Woman firmly sets boundaries and says 'no' when sister-in-law expects her to babysit every weekend

In relationships, the line between support and sacrifice can often blur over a certain period—especially when it comes to family. A Reddit post by 27-year-old u/MarsupialThrowRA highlights this delicate balance, shedding light on the complex dynamics of familial obligations. The story of the young woman, her husband and her sister-in-law brings to the forefront a problem many people have faced at some point and which causes rifts in family dynamics.

"My husband (30M) and I have been married for three years, and we're pretty happy with our life right now. We both work full-time, have a small but cozy apartment and enjoy spending our weekends relaxing or going on little mystery adventures together," the woman shared in her post. These mystery trips, where they pay a fee and receive envelopes filled with addresses and pre-arranged activities, are a fun, inexpensive tradition the couple has embraced, aiming to go on at least three each year.

However, the peaceful rhythm of their lives has been disrupted by the increasing demands of her sister-in-law, Anna. At 34, Anna has three young children, aged 8, 6 and 3, and has been navigating the challenges of single motherhood since her husband left her last year. "I feel for her, I really do and I've tried to help out where I can. However, Anna has recently started asking me to babysit her kids, almost every other day and every weekend for free," the woman further wrote.

Initially, she agreed to babysit Anna's children happily, knowing how much her sister-in-law needed a break. But what started as an occasional favor quickly turned into an expectation. Anna began asking her to babysit almost every other day and every weekend without offering any compensation. "Last weekend, my husband and I had plans to go on a short mystery trip to celebrate our anniversary. It was a long weekend, and we took Friday off of work as well. When Anna found out, she called me up in tears, saying she desperately needed me to watch the kids because she had 'no one else,'" the post states.

"I felt terrible, but I told her we had already made plans and couldn’t cancel," the woman revealed. To this, Anna's response was one of hurt and anger. "She got really upset and accused me of being selfish and not caring about family. She even tried to guilt-trip my husband into making me stay behind, but he stood by me and said he was excited to go on the getaway," she wrote.

Following the sour confrontation, the sister-in-law was not on speaking terms with the woman. "My MIL called to tell me how disappointed she is that I'm not helping Anna more. My husband is supportive, but I'm starting to feel guilty. I don't want to abandon Anna in her time of need, but I also don't think it's fair for her to expect me to give up all my free time," she shared, concluding her post by asking whether she was wrong in this situation.

People on the platform supported her and reassured her that she wasn't alone in her struggle to set boundaries. "I agree!! I hate how selfish people always project onto others. You have done a LOT!!! There is no need to feel guilty. SIL should feel guilty for constantly dumping her kids on you and then demanding even more," said u/Critical_Armadillo32. "Why is she calling the woman and not her husband, first of all? Why isn't the husband calling SIL and MIL and telling them to leave his wife alone?" asked u/FlyFlirtyandFifty.