A woman has turned to the internet for some advice after finding herself in a troubling position with her family who she claims are angry that she isn’t helping her sister out financially
When it comes to families, some are as tight-knit and loving as can be, others are constantly at odds with each other and get-togethers can leave people feeling as if they are walking on eggshells.
One woman has recently found herself in a difficult situation with her family after her sister got pregnant and demanded financial help from her loved ones.
The unnamed woman claims her relatives are mad at her for going on vacations instead of giving money to help her younger sister with the baby.
As such, they’ve branded her an “a**hole”, but she’s not so sure she’s in the wrong, so she’s asked the internet for some perspective on her problem.
In a post on Reddit’s Am I The A**hole forum, the 28-year-old from the US wrote: “I love reading, about three times a year I go on reading vacations. I usually pick a city I’ve never been to and spend a week just reading in different coffee shops. I started doing this during my university breaks and it just stuck.
“About once every two years I’ll go on a big trip to another country to do this all though I also sightsee on these trips. My trip to Paris last year had to be canceled and I’ve rescheduled it for next year.
“My sister, who lives with my parents heard me talking to my mom about the trip over the phone and called me later. She basically laid into me about how I wouldn’t let her move in with me but I could afford to go on all these expensive vacations.”
She goes on to explain how when her sister found out she was pregnant she had asked if she could live with her as she couldn’t afford rent and a baby.
The older sibling had said no, as she didn’t really have the spare room and also wasn’t keen on having a newborn baby in her house as she works from home.
She added: “I’m childfree and have no desire to look after someones else’s baby.
“She’s now crying to my parents about how I should give her money at least because I can clearly afford it. They think I’m an a**hole for not helping her out at all and so does most of the family. AITA for going on reading vacations instead of helping my sister out?”
More than 700 people have since responded to the Reddit post, with many sharing messages of support – and others very intrigued by the prospects of reading holidays.
One person replied: “I’m probably not supposed to be laughing here, but I really don’t get your sister’s logic – How does you not letting her move in with you because SHE can’t afford life have anything at all to do with you affording to go on any vacation you choose? You don’t have a kid or a life you can’t afford. You can afford to do what you want, and what you want was not to have your sister and her newborn live with you so you can go on vacations whenever you want. This seems… Reasonable? NTA.”
Another said: “Imagine a world where no one was allowed to go on vacation unless their siblings can all afford the life they want.”
A third posted: “Reading vacations? How have I never heard of this!? I’ve wasted years of my life. NTA.”
Someone else added: “You are not her parent – you have no obligation to provide housing for her and a newborn, even if you have the money and the space. It’s YOUR money, you can do with it as you wish.”