Doing the right thing can get complicated when someone else goes against you.

So, what would you do if your babysitter had a medical emergency while caring for your kids, and you chose to give her extra money because it was your ex’s fault, but the money was for your son’s flag football shoes?

Would you find a way to cover it on your own? Or would you ask your ex to step in for once?

In the following story, one single mother finds herself in this situation and chooses the latter, but the ex isn’t having it. Here’s what happened.

AITA for giving the babysitter a bonus when my kid needs football shoes

I’m a single mom to 3 kids, Jonah (9), Elise (5), and Mila (3). I have a babysitter, Cameron, who picks the kids up every day and stays with them until I get home. She typically works 12-15 hours a week.

Cameron has a severe tree nut allergy. We have an EpiPen in the house for her, and the only tree nuts in the house are Nutella, which is strictly a weekend snack.

The kids went to their dad’s house last weekend, and I guess he packed some sort of trail mix in their lunch. When Cameron was emptying out their lunchboxes, she had a reaction.

When no one answered, Cameron went straight to the ER.

She called me, but I couldn’t have my phone with me at work, so she called my neighbor and my boyfriend (our emergency contacts).

Nobody answered, so she packed a bag with tablets, toys, and snacks, loaded the kids into her car, and took them to the ER.

Cameron is totally fine. The kids were a little freaked out by the hospital, but when I eventually got there, they were all fed and entertained.

Her son is starting flag football.

I had her take the week off, paid, and sent her a $250 bonus for having to deal with that. I also told her to let me know how much the replacement EpiPen and the hospital bill end up costing, and that I’ll cover it.

The problem is that I had set aside that $250 for Jonah.

He started flag football, and that was supposed to cover his uniform, shoes, and any other expenses. I texted my ex and asked him to get Jonah his flag football uniform and shoes, but he refused since that’s what he pays child support for.

Her ex does not agree with her.

I told him that I don’t have the money for it anymore since Cameron had a medical emergency while on the clock due to him packing trail mix in their lunches after I told him she was allergic.

He’s upset that I’m sending his child support money to the babysitter when I knew my son needed shoes, and is threatening to take me to court for misusing child support.

I told him he’s welcome to do that, but in the meantime, either he gets the shoes and uniform, or Jonah doesn’t play flag football. Now he’s out calling me a bad mother to anyone who will listen because I want him to pay for his kids’ activities for once.

AITA?

Wow! That ex sounds like something else.

Let’s check out what the folks over at Reddit think about what she did.

This person thinks it was the dad’s fault anyway.

According to this person, she should suggest that he take her to court.

This person gets it!

The kids do need a babysitter.

Her ex is totally wrong for this.

He should be covering the cost of the babysitter’s illness since it was his fault.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.