Every parent is aware that having young children around makes it nearly hard to maintain a tidy house. However in this story after asking her niece and nephew to clean up after themselves, a woman received criticism from her own sister and brother-in-law. Read the story and let us know how you would deal with the situation.
Source: Reddit
I (f22) have a niece (5) and nephew (4) that I babysit fairly often. This has been an ongoing issue between my sister and BIL for quite some time now. It all came to head today. I love my room to be damn near spotless. I’m a neat freak and hate any kind of mess. Now I know they are kids and they will be messy. I deal with it but I do expect them to clean up after themselves.
Put away toys, throw out any leftover food, put clothes in the hamper, basically put stuff back where they found them. I don’t yell at them if they forget or anything but it annoys me greatly. I will kindly tell them to “please put that ball back in the basket after you’re done playing with it” and they have been listening to me up until today.
Today I told the younger one to put his sweaty shirt in the hamper and he screamed at me “no” I admit I got annoyed but I told him again to put it away and he started throwing a fit saying “mommy and daddy said not to do anything you say” I was furious and asked the older one what he meant and she told me that her parents said they don’t do anything at home so why should they do anything here.
I immediately called my sister and told her to pick up her kids. She came and asked what’s wrong and I said “you both told them not to clean up after themselves and not listen to me when I say to do something so I will not be watching them anymore” my BIL then said they are not my maids and this is child abuse and I don’t deserve “free child labor” I then told him that he doesn’t deserve free babysitting either and to “get the F out of my house”
They both have been trying to text me ever since but none of it is nice. Basically I’m a bitch and I don’t want to see the kids and I don’t care for them etc. What are your opinions? Was I really wrong for making them do the cleanup?
Here are a few comments on the story where it was originally posted:
