The stories presented reveal two emotionally charged family situations that test the boundaries of trust, safety, and family relationships. The first story focuses on a mother’s struggle with her friend’s son, whose behavior towards their three-month-old daughter becomes a source of anxiety and worry. A mother’s journey, complete with a diagnosis of postpartum depression (PPD), reflects the challenges of navigating complex family dynamics and prioritizing her child’s well-being.
The escalating conflict between the mother, her boyfriend, and his son underscores the difficulty of dealing with problem behavior in a blended family environment. The mother’s decision to seek advice from an online community reflects a common trend in modern dilemmas where individuals turn to digital platforms for support and guidance.
The second story delves into a different but equally tumultuous family dynamic involving a sister’s inappropriate behavior toward her sibling’s husband. The narrative highlights the shock and betrayal experienced by the original poster (OP) as he grapples with the revelation of his sister’s actions.
Both stories elicit strong reactions from online communities, with users expressing sympathy, outrage, and approval of the OP’s decision. The discussions these stories have sparked delve into the broader themes of trust, boundaries, and the importance of addressing problem behavior within family relationships.
In reflecting on these stories, readers are invited to consider their own reactions and judgments in similar situations. The complexity of family dynamics, personal boundaries, and moral obligations come to the fore, prompting introspection and reflection on what constitutes appropriate behavior in challenging family circumstances.
In a quiet suburban home, a loving mother grappled with a torturous conundrum while her boyfriend’s 12-year-old son persistently purposefully haunted their three-month-old daughter.
The mother’s strange behavior, which continued despite sincere pleas and warnings, drove her to breaking point.
An anonymous member shared her harrowing experience on the “AITAH” subreddit on January 11, 2024. She questioned the effect of being diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD) on her behavior.
The original poster (OP) and her boyfriend were together for six years. For the past two years, they have lived in OP together with their 12-year-old son, Jake.
After more than a decade of owning her home, OP was presented with a troubling problem with Jake’s behavior toward their three-month-old child.
While Jake seemed to love his sister, there was a disturbing trend of him deliberately scaring the child.
Jake was coming up to the kid yelling, “RA!” laughing out loud at her startled reactions. He would laugh and then pretend to be sorry and say he didn’t mean to scare her.
Torn between her worries, the possible impact of PPD, and her need for a solution, OP turned to an online community for advice after experiencing this disturbing pattern at least four times a day.
Jake continued to behave in an unnerving manner despite the OP’s repeated attempts to stop him, warning him about possible damage to the child’s hearing and emphasizing the lack of fun in his activities.
The tipping point was just three days earlier when OP confronted Jake and her partner out of sheer frustration. She gave a stern warning and threatened to cut them out of her life if they continued to purposely haunt her.
The friend’s erratic behavior led to the decision to take such extreme measures.
While he occasionally intervened, he also wrote off the OP’s concerns as overblown. He tried to defend Jake’s behavior by saying that children usually found pleasure in a child’s startle reflex.
OP remembered the incident clearly, saying, “If he purposefully scared my kid again, then [Jake and OP’s boyfriend] would be evicted,” as she struggled with the weight of her threat. She felt a twinge of regret even after Jake returned to his room with a defeated look on his face.
The night before OP told her story, she briefly left the room, and her 3-month-old daughter was left rocking peacefully. Jake took advantage of her brief absence to have another disturbing encounter.
OP heard Jake frantically ask, “What are you doing?” in a child’s voice from afar. Her daughter’s scream was audible and the consequence was immediate.
She heard her boyfriend come in and try to diffuse the situation, so she rushed back.
About an hour later, something else unpleasant happened. The dreaded “RA” and her daughter’s cries echoed throughout the house when OP walked into the bathroom this time.
Driven by a combination of irritation and concern for the well-being of her child, she did not keep herself waiting long. She told Jake and her partner to pack up and leave immediately without waiting for an answer, her main priority now is to calm the upset toddler.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Jake tried to apologize, blaming his behavior on habit. However, the friend objected and minimized the importance of what happened. The OP adamantly demanded they leave after rejecting their reasoning. But her lover refused to leave and defiantly claimed his rightful place in the house.
When faced with this impasse, OP threatened to take her own life and have the authorities serve her with an eviction notice. Her boyfriend begged her to stay, that Jake was only twelve and couldn’t be perfect, but she refused. The next day she made a firm decision and filed for their eviction.
While things were getting tense, OP was already trying to figure out why Jake scared her kid by asking him directly. “[He] finds it funny when babies cry,” OP recalled after their discussion.
But part of her still doubted whether she had made the right decision. “AITA for kicking my infant and his child out because his son was purposely scaring my child all the time?” OP asked.
Online users responded to the OP’s story with great sympathy and attention, making it an internet sensation. The majority is overwhelmingly in favor of her and many believe she made the right decision.
“NTA. Really. He’s twelve. Old enough to be wise enough to avoid it. Old enough to follow instructions. Would it be nice for him if you woke him up every morning? No. One user said: “He’s 12 but acts like AH and sounds almost sadistic.”
“I wholeheartedly agree that it’s not typical for a twelve-year-old to be a mother. Maybe at five or six, but definitely not at twelve. After she’s proven right once or twice, they pick it up. It’s worrying, that he claims Another individual said: “I wonder what other behavioral problems he has.”
“As a mother of a 4-year-old, this [behavior] would only be understandable if Jake was 2 or 3 years old,” another netizen said. “Let your partner fall asleep and then gently tap a few pots and pans to startle him awake. Try this about four times a night to see if it makes him reconsider. His child is twelve. He’s of legal age laws. This goes beyond a kid being a kid,” another commenter said.
Would you like to read another absurd family drama? It is here! This time the story is about a woman who saw her sister’s pranks and decided to kick her out of the house!
An anonymous female poster shared her story on “AITAH” on Reddit on December 11, 2023. Before her 25-year-old sister faced eviction, the 29-year-old lady, her 31-year-old husband, and their two children — a four-year-old girl and a six-year-old boy — were leading a happy life. The woman’s sister had nowhere else to go as their parents lived approximately eleven hours away and they were the only family members living nearby.
After she took her sister in with her, things quickly became uneasy. The nurse was acting noticeably different, especially acting inappropriately around the Original Poster. She made no attempt to hide her obviously flirtatious behavior towards the OP’s husband.
The fact that OP’s sister purposely wore skimpy clothing, including underwear, especially when her husband was home, made her uncomfortable. She also didn’t provide anything or offer help with the household chores.
When OP came home from work one day, she was stunned by what she saw.
Although she acknowledged that it was difficult, the OP made it clear that she was not asking her sister for money. However, she expressed concern about her sister’s lack of help with the housework.
Her sister was not motivated to pursue career opportunities through interviews and ignored household chores such as scrubbing the dishes. OP only asked that her younger sibling assist and make a significant contribution.
A treacherous discovery
When OP came home from work one day, she was stunned by what she saw. OP’s sister convinced her husband to have an intimate relationship with her, much to her dismay. OP was so enraged she was at a loss for words or ideas.
In a follow-up, the OP revealed that she had been talking to her husband for about thirty minutes.
“[When] [my husband] saw me coming home, he ran to me and stood behind me while I told my sister to pack up and leave,” the OP said. In a furious response, her sister said that just because the husband wasn’t interested in the OP didn’t mean they should split up as siblings.
The nurse persisted in confronting the OP over the phone despite the support of her family. Following all of this, the OP was forced to ask random people for advice on how to handle the matter on her end. “Aita for kicking my sister out of my house for trying to sleep with my husband?” she thought.
Thirty minutes later, the original poster provided an update stating that she had spoken to her husband, who informed her that her sister had been s*xually abusive towards him.
The person who posted the comment was overcome with remorse for not realizing the problem sooner, saying: “I feel so bad that I can’t see this and now I’m the one spamming my sister.” She also told her family about the incident and they were shocked by her sister’s behavior. Although the update wasn’t exactly good, the poster expressed his gratitude for the support so far and promised to provide more information later.
Reader Notes
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byu/Candid-Subject-6074 from discussion
inAITAH
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Online users responded impressively to the OP’s account; the majority sided with her and called her “NTA”. Many were quick to condemn the disgraceful and extremely inappropriate behavior of OP’s sister, stating that OP was right to evict her.
Some comments advised her to take precautions against similar occurrences in the future, suggesting things like cutting off all contact with her sister and changing her hair. Some have said that the OP would be better off not having such a troubled sibling in her life and that she shouldn’t accept any excuses from her sister.
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inAITAH
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inAITAH
How would you answer in OP’s shoes? If you saw your sister wandering around the house in skimpy clothes, would you throw her out? Do you think the OP was right to take her position?
The stories shared depict two emotionally charged and dramatic family situations, each presenting unique challenges and difficult decisions for the individuals involved.
In the first story, a mother deals with the stressful behavior of her friend’s 12-year-old son, who repeatedly deliberately frightens their 3-month-old daughter. Despite the mother’s efforts to address the problem, the behavior persists, leading to a tipping point where she feels compelled to take drastic action. The online community overwhelmingly supports her decision to prioritize her child’s safety and well-being, emphasizing the seriousness of her son’s actions and the need for immediate intervention.
Similarly, the second story revolves around a woman who faces a betrayal of trust in her own family when her sister makes inappropriate moves towards her husband. The situation escalates to the point where the woman feels compelled to ask her sister to leave their home. The online response again supports the woman’s decision, recognizing the seriousness of the nurse’s actions and the need to prioritize the integrity of the family unit.
Both stories highlight the complexity of family dynamics and the difficult decisions individuals can face when confronted with the challenging behavior of their loved ones. Support and validation from online communities serve as a reminder of the importance of setting boundaries, prioritizing safety, and seeking support when navigating such emotionally charged situations.
Ultimately, these stories emphasize the importance of self-care, assertiveness in dealing with problem behaviors and finding solutions that prioritize the well-being of oneself and loved ones.