AITA for visiting my sister in law (or as she puts it, stalking her)?
Imagine a work van cruising a quiet neighborhood, our guy, a home repair pro, pulling up to his brother’s place for a breather between jobs. The door swings open, his sister-in-law nods a welcome, kids darting around in a whirlwind, and a steaming coffee cup lands in his hand. It’s a cozy pit stop—venting about work, musing about married life, then off to the next gig. For weeks, it’s his chill zone, a slice of calm in a busy day.
But the vibe sours fast! She stops inviting him in, shuts the door, and tensions bubble up. A fiery face-off erupts—SIL cries disrespect, he digs in, and suddenly “stalking” echoes through family chats, her PTSD adding weight. He axes the business, fuming, but now lines are drawn. Was he just popping by, or did his casual hangs veer into intrusive territory?
‘AITA for visiting my sister in law (or as she puts it, stalking her)?’
What starts as a casual visit can spiral into a boundary brawl! Our handyman thought his brother’s home was a laid-back lounge, sipping coffee, unloading woes. His SIL, polite at first, hit her limit, especially with PTSD in the mix, and begged for space. Ignoring her plea—lingering outside, axing the business—fueled a “stalking” claim, turning a chill stop into a hot mess.
Respecting space is key: a 2021 YouGov survey shows 60% of people want a heads-up before guests arrive (source). SIL, wrangling kids and trauma, craved control of her turf. Lingering in the yard after a “no” felt creepy, not casual—especially after dicey sex-life chats crossed a line.
Dr. Ramani Durvasula, a boundary expert, notes, “Unannounced visits test limits; consent is non-negotiable” (Psychology Today, source). Here, he missed her signals, taking “no” as a personal jab. Fix it? Text first: “Okay if I swing by?” For SIL, PTSD support via NAMI (source) could help.
Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:
Reddit’s dishing dirt, and it’s a zesty roast! From “entitled creep vibes” to “you sank your own ship,” the crew’s slicing this saga with sass. Check out their bold, witty takes below.
![[Reddit User] - YTA. You were constantly showing up over there uninvited. Of course she invited you in at first; you put her in an awkward position. Now you're just hanging outside the house? The rest of the conflict is separate from you being either entitled or a creep.](https://en.aubtu.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/283686c-09.png)
![[Reddit User] - YTA You showed up repeatedly without an invitation, cut into her morning routine while she has kids to try and wrangle, use her as free therapy, and then claim she's the disrespectful one? No, no she's not. You, however, are entitled and definitely exhibiting signs of something very close to weaponized incompetence.](https://en.aubtu.biz/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/283686c-10.png)
These are popular opinions on Reddit, but do they really reflect reality? Maybe he misjudged her welcome, or SIL’s stress dialed up the drama.
Our story closes with a riled-up handyman, a fed-up SIL, and a business left in shambles. He saw drop-ins as no big deal, but her plea for space—bolstered by PTSD—flipped it to “stalking” territory. Ignoring her sparked a blaze, and blaming her burned bridges. A simple “you cool if I stop by?” might’ve dodged this dust-up! What would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation? Toss your thoughts, boundary tips, or family fixes—let’s unravel this wild ride together!
