Pexels/Reddit

Nobody expects a job offer to land the week before Christmas, but when you’ve been searching for three to four months with no luck, you take the call no matter what.

One woman had been unemployed long enough that agreeing to babysit over the holidays in July seemed like a totally safe promise. She had the time, she had nothing else on, and her sister needed someone she trusted.

Then December arrived with a job offer and a Monday start date, and the holiday babysitting plan immediately became a problem she hadn’t anticipated.

So when she backed out of the babysitting gig, her sister treated her like the villain for taking a job she really needed.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA For Not Being Able To Babysit

So back in July I watched my sister’s daughter for her while her cousin who normally babysits went out of town to Rhode Island.

Well I was asked back in July if I could babysit again around Christmas and New Years. I agreed at the time because I had nothing else to do.

But life went on, and other priorities called.

But yesterday I received a call for a job interview today and was offered to start Monday.

I have been job searching for 3-4 months trying to find something and this job fell in my lap.

So when she let her family know plans changed, they didn’t take it well.

My sister asked if my fiancé could come up and watch her without me, and my fiancé doesn’t feel comfortable doing so without me. I can understand his point because it could turn into a he said/she said situation.

Now I’m being called an AH for backing out and making her cousin have to cancel her trip because I got a job and really need the money for paying my bills.

AITA?

Sounds like her family are only out for themselves and their needs.

What did Reddit have to say?

Her family needs to be a bit more understanding about how real life works.

Plans changing is a very normal part of life.

And besides, her sister has plenty of time to find someone else.

Never Miss a Story

Sign up to get our BEST stories of the week straight to your inbox.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a girl who thinks her family is doing too much in criticizing the tidiness in her small space.

Her sister is acting just plain entitled.

Her sister’s frustration is real, and the timing is terrible, but her frustration doesn’t excuse her selfish behavior.

The ask was always built on an unstable foundation, because “I have nothing going on right now” is a condition that can change, and in this case it did.

She didn’t back out because she found something better to do or because she changed her mind about helping. She backed out because after months of financial distress, she needed to put everything she had into accepting a job offer.

Finding a replacement babysitter is a problem her sister is just going to have to handle on her own. After all, they are her kids.

Add TwistedSifter to your Google News Add us as a preferred source on Google

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.