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When you flex your free time too much, it has a funny way of getting eaten up by everyone else until there’s none left. This student found that out the hard way.

She spent an entire summer babysitting her cousin’s two kids after work, unpaid and unasked, simply because her class schedule left her available. The kids, spoiled and unmanageable, turned every afternoon into a headache-inducing battle.

By the time she finally said she was done, the family wasn’t sympathetic. They were annoyed.

Now there’s already talk of her becoming the default after-school pickup once classes start, because being available apparently means being obligated.

You’ll want to keep reading for this one.

AITA for not wanting to babysit my cousin’s kids?

My cousin just divorced and moved to our state. My parents invited her to live with us until she’s stable and saves enough for a house or apartment.

My classes won’t start until late August, so I basically watch her two kids (a 4 year old and a 10 year old) after work (I get off around noon) until she gets home.

This is far from an easy gig.

I’ve been watching her kids since June, and it’s really wearing me out.

Both her 4 year old and 10 year old are really spoiled by their dad’s family; they scream, yell, fight, and won’t listen to me.

So she let her cousin know she couldn’t continue.

At this point, I’m really tired. I told her I don’t want to watch the kids anymore, and they can do whatever they want in the house.

I also told her I’m not responsible for feeding them, watching them, bathing them, or anything like that.

Now her family is turning on her.

Both my parents and my cousin got a bit mad, and we argued, so I agreed to watch them until my semester starts.

They wanted to pile even more responsibility onto her.

They even talked about me picking her 4 year old up after school every day, since everyone in the family will be at work, and I’m the only responsible adult who has time.

I will have classes all weekdays but get off pretty early (around 2pm) and would make it to his school on time to pick him up.

But I don’t want to do it at all.

AITA for not wanting to do any of this?

Enough is enough.

What did Reddit have to say?

Just because she technically can, doesn’t mean she should.

This user encourages her to stay a little more busy.

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It’s time for her cousin to find someone else to watch the kids.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a single person who is dumbfounded when her friends insist couples count as one person when splitting a check.

She’s sacrificed enough of her summer already.

Having free time isn’t the same as volunteering it. Somewhere along the way, this family decided that distinction didn’t matter to them.

Watching two kids who scream, fight, and ignore every instruction isn’t a small ask, even once, let alone every single day for months.

Being available doesn’t mean being obligated. Family or not, that’s a boundary worth holding onto.

Make no mistake, his favor crossed the line into exploitation.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.