She Told Her Parents She Won’t Be Their Live-In Babysitter. Is She Wrong?

I have three older siblings, so I guess I never gave too much thought to the whole babysitting thing.

Were they annoyed when my parents told them they had to watch my little brother and me on a Friday night?

Or did they just accept it as part of the deal of being in a big family?

Whatever the case, it sounds like this teenage girl is definitely not feeling it in the babysitting department.

Is she acting like a jerk?

Check out what she had to say.

“I (16f) am an only child and that position will be expiring in October when my parents have their second child.

They were always supposed to be one and done with me, something I was aware of was partly due to them finding childcare ridiculously expensive and mom enjoying her job too much to stay home.

I think another part of it they are not very natural parents and are pretty much entirely hands off. We never do anything as a family and they are not very involved in my life. They pay for stuff and that is their contribution to my life.

The pregnancy was a big shock for them, and for me. I heard them discussing wtf they would do and my mom was repeatedly saying she was not going to stay at home and she was not going to take much maternity leave. That she wants to be back at work ASAP.

They complained about how much it will cost to get someone to watch the baby while they work and during the summers and stuff. I heard them mention me and I was like oh hell no.

They sat me down a week ago and told me they had these plans for me to watch the baby for 3-4 hours after school until they get home from work. It would involve quitting all my after school stuff and not hanging out with friends after school either. They also want me to stay home next summer and to consider hanging around to be there for the next few summers. I was like no way.

They told me I am going to be a big sister now and that as part of the family I have responsibilities. I told them THEY had responsibilities as parents and I am not a parent, I am the child in their house. They told me not for long. I said I could just rush to graduation and leave so they can’t use me as free childcare. I don’t think they expected these reactions from me or the thought I had put into it.

After I heard them talk with each other I found out I could graduate in December by talking to my guidance counselor. I’m almost finished my junior year now and could finish senior year early with the grades I keep and the work I do. That is definitely the most appealing option to me and I’ll be 17 in a couple of weeks anyway.

My parents were really unhappy with me and they told me I am going to miss out on so much by doing this. I told them I won’t take care of or raise the baby for them. That I have my own life and being stuck with a baby is not part of it.

They told me I am being incredibly selfish and to think about what I am throwing away. They also said I won’t be a very good sister if I refuse to be part of the baby’s life.

AITA?”

Here’s what Reddit users said about this.

One reader said she’s NTA and said what her parents really want.

Another Reddit user said this might even be against the law.

And this individual said it’ll take some work but she can escape this situation if she really wants to.

Personally, I don’t think she’s selfish, but she could have offered an alternative, right?