and that his living in our home was hurting us, and that his absence made me realize this.

I told him that I hated doing this when he just got back, but felt that I needed to say this face-to-face. I couldn’t bet on him figuring things out for who knows how long.

He left after a few days.

So I gave him a month to figure out the affairs and leave. He was mad the whole ride to the house and didn’t speak.

When we arrived, he called our dad to rant about it. Our dad then called me to ask about my end. I explained, and he understood.

I gave him a month he left in 3 days.

AITA?

Wow! He sure left really fast!

Let’s check out if the people over at Reddit think he was wrong for doing this.

Here’s what this person thinks could’ve been better.

For this person, that was the right thing to do.

This reader needs more info.

According to this comment, that’s what his dad was trying to do.

His brother needed to hear it because he can’t go through life like that.

If you liked that story, read this one about grandparents who set up a college fund for their grandkid because his parents won’t, but then his parents want to use the money to cover sibling’s medical expenses.