Mother Asks Daughter To Babysit Her Nieces And Nephews And Also Pay For Utilities If She Wants To Stay In Her House

As children transition into adulthood and begin to earn their own income, they often encounter newfound independence and responsibilities. However, this journey towards financial autonomy can sometimes be overshadowed by familial expectations and pressures. In some cases, parents or family members may exploit the child’s earnings, either through excessive demands for financial support or by assigning them burdensome tasks without fair compensation. This dynamic can strain relationships and create conflicts as individuals navigate the delicate balance between familial obligations and personal autonomy.

A similar conflict was encountered by OP who recently embarked on a journey towards independence by securing a job and saving up to move out, with her father contributing towards the purchase of a new cellphone. Initially, the arrangement seemed manageable, with the OP making monthly instalments and assisting with additional expenses. However, things took a turn when her mother and sister began relying on the OP as a designated babysitter, causing her to frequently arrive late to work and eventually lose her job. Despite securing a new, lower-paying job, tensions escalated as her mother demanded a portion of the earnings and forced her to babysit her sister’s kids, which led OP to ultimately choose to move out permanently.

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Source: Reddit

1. OP is contemplating as she is feeling guilty about leaving her controlling family and moving out.

2. The OP got a job so she can be financially independent and eventually move out.

3. After a few paychecks, OP bought a new phone for her with her hard-earned money. Her dad also helped her.

4. After a couple of weeks, OP’s mother asked her to contribute to the utility bills which she readily agreed to.

5. Regrettably, due to the frequent babysitting responsibilities for her sister’s children, the OP found herself arriving late to work every day, ultimately leading to her termination from the job.

6. After some time, the OP managed to secure a new job, but unfortunately, it did not offer the same level of pay as her previous position. Despite this, she continued to allocate the same amount of money to her mother as before.

7. But things were not going smoothly between OP and her mother so they used to fight frequently.

8. Finally OP stood up for herself and told them that she won’t be babysitting any more.

9. This was the final blow and her mother gave her the ultimatum of two choices….to live by her rule or leave the house.

10. OP chose to take the latter option and decided to move out and live with her boyfriend.

11. As the OP prepared to leave the house, her mother attempted to guilt-trip her into staying, but the OP remained resolute in her decision and moved out without wavering.

Now that you have read the story, it’s time for you to see what Redditors had to say about this. Read till the end to see what are other people’s opinions on this. 

12. If you’re an adult, contributing to utilities is reasonable. However, the way it was handled wasn’t ideal.

13. The primary flaw with ultimatums lies in the fact that they offer choices to the individuals whom you seek to control.

14. OP already lost a job because she had to babysit her nieces and nephews…she can not afford to lose the second job due to this too.

15. Taking care of her sister’s kids is not the OP’s job…it is her sister’s.

16. It’s no surprise that OP’s brother also chose to escape the controlling environment of the house and their mother.

17. Were you even getting paid to babysit?

18. It’s important to recognize that it wasn’t OP’s fault for choosing an option that her mother didn’t approve of, as ultimately, it was OP’s decision to make, not her mother’s.

19. Running errands for 8 hours a day??? More like making excuses so OP has to do all the housework and take care of the kids too.

20. It appears that OP’s mother exhibits manipulative behaviour and a tendency to control others for her own benefit.

Ultimately, when the OP’s mother tried to manipulate her into staying, our determined OP remained steadfast. The Reddit community rallied around the OP, praising her brave decision to break away from a harmful and controlling situation. Demonstrating her independence and self-respect, the OP refused to be swayed by manipulation. Undoubtedly, it was the correct choice. Do share your opinions in the comments section.

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