Having kids is wonderful but also expensive. Going back to work after having kids involves paying a babysitter or daycare, and then there are expenses for baby food, diapers, etc.

In today’s story, one woman wants to return to work after giving birth to twins, but she can’t afford a babysitter. She expects her family to babysit for free and to help with the bills.

The problem is that her younger sister doesn’t really have the time or money to help, yet the new mom assumed her sister would be babysitting for her a lot.

Let’s see how the story plays out…

AITA for refusing to babysit for my sister?

My (f19) sister (32) “mary” and her husband (28) “John” have twins, a boy and a girl (both 10 months old).

My parents were ecstatic when they found out she was pregnant as the twins were their first grand children and my sister had been struggling with getting pregnant for a while.

I was happy for my sister and John but I couldn’t help wondering how they were gonna handle this financially. They’re in quite a bit of debt and both work long hours.

My question was answered a few weeks ago when we had a big family dinner ( me, parents, mary, John, brother mike (21), brother josh (25) and his wife Sophie (27) ) My sister announced she would be returning to work in two weeks so they were gonna need everyone to chip in and babysit and to help out financially.

Her sister expects everyone to babysit.

I’m not gonna lie, I was shocked when I heard this because it sounded a bit ridiculous that they expected everyone to babysit their kids for free and to give them money for their debts.

Mary went around the table asking everyone when they could watch the twins so she could draw up a roster and how much money they could spare.

Everyone was contributing and Sophie was even talking about trying to move her work shifts around so that she could babysit.

I’m a full time college student and I have a part time job at a bakery so I really have no time or cash to spare. I’m also not great with kids, especially babies, I literally have absolutely no idea how to take care of them.

OP refused to babysit, and everyone was mad at her.

When Mary got around to me she said she thought I could do the most hours since I was only in college and didn’t have any serious commitments.

Her whole attitude kind of annoyed me, and I told I wasn’t going to be babysitting her kids or going to chip in money wise and that it was her decision to have kids so it’s her responsibility.

The room went silent and my sister started crying and everyone started giving out to me for being selfish and my mom said that in our family we take care of each other.

I left the dinner because everyone was so mad at me and demanding I apologize.

OP is willing to apologize.

I agree that maybe I was a little blunt with her and maybe I should’ve offered to babysit once or twice, but I don’t think I’m completely in the wrong.

My family is still mad at me, and my parents are demanding I not only apologize to Mary and John but write them a check to help them out (I have like $70 in my bank account so that’s not gonna happen).

I want to apologize for being rude but I know they’re still gonna expect help. AITA?

I think she could’ve phrased it differently, such as explaining that she is going to school and working which means she hardly has any time or money left over; however, I don’t think her sister should automatically expect everyone to babysit for free and give them money.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story…

This reader called OP’s sister and her husband “leeches.”

OP’s family should be helping her.

She should try telling her sister why she can’t babysit.

OP shouldn’t have to help her sister unless she wants to.

OP’s sister is the one who should apologize.

Her sister clearly expected too much.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a guy who was forced to sleep on the couch at his wife’s family’s house, so he went to a hotel instead.