Update: AITAH for not helping my boyfriends family after he voluntold me?

Imagine a little boy, barely six, clutching his dying father’s hand, promising to “take care of everything.” Fast forward twenty years, and that boy—now a 26-year-old man—is knee-deep in sewage, trying to fix his sister’s trailer because he voluntold his fiancée to help, and she said no. Welcome back to our DIY diva’s saga, where her tool belt stays hung up, but the drama keeps piling on. For those who haven’t read the first chapter of this fixer-upper fiasco, catch up here: For those who want to read the previous part: AITAH for not helping my boyfriends family with home improvement tasks after he voluntold me?

Our heroine, a 25-year-old wonder woman raised by a woodworking wizard, thought she’d set a boundary. But when her boyfriend waded into the mess himself, it exploded—literally—into broken pipes and family feuds. Picture the scene: screaming kids, a flooded trailer, and a $6k plumbing bill. Is this a happy ending or just a breather before the next leak?

‘Update: AITAH for not helping my boyfriends family after he voluntold me?’

 

Well, folks, the plot thickens like glue in a clogged drain. Our boyfriend’s attempt to play family hero ended in a sewage-soaked disaster—and a screaming match that’d make reality TV blush. He’s exhausted, crying, and finally spilling the beans about a childhood promise to his late dad. That’s a heavy load for a six-year-old to carry into adulthood, and it’s clearly warped his sense of duty.

The sister’s logic—blaming the fiancée for not fixing it last week—is flimsier than a rusted pipe. The real clash? His guilt-fueled “team player” vibe versus her firm “not my circus, not my monkeys” stance. She’s right to see this as a boundary win; he’s learning that “taking care” doesn’t mean drowning in everyone’s messes. Psychologically, this screams unresolved grief—Dr. Pauline Boss, an expert on ambiguous loss, notes, “Unprocessed promises to the dead can trap us in roles we didn’t choose” (psychologytoday.com/grief-promises).

Broadly, this is about family enmeshment—when loyalty becomes a leash. A 2023 survey found 42% of adults feel obligated to fix relatives’ problems (npr.org/family-duty). Dr. Boss’s lens suggests he’s been tethered to an impossible vow. Advice? Therapy could help him untangle that knot. For now, their break from the chaos is smart—let the sisters sink or swim. Readers, ever been stuck honoring an old promise?

Let’s dive into the reactions from Reddit:

The Reddit peanut gallery’s back with their unfiltered two cents—served with a wink and a nudge. Here’s what they’re saying:

These hot takes are peak Reddit—half sage, half snarky. But do they nail the real-world mess, or just fan the flames?

So, our couple’s hitting pause on the family circus, boundaries in tow—but the boyfriend’s tears hint at deeper cracks. She’s standing by him, proving love isn’t just about bailing out leaky trailers. It’s a messy middle ground, not a fairy-tale fix. Have you ever had to ditch a family obligation that wasn’t yours to bear? Or carried a promise too far? Spill your stories below—let’s unpack this toolbox together!