AITA for hiding behind the couch so my sister wouldn’t hand her screaming baby to me?

Charlotte Morse Hours
Comments 0 Comments

Imagine a quiet afternoon shattered by a baby’s piercing wails, echoing through a cozy living room. A 14-year-old girl, fresh from school, finds herself dodging her 19-year-old sister’s desperate attempts to hand over her screaming infant. After a petty argument over singing, the teen, tired of being the go-to baby-soother, hides behind the couch to avoid the task. Her sister’s fury and their parents’ disapproval turn a small act of rebellion into a full-blown family drama.

This Reddit tale captures the chaos of family expectations clashing with personal boundaries. The young teen, caught between helping her stressed sister and reclaiming her own space, wonders if her couch-hiding stunt was petty or justified. Let’s dive into this story of sibling tension, teenage defiance, and a baby’s unrelenting cries.

‘AITA for hiding behind the couch so my sister wouldn’t hand her screaming baby to me?’

My (14f) sister Della (19f) is in college. She took her 2nd semester off because she recently had a baby, Roxy (0f). She knows who the father is, but they aren't in a relationship.. Della came back home for the semester break to make it easier for her.

Roxy has these 'meltdowns' (don't have a better word) where she's cranky, tired, and is just screaming her head off. When I sing a certain song to her by a pop band I love, she calms down. I have to sing to her for an hour or more. I am not a good singer, but Roxy likes it anyway.

It also works when she's just normal fussy-crying. Della always hands Roxy to me when she cries, especially during her meltdowns. Della and I had an argument a week ago, about the stupidest thing. Della wanted me to stop singing a song under my breath while I was making myself a snack, and I said she can't control me.

(It wasn't about the noise, it was about her thinking that I'm a terrible singer and not wanting to 'be subjected to that God-awful noise.') She told me that I was a selfish, lazy a**hole who doesn't care about anyone but herself, and I said that fine, since my singing is so bad, I wouldn't calm Roxy with it.

She said fine. On Thursday, when I got home from school, my parents were working and Roxy was having one of her meltdowns. Della tried to hand me Roxy. I said no, my singing is crap and I didn't want to subject anyone to it, and walked away.

Then I hid behind the couch so she wouldn't be able to force me into helping with Roxy. Della thought I'd gone to a friend's, and didn't look for me for a while, until she decided to call me to see when I'd be home. She heard the phone ring, and was furious that I didn't come out and help her.

ADVERTISEMENT

My parents are telling me it was super immature to hide, Della is a stressed, sleep-deprived teenager and she needed me then and I wasn't there for her. And now I don't know. They want me to apologize, and I don't want to, but maybe I was just being petty and Della was just tired.. AITA?

This tale of a teen ducking baby duty highlights the strain of misplaced family expectations. The 14-year-old, roped into soothing her sister’s infant during meltdowns, faces an unfair burden. Her sister, overwhelmed as a young single mom, leans heavily on her, while their argument over singing reveals deeper tensions about respect and responsibility.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dr. Lisa Damour, a psychologist specializing in adolescence, notes, “Teenagers need space to grow, not to be thrust into adult roles”. The teen’s couch-hiding act, while cheeky, signals a need for boundaries, not immaturity. Her sister’s reliance risks “parentification,” where kids take on adult responsibilities, affecting 10-15% of teens in complex family dynamics.

This issue reflects broader challenges of balancing family support with personal growth. The sister, stressed and sleep-deprived, needs help, but not at her teen sibling’s expense. Dr. Damour suggests clear communication: the teen could say, “I love Roxy, but I need time for myself too.” Parents should mediate, ensuring duties are shared fairly.

ADVERTISEMENT

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

Reddit’s crew jumped in with their signature mix of sass and support, serving up hot takes on this couch-hiding caper.

TRoseee − NTA. Dellas baby is not your baby. You are a 14 year old child. If she’s so stressed she should be looking into some sort of child support or help from the father but forcing her baby on her 14 year old sister is not okay.

Pretty_Yellow_9601 − I mean that WAS a super immature way to deal with it but 1. You’re a kid so you’re allowed to be immature 2. That’s not your baby and you aren’t responsible for always being the one to calm her down.. NTA

Obvious_Ad_8068 − NTA. You are 14 years old. You have no obligation to be a babysitter everytime your sister requires. You are not responsible for wrong decisions that your 'adult' sister has made. She is the one that should be able to learn how to calm her baby. It was sweet of you to help her so far. But it's not your duty whatsoever.

ADVERTISEMENT

[Reddit User] − NTA. You are also a teenager. I would have a conversation with your parents- without Dalla there - to discuss that you are a child. Helping the family unit is things like doing chores (dishes, do your own laundry, etc)

or small things like putting groceries away when someone comes home from the store. It is not being the second parent to your sisters child. The solution to a stressed, sleep deprived teenage parent is not to add a stressed, sleep deprived teenage aunt to the childcare mix.

[Reddit User] − NTA. You didn't get to decide if she had that baby. In no way is that baby your responsibility. Della is tired because she CHOSE to have a baby and be tired for the rest of her life.

ADVERTISEMENT

[Reddit User] − NTA. Her baby is her problem, not yours.

my-day-old-tea − nta, you are not immature, you're a child. yes, it's nice to help your sister with her new baby but *you don't have to.* she just has to learn that you can't be unkind to those who are helping you. also you don't have to give up your childhood for your sister. please don't become this kid's mom, becoming a parent was entirely your sister's choice.

Hum4n_C4ctu5 − NTA, Not your monkey. Go enjoy your life, that kid is ZERO PERCENT your responsibility. Your sister needs to figure out her own s**t, pawning her kid off on you all the time is not reasonable.

ADVERTISEMENT

Reaverbait − Sideways parentification isn't any better than the regular variety.. Say you're happy to spend time with your niece but you're not her parent and will never be.. If the father is known, why isn't he helping raise his child?

Thrwwy747 − NTA not your baby,not your problem.

These Reddit gems are bold, but do they nail the heart of this family feud? Is the teen truly off the hook, or is there more to unpack?

ADVERTISEMENT

This story of a teen dodging her sister’s baby duties shows how family love can tangle with personal boundaries. The young girl’s couch-hiding move, while playful, underscores her need to be a kid, not a stand-in parent. Her sister’s stress is real, but leaning on a 14-year-old isn’t the answer. Have you ever felt trapped by family expectations? What would you do in this teen’s shoes? Drop your thoughts below and let’s keep the conversation going!

Share this post
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *