Is this going too far?
First of all: I am 12 and therefore still a child myself!
Hey!
I have a little brother (1 year old, he was actually unplanned) and I see him every 2 weeks on the weekend (because he is from my father and stepmother and I live with my mother) and always for half of the holidays (for example, I am staying with my dad for another 2 weeks).
I love my brother more than anything, and he means a lot to me. I really enjoy taking care of him, but I wanted to ask if this is starting to go too far with my father and stepmother.
I feel like a second mother to him. But first, let me tell you:
I am always the first one (I have 2 older brothers) to be asked if I can babysit and I am always expected to say yes.
Recently, I said no because I was texting with my crush. The question immediately came: "Is xy more important to you than your little brother?" Of course not, but I wanted a few minutes to myself. The result: I had to take care of him after all.
It's often handed to me in the morning with the phrase, "Could you take care of xy for a bit?" It's usually a few hours. Recently, for example, I came out of my room and it was handed to me right away. I'd only been awake for 10 minutes and wanted to get ready. That wasn't the first time.
I also often get yelled at for "mistakes" (you can't really call them mistakes because he still has a lot to learn) that he makes. Here's an example: Yesterday we went swimming in a lake, and my brother put his feet in the water, even though he was still wearing his normal clothes (shorts, t-shirt). I was supposed to pull him out for a moment, no problem. I then took him by the hand to help him out of the water, and he sat down halfway, so his pants got wet in one place. I then had to listen to my dad scold me, which was completely unnecessary because his pants were dry anyway, and because he could have just done it himself at that moment (he was just standing there at the time).
I also always feel responsible when he gets hurt or something.
I'm not doing so well mentally in general and I'm in therapy, but it's really stressing me out because I feel as if I were already a mother.
I spend hours taking care of him every day and it makes me so tired and weak.
So is this going too far for my father and stepmother?
Please refrain from unnecessary things immediately… Thank you!
It goes too far, because obviously your brothers are NOT taking responsibility.
Talk to the two (or write them a letter if you can express yourself better).
Tell them that you like to take care of the little one, but that you don’t think it’s okay that your brothers are NOT being taken into duty and that it’s not all right that you are constantly being stretched as a babysitter.
It’s completely okay to take care of little siblings and you obviously do. But it is still the child of the parents. You can’t just have you and your time.
You need to talk to each other urgently
Tell your parents how you feel and tell them you need time for you and school. You have to find a solution before your love for your brother strikes in disgust. If necessary, the Youth Office must be switched on, which supports such questions.
You love.
Yeah, that’s too far. Talk to them, say that you love your brother infinitely, but still want time for you. As his sister, it’s not your job to take care of him all the time. Sometimes yes, but not always!
If that doesn’t work, talk to your mother and see what she means.
Yeah, that’s too far.
And if I read it out like this, it’s not true for a long time. You’re getting into the house as a babysitter. Your recreational activities are ignored, you’re talking about guilt.
Are you paying for taking care of the child? A minimum wage of 10 euros would be appropriate.
Or they have to take care of the child themselves. Or find someone else – but, oh wonder, they want to be paid.
I’d talk to your therapist and practice a strategy to find the conversation or reject future requests. You may also get that mother into the boat, only she would be caught by the separation and in the situation certainly not the best support.
Well, the separation has been 11 years ago 😅 But well.
And yet, I can only see him every two weeks on the weekend as my father lives for 1 hour 20 minutes.
Only momentarily are vacations and I’m always a little longer with my father.
Oh, no, they don’t pay me
Does this matter how long the separation has been?
And what do they do when you look after the child? And yes, it’s not fairer. You can also give him to your brothers if they need some free time. And you can behave as they do. Then the child just press the next one into the hand and disappear.