He Got Kicked Out Of His Mother’s House. She Took Him In. His Mom Is Furious.
One woman took in her nephew after he was threatened to be evicted by his single mom. His mom disapproves.
Parenting is never an easy task, and it’s not uncommon for family members to have different views on how children should be raised. In one recent incident, a woman, who we’ll call Julie, shared her story of how she invited her nephew to live with her after her sister demanded that he pay rent or be evicted.
The Backstory
Julie says that her sister, Sally lives close to them and has three children, Jane, Mary and John.
“Sally is a single mother,” Julie relates. “[She] has always been a bit tougher on her kids than I would have been, but I fully accept that she had the right to raise them as she saw fit.”
“One of Sally’s biggest parenting tenets was that at age 18, her kids needed to start paying rent or move out,” Julie recalls. “Jane and Mary both worked very hard in school and sports, both got into colleges and went to live in the dorms, so no issue there. John, on the other hand, has always struggled academically due to various learning disabilities.”
Child-Free Couple
Julie and her husband are child-free, however they have always been close with their nieces and nephews. Recently, when their nephew John struggled academically and was faced with the choice of paying rent or being evicted by his mother, they decided to step in and offer him a place to stay. Julie explained, “We have never asked him for a cent but he voluntarily chooses to do chores around the house and dog sits when we travel.”
Additionally, Julie says that John has been able to thrive in their home. “He has since started training as an electrician and continues to live with us. We love having him around and he seems happy.”
However, Julie’s sister was not pleased with their decision. She felt that they were undermining her parenting and enabling John to be lazy. At a recent family gathering, the two sisters argued about the situation, with one niece taking each side.
While it’s understandable that Sally may feel hurt by her decision, it’s important to remember that every child is different and may require different forms of support.
Others Weigh In
Many pointed out that John’s situation was difficult and that Julie didn’t undermine her sister’s parenting. One person explained, “John is 18, he’s an adult. It’s no longer possible to ‘undermine’ your sister’s parenting of him. But you did offer him a situation that allowed him to find success, and she’s mad because it’s working.”
Another person pointed out the flaws in the sister’s parenting approach, stating, “She seriously started charging him rent and threatening to evict him before he’d even finished high school? Gross.”
Many also pointed out that John’s learning disabilities and high school status made it difficult for him to immediately become independent at age 18. One person shared their own experience, stating, “My high school senior year I paid 700 a month for 4 months before [my mom] realized it was overkill. [I could have saved $2800… now it’s my fault I lived at home until I was in my late 20s.”
Ultimately, many commenters emphasized that Julie did not undermine her sister’s parenting, but rather provided a different kind of support for her nephew. One person stated, “You took in a grown adult and gave them a chance to establish themselves. The parent of said adult doesn’t like that their meal ticket got away.”
While Sally may not have agreed with Julie’s decision to take John in, it’s clear that it was made out of love and concern for her nephew’s well-being.
What would you have done in this situation?
This article has been inspired by Reddit and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Arnie Nicola
Read Next:
Her In-Laws Want To Visit But She Refuses To Be A Good Hostess Because Of Her Current Situation
She Thinks Her Son’s First Birthday Is More Important Than A Major Holiday. Is She Wrong?
Teenager Struggles with Stepparent and Stepsibling Due To What She Said To Her Mom