'AITA for recording my mom's conversation with me so that my dad can get full custody?'

I want my dad to have full custody of me.

Alternative-Photo955 writes:

I watch my niece and nephew all the time for my stepsister. They are good kids, but they don't always like rules. My nephew, for example, refuses to wear the strap for his Switch controller. A few weeks ago, he broke my personal television that I paid for myself by babysitting.

He was very apologetic, and he promised he would pay for it. He is eight. That is unrealistic, and I wouldn't expect him to. I did expect my stepsister to replace it, though. I told her that when she came to pick them up.

She said no and that it was my fault for not keeping an eye on him. I told my mom, and she said that family doesn't behave like this and act all money-hungry. I was angry, and I said fine. I just won't watch them anymore.

This started a fight because my mom will do anything to placate my stepsister. She said that as long as I live at home, I will babysit when I'm needed. The following Friday, I just stayed out and watched a movie with friends after school. I told my father where I would be.

When I got home, there was a sh&^storm waiting for me. Me not showing up meant my mother had to cancel her plans and watch the kids so my stepsister could go out. Not really my problem. But they made it mine. I got grounded.

Fine. I babysat again, but all I did was read. I kept my laptop and my Switch in my room. It was a gift from my dad, so I don't have to share. Nope, that was not acceptable either. My mom made me go to my stepsister's house to babysit. They have a Switch and a PS5. And an 85" TV.

It got broken by accident. My mom picked me up, and we were on our way home when my sister called. She was screaming that I had connected the Switch to the big TV instead of leaving it on the kids' TV and I broke it.

To be fair, I did lose my grip on my controller, so it was my fault. My stepsister was saying that I had to pay for it. I don't have that much money. I told her to stop being so money-hungry and that family doesn't behave like this.

My mom was awful to me. She said that she would use my child support to replace the TV. I had already called my dad so he could hear the conversation. I do it a lot.

I asked him if he heard everything, and he said yes. I hung up. He called my mom. He asked her if she was threatening to use my child support to buy her daughter a gift. She said that I was exaggerating.

He told her he was listening to the call and would be at her house to pick me up in half an hour. He said if she tried to stop him, the cops would be called. That shut her up. My dad picked me up and asked if I wanted him to call the cops. I said no. But I asked him if I could go live with him full time. He said we would talk to his lawyer.

My dad had talked to his lawyer before to check about him and me recording our phone calls so my mom couldn't lie about what we talked about. Where we live it's legal. Even if someone else doesn't know we are recording.

I have been staying with my dad for two weeks now, and everything is okay. He is working on getting 100% custody, and my mom knows he has that recording. She has apologized and offered to replace my TV and not make me babysit anymore. I do not want to spend four more years there.

She says I'm acting like a brat over a $400 TV. She says that my brother-in-law is really upset he has to replace his TV because it is very expensive. I said it was my $400. So I just wanted to say it was absolutely an accident that I broke the TV. And it was my fault for connecting the Switch to it instead of just using the TV in the playroom. I'm owning that.

Here are the top comments.

Winternin says:

I hope your dad will get full custody because both your mom and your step-sis sound like horrible human beings.

Pineapple-85 says:

NTA - They were using you. Your mother is horrible. I'm so glad you are with your dad. Do not let your mom and sister manipulate you. That includes using the children against you to guilt you. Enjoy being a teenager and not built in child care.

Certain-Thought531 says:

NTA your mom and step sis are. You're absolutely under no obligation to babysit if you don't feel like it. Good job at pointing out your mother's double standarts, also recording her as proof, hopefully your dad gets full custody of you so that you can finally enjoy some peace.

a_man_in_black says:

You aren't acting like a brat over a 400 dollar TV, you are standing up for yourself against. NTA.

Dramatic_Self_4395 says:

I’d still be in your corner if you intentionally put your foot through the TV. NTA.

What do you think?