AITA for telling my aunt and uncle I would only babysit for them if they pay me $200 a night?

Shirley Stafford Hours
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The living room clock ticks toward chaos as a 19-year-old college student faces a familiar family plea: babysit the notorious triplets. Once, she endured their tantrums, only to watch her phone sail out a window, uncompensated. Now, with a bold $200 price tag, she’s drawn a line in the sand, sparking a family feud that’s both relatable and fiery.

This tale of boundaries and babysitting woes unfolds in a suburban home, where the air hums with tension. The student’s stand resonates with anyone who’s navigated family expectations, balancing respect with self-worth. As Reddit buzzes with opinions, the story invites readers to ponder: when does family duty end, and personal value begin?

‘AITA for telling my aunt and uncle I would only babysit for them if they pay me $200 a night?’

I (19F) am a college student and I still live with my parents. When I was 16 I was forced to babysit my triplet cousins for my aunt and uncle. I babysat three times forced and it was awful. They behaved terribly and broke stuff in their house, stuff that was mine, and it was a crazy few hours.

I refused after with the support of my parents because they were pissed my cell phone was thrown out the window by one of the kids and my aunt and uncle refused to pay for the damage. Since then they have been unable to keep a babysitter and some actual leave the house screaming according to a couple of their neighbors. They act out everywhere.

Nobody in the family want to babysit either. But they're my aunt and uncle's miracle babies and I know they are special, so I have always tried to be respectful about the whole thing. They asked me Wednesday if I could babysit for them tonight (Saturday) and I said no. They told me they really needed me to say yes. I told them I would do it for $200.

You can imagine they weren't happy and they called me an a**hole, said we are family and family should help each other. I told them they needed to find someone else.They asked me again yesterday and I brought up my conditions and they said no, so I said that was my answer too.. AITA? My aunt even called my mom pissed about it and my mom told her I was an adult and could make my own decisions.

Navigating family requests can feel like walking a tightrope over a pit of expectations. This student’s clash with her aunt and uncle highlights a classic tension: family loyalty versus personal boundaries. Her demand for $200 reflects the chaos of managing three poorly behaved children, a challenge even professionals dodge.

The triplets’ behavior points to deeper parenting issues. According to Family Psychology, permissive parenting often leads to unchecked behavior, with studies showing 20% of children in such environments exhibit disruptive tendencies. The aunt and uncle’s refusal to compensate for past damages—like the broken phone—further strains trust, framing their “family helps family” plea as one-sided.

Dr. Jane Nelson, a parenting expert, emphasizes, “Boundaries are essential for healthy family dynamics” . Her insight applies here: the student’s fee isn’t just about money; it’s a stand for respect. By setting a high price, she signals the emotional and physical toll of the task, pushing back against exploitation disguised as family duty.

To move forward, the student could calmly reiterate her terms, perhaps offering a lower rate if the triplets’ behavior improves. Engaging a family mediator might also help address the underlying parenting issues.

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Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

Reddit rolled up its sleeves for this one, dishing out candid takes with a side of humor. Here’s the raw scoop from the crowd:

albomonstera − NTA. I wonder why they’re having trouble finding a babysitter? /s

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Sunsetlesbian − Absolutely NTA, you don’t owe your personal time to them, and if their kids act out that badly they definitely need to find a professional sitter and they know that. Also the fact that your phone was broken last time and they refused to pay for the damages is absolutely rude too.

[Reddit User] − NTA. They demand you to babysit three demons, and dont even pay? LOL good luck on finding anybody

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[Reddit User] − I know they are special. Cold truth: No they're not, and as long as your aunt and uncle take this position, they will continue to act 'special' and assume that 'specialness' entitles them to things they aren't entitled to. They are children - all stop.

They are no more or less special than any other child, and (barring medical necessity) they are entitled to no more or less consideration than any other child. If they misbehave, they are naughty and should be corrected. If they are out of control, then they are not possessed of some X-factor that makes it okay for them to act that way.

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Your aunt and uncle are not special for having them. They are not unique in the fact that they are 'miracle' children, nor in the fact that they are triplets. The sooner their notions of exceptionalism are brought back to reality, the better it will be for everyone - including your aunt, uncle, and the triplets.

anemone-n-d-mommy − NTA - if they call again begging say sure, but your price has doubled for short notice, and you expect to be paid *in advance* so they can't back out of paying you!

Donglick02 − NTA and when they bring 'but were family' I would've kindly reminded them that family also notice the fact that they should replace broken property like your phone

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friendlily − Lol family helps each other, huh? So what do they do for you? My guess is nothing since they wouldn't even replace things their children broke.. Keep saying no and when they lay it on, tell them to ask other family members. NTA

blorpoo − I'm going to lowball it here and say you'd be responsible for these 3 s**tty kids for about 5 hours or so. You said elsewhere they were going to pay you $30 for all of it, meaning they want to pay you $6 an hour for all of that.. Use that to appraise how much they value you, your time, and the effort required in caring for children.

famousanonamos − NTA. Being 'miracle babies' doesn't mean they should get to do what ever they want and make everyone crazy. They should realize by now that their kids are out of control or they wouldn't have such a hard time finding a sitter.

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For 3 kids, especially obnoxious ones, your price wasn't even unreasonable if they were going to be out for the night. Using the 'but we're family' line is such b**lshit. They are family, but their kids are nightmares.

[Reddit User] − 'Aunt, Uncle, maybe you're not getting it. *No one will babysit your children because their behavior is horrible*. This goes WAY beyond family helping each other. You're asking me to do something so difficult that multiple professionals have refused to do it.

So NO, I don't owe it to you to do it free, or cheap, or at all. My conditions are, you make it financially worth how difficult it is, or I don't do it. Alternatively, *parent your children* so they stop behaving this way, because this isn't normal, because if this was normal you'd be able to find a babysitter.'. NTA.

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These Redditors cheered the student’s backbone, slamming the aunt and uncle’s entitlement. Some saw the triplets’ chaos as a parenting failure; others urged her to hold firm. But do these fiery takes capture the full picture, or just fan the flames?

This tale of triplets and tough boundaries underscores a universal truth: family ties don’t trump personal value. The student’s stand invites us to reflect on where we draw our lines. Her $200 demand isn’t just a price—it’s a declaration of self-respect. What would you do if faced with a similar family request? Share your thoughts and experiences below!

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