Hi, I’m Rebecca, and at 30, I’ve found myself in the middle of some serious sister drama. Let me tell you about the rollercoaster ride I’ve been on with my younger sister, Anna.
The Setup
Anna has been living with us while attending university, and we agreed on a deal: she’d pay $500 a month for her room, utilities, and food. In exchange, she’d pitch in with chores and occasionally babysit our two kids. It seemed like a win-win, and we even wrote everything down to keep things clear.
For context, if Anna were living on campus, she’d be paying around $1,200 a month for a shared room. With us, her yearly cost is $6,000—much less than the $9,600 she’d spend otherwise. This arrangement worked well for two years, and Anna was a great student and an awesome sister.
The Conflict
Things started to change when Anna got serious with her boyfriend. She wanted more time with him and began pushing back against babysitting every other Saturday night. It led to a big argument between us.
I wanted to stick to our original agreement since she hadn’t finished school. I even suggested hiring a babysitter but expected her to cover the cost, as babysitting was part of our deal. Anna was not happy. She felt like I was taking advantage of her and draining her finances. Now she’s really upset.
Family Fallout
As if dealing with Anna’s anger wasn’t enough, my entire family is now on my case. They think I’m treating her unfairly, like some unpaid nanny. My mom even suggested that I should let Anna stay for free and leave her finances alone.
I tried to stand firm, reminding them of our agreement. I mentioned that Anna could always move to campus next semester, which I thought was reasonable. But then Mom lost it and even threatened to cut ties with me!
The Breaking Point
Yesterday, I found Anna packing up. She wouldn’t say where she was headed, just that she was leaving. She told me I was being mean and making her life harder. I’m stuck. I thought our arrangement was fair, but now I’m questioning everything.
It’s been a tough situation, and I’m not sure what to do next. What would you do in my shoes?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
You were right! A deal is a deal and it’s even in writing. Look at all the money she’s saving by living with you. Now, because she has a boyfriend, she reneging on the “contract” that you both agreed on. She has 6 other days and/or nights where she can see her boyfriend. It’s only every other Saturday she needs to babysit. TWO NIGHTS OUT OF 30!! Her boyfriend can join her if she can’t live without seeing him. Also, I think your mother is being unreasonable. Maybe she should do some babysitting for you. Let her go live with her boyfriend. I’m sure it’s going to cost her more than the $1,200/month she was paying you. Bet she comes back crying to you to let her live with you again.