'AITA for refusing to babysit my sister's kids?' 'She criticized how I discipline my own children?'
"AITA for refusing to babysit my sister's kids after she criticized how I discipline my own children?"
I (32F) have two kids, ages 5 and 7, and my sister (34F) has three kids, ages 3, 6, and 8. We've always been close, and I often babysit her children when she and her husband need a break. Last weekend, my sister dropped her kids off at my house for a few hours, which is something we've done countless times before.
While I was watching all five kids, my 7-year-old started acting up, so I put them in time-out. My sister came back earlier than expected and saw this. She immediately pulled me aside and said she doesn't believe in time-outs and that I was being too harsh on my child. She then went on to give me an unsolicited lecture on how I should handle discipline, saying I should use "gentle parenting" instead.
I was taken aback because I've never criticized her parenting methods, even though I don't always agree with them. After she left, I felt really upset. The next day, she asked if I could watch her kids again this weekend, and I said no. I told her that if she doesn't trust my judgment with my own kids, I don't feel comfortable being responsible for hers.
She got really upset and accused me of overreacting. Now, she's not speaking to me, and my parents think I should just let it go for the sake of family harmony. But I can't shake the feeling that she crossed a line. So, AITA for refusing to babysit after she criticized my parenting?
Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:
PumpkinPowerful3292 said:
NTA - Your sister laid out her perspective in child rearing by criticizing you as she did about how you discipline your kids. She was way out of line since nothing did was abusive to your children, quite the opposite. Funny how though your reaction to her meddling, is overreacting went totally out the window as soon as she needed her kids watched again.
Ok-Cat-4975 said:
NTA. No more babysitting until she apologizes for criticizing you. Also make her agree that you'll put her kids in time out if you feel they need to. If you're responsible for them, you need to have a way to manage them. Otherwise she can find someone else to watch her kids.
I_am_wood_dog said:
NTA. Your family is asking you just take a beating and accept your sister's superiority. She can hire a baby sitter and "teach" the baby sitter how to babysit her children and see how many baby sitters she goes through.
Impossible_Gazelle27 said:
NTA. The irony of your sister putting you in a metaphorical time-out for putting your son in an actual time-out.
Ok_Conversation9750 said:
A time out is harsh??? Gimme a minute- my eyes got stuck from rolling them so hard. NTA.
RightLocal1356 said:
NTA. Honestly I’m baffled that she wants you to watch her children given that she was clear that she doesn’t approve of your parenting style. She should get your parents or a babysitter to watch the kids since she clearly thinks her parenting is
Born-Mess4720 said:
NTA. She stated she doesn’t like your parenting tactics she has no right to make you feel obligated to babysit again