The original post: /r/amitheasshole by /u/Round_Perspective114 on 2024-09-29 12:56:51.

I (15F) have divorced parents with split custody. My dad and his wife have four kids (10M, 7F, 3F, and an under 1-year-old). My dad and wife tend to get stressed easily so they go out a few times a month and I’m always asked to watch my step/half-sibs.

I love my step/half-siblings and I’ve watched them a few times but it’s overwhelming. The baby is fussy and needs to be held 24/7, 3F is destructive, 7F always wants to do something with me and I just can’t so she throw fits and screams. Then, 10M is sweet, but he gets away with a lot of things but he’s always excused of being a boy so when I’m watching, he thinks he can do whatever he wants.

My dad’s house is perpetually messy and I’m expected to clean it. There’s been times where they haven’t kept much food in the fridge so I’m expected to pay for pizza with my own money too. I’m also supposed to be watching them for 1-2 hours but it always turns to more and I have missed events because of it.

I’ve come up with ways to deal with it. I’ve joined a lot of clubs/stay to study for my ap classes so they aren’t able to leave the kids home alone until I get home from school to watch them anymore. I can always do volunteering over the weekend too, so they can’t just leave the house unannounced anymore.

I’m on my dad’s time this week and friday they asked me to watch the kids yesterday because they were overwhelmed and needed a night to themsleves. (They would be gone from 5-7 but I know it would be more like 5-10). My older step-brother (mom’s side) was going to help his school’s game around the same-ish time, so I asked if I could come and he said yes.

I told my dad and his wife last minute and they said fine but then I started getting texts from them about being really upset they had to miss their night together and I’m being selfish. I just don’t know if what I did was right or not. I know they’re very burnt out and they’re family so I could’ve just helped but at the same time I’m just tired.