AITA for telling my sister why bluntly she's not the next guardian of our new baby if something happens to me or my husband?
AITAFEATURED
Who Gets the Baby? The Awkward Sunday Lunch Where Guardianship Blew Up
The Joy After a Long Wait
So, you know when you've been through the wringer trying to have a baby, and then finally, after IVF, fertility treatments, and heart-wrenching miscarriages, you hold that miracle in your arms? Yeah, that's where this couple found themselves—over the moon with their new baby girl. Sunday lunches at grandma's became less about the pasta and more about their bundle of joy. But it was at one of these warm family gatherings that things got, well, super awkward.
The Money and Baby Talk
Picture this: You're holding your new baby, and someone starts talking about the family business, insurance, and who gets what if—God forbid—something happens to you. Mom and Dad are set to inherit the dough and take care of the baby. All good, right? Well, not according to sister "K," who wonders aloud why the older folks, who are already set for life, get the money while she's scrimping and saving.
Meet Sister "K": Not the Ideal Guardian Candidate
Let's get the lowdown on K. She's been engaged for 11 years to a man way older than her and has five kids with him. They get evicted pretty much every year, and she's recently had some legal issues for selling food stamps. Yeah, not really the picture of stability.
Gloves Are Off
When Mom innocently mentions they would adopt the baby and the business if something tragic happened, K loses it. Why isn't she the backup plan? After all, she's an "experienced mother." That's when things got ugly.
The couple pointed out K's consistent housing instability, her past neglectful behavior—like leaving toddlers alone in a running car—and the generally poor condition of her own children. Low blows? Maybe. But they felt it had to be said.
The Family's Not Happy
K gathers her kids and storms out. Another sister sends a 'not cool' text, and now the parents want an apology—all because of a yearly family gathering to remember relatives lost in 9/11. Should the couple say sorry just to keep the peace?
No Apologies Here
Here’s the thing: The couple's had it. K’s got the audacity to criticize their new parenting when she's barely hanging on herself. And they're supposed to trust her with their child and business if the worst happens? Yeah, no thanks.
So, who's the bad guy here? Is it wrong to be brutally honest when the future of a child is at stake? Sometimes family gatherings reveal more than just what's on the menu, and this is one meal they won't forget anytime soon.
One comment that got a ton of likes: "Yipes!!! Where is the rest of the family while her kids are being mistreated?" Seriously though, it’s a valid question. K's got five kids who, according to the couple, aren't exactly living their best lives. So what's the deal, family?
Another commenter said, "NTA. Your sister shouldn't ask questions she doesn't want the answer to. She clearly was ready to argue about it before you even said anything." Oh, boy, isn't that the truth? K walked right into that conversation guns blazing, and then got mad when the truth bullets started flying.
The Ultimate Priority
But what it really boils down to, as one thoughtful person pointed out: "Ultimately, the only thing that matters is the care of your children and doing what is best for them. Your parents seem to be the best option for now, but I hope you have determined a secondary choice since they are getting older. God forbid something were to happen to you and your husband, and your parents are no longer around, I'm sure you don't want your kids to go to K."
So, About that Backup Plan...
It's a poignant point—the couple’s parents aren’t getting any younger. It’s wise to have a Plan B and maybe even a Plan C. Because let's face it, no one wants the kids to end up with K if the worst happens. So, more food for thought: this isn't just about who's right and wrong in the argument; it's also about planning for a future that none of us can predict.