'AITA for taking my kids back home with me?' 'My parents violated the one simple rule I gave them.'

"AITA for taking my kids back home with me, from my parents house after they violated; the one simple rule I gave them?"

CW: abuse

In March of 2022 my parents reached out to me saying that they wanted to meet my daughters, Angela and Julianne, both 9, IVF twins. I agreed to it, on the condition that I didn't want them to meet my aunt's family. Because growing up with them, they were incredibly abusive and neglectful to me when I had to live them. We're talking about some really abusive things, physical and emotional.

I'll give you one example, in 1997 my aunt took my brother's asthma inhaler and wouldn't give it back to him because he wouldn't share his cookies with her daughter. We're talking about a woman who at the time was in her mid-late 20s, doing this to a 7 year old boy.

I have my lawyer write up a contract, it wasn't legally binding it was entirely symbolic. But it made the terms clear, I'll fly with them over from Seattle to Albuquerque during Spring break and Summer break.

As long as these people are not introduced to them or anywhere near the property under any circumstance. I reserve the right to never bring kids back here if you violate this one rule. She signed it and I plan the trip.

I tell my daughters, who these people are. Why I don't like them, and to tell me if they meet them. I treat my kids like they can understand things, if they have questions, I try and explain to them to the best of my abilities.

Well, we make the flight down there and head to their home. We're there for about 2 hours when I hear the doorbell go off. Well guess who it is? My aunt's family and they're standing around laughing pretending like I don't like them, and we've just always gotten along. I look at my mom and say:

Me: "Why did you invite them?"

Mom: "Well they're family?"

Me: "They're your family. Angela and Julianne, we're going home."

The girls hadn't unpacked their things yet so they go and get them, I grab my belongings and start making my way out. With my mom, break down and begging me not to go. Trying to guilt trip me, "Really, you actually meant it?" "I can't believe you."

Meanwhile my aunt and her family default start making judgmental comments saying that I'm ungrateful, blah, blah if you've dealt with abusive people, you know they're not particularly original and always default to victimization.

Since then I haven't responded to their messages and phone calls. I blocked them and instructed my kids to block them anywhere they could to which they have been compliant, not before asking me for the latest NewJeans merch of course. My brother came by of 2 weeks ago, and he spoke to me very calmly and was trying to get me budge.

I said: "I gave them one rule and they signed on it. They violated it within the first two hours of us being there. It wasn't just that, it's that they showed me; they don't respect me.

"They cared more about my aunt's family then they did my rules, which kind of shows how much they care for my kids if they were completely willing to violate it not even 2 hours upon me arriving."

I don't know what it is, my mom seems to have forgiven or not cared enough about what we endured with those people to where she will just assume that I'm bluffing when I make the rules clear to her.

Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:

Honest_Weird_9715 said:

NTA you had one rule. One. If they can respect that boundarie they can’t see the kids.

Fire_or_water_kai said:

NTA. I can't believe your mom is okay with the person who kept her asthmatic child's inhaler hostage over some cookies! You made your boundary (which was reasonable) and kept it. Your job as a parent is to keep people like that away from your kids.

countryboy1101 said:

NTA and I would not return to this home or let them see my kids ever.

CocoaAlmondsRock said:

NTA. Hope you stay NC with all of them, including your parents. You're a good parent, Mama Bear!

stiggley said:

NTA. "You actually meant it?" Like you would go through all the trouble of drawing up the contract is you didn't mean it. It's not your brother's bridge to repair - your mom nuked it from orbit she was so sure.

writer-villain said:

NTA. You had one rule. Clear consequences for breaking said rule. You put down a boundary. Clear consequences if the didn’t respect the boundary. They can’t act all shocked when you actually follow through on said consequences. Good for you for being the adult and protecting those girls and yourself.

Ok_Homework_7621 said:

NTA. You can't trust them and they don't respect you. Allowing people like that in your life teaches your kids that kind of behaviour is acceptable and you are not somebody who deserves respect, just for a start. Block them and their flying monkeys. If they harass or stalk you, call the police to remove and handle them. In case they try something, it's good to have it documented.