I Refuse to Host My Sister—I Don’t Care If She’s Homeless With 3 Kids

Stories like this hit hard because they’re painfully realistic. They start with empathy, a sense of duty, and the idea that “it’s temporary”. Then the lines blur, boundaries disappear, and what was meant as help turns into stress, resentment, and real consequences.

I Let My Sister Move In—It Turned Into a Nightmare.

My sister went through a bad divorce. She lost her apartment and recently her job. She has three daughters, all under 15. She has taken care of them since their dad left town after the divorce.

She kept jumping from house to house. She stayed with Mom for 2 months, then moved out, moved in with my uncle, then moved out, then moved in with my brother in the city, but only stayed with him for a few days before moving out.

She asked to move in with me, and I agreed, although I was a bit hesitant since I’ve got a lot on my plate. My husband is sick and was discharged from the hospital recently. She said that since I don’t have kids (which is a bit insensitive of her to say, given my infertility issues), then everything will be fine.

She moved in, and it was horrible! The girls started making an endless mess: they’d mess with the dog, break stuff, and stay up late at night, and worst of all, my sister would have my husband watch the girls while I’m at work and while she goes to the salon. Not to work there but to get herself ready for “job interviews,” which she never attends, then say “they didn’t hire her.”

I wanted to be patient and graceful and find solutions to the girls’ misbehavior, like hiding important stuff (my husband’s meds+my makeup). But it all came to a head days ago.

Since my husband’s sick, he can’t cook by himself. Before I leave for work, I’d prepare breakfast and leave it for him in the fridge. It’s a healthy breakfast needed for meds. Also, if I’m working overtime, I’d prepare lunch for him the night before.

While at work, I got a text from my husband telling me he couldn’t find anything to eat. He was asking about yogurt. Anything to take with his meds? I told him there was an entire breakfast that I left for him in the fridge. He said it wasn’t there when he woke up.

I was confused but only momentarily, as I’d realized the girls had eaten it. I was very upset; I called my sister, and she kept hanging up on me. Then sent a text saying she was in the middle of a job interview. So not only had she left the girls with my husband, knowing he couldn’t watch them, she let them eat his breakfast.

I texted her about it, and she said it was not a big deal and that she was in a hurry for her “job interview” (you’ll see why I used quote marks later) and didn’t make them breakfast. I went off on her, saying she was out of line and had made my and my husband’s life a living nightmare. She did not respond.

It was a terrible day. I bought groceries and cooked again. I waited for her before talking to the girls cause they lied, saying, “The dog ate the food.” She returned at 7 pm. Way late.

I confronted her, and she downplayed it, saying it was fine, the girls didn’t know, it was an emergency, and so on. She even tried to apologize to my husband, but I told her she needed to move out and that she had one week. She looked at me, stunned, and started arguing about how she couldn’t afford the rental. I told her she could with her new job.

What she said next left me speechless. She said the interview “didn’t work out.” Why? Because her interviewer happened to be her ex’s friend. THE COINCIDENCE!

She said she made a scene and walked out. I told her it was wild of her to expect me to believe that story. She started crying and trying to show me “proof,” but she didn’t even open her phone. I said it was final and went to my room.

My husband said he didn’t want me and my sister to fight because of him. I assured him it wasn’t just that. I was surprised when she kept sending the girls, one by one, to knock on my door and beg me. I felt so horrible; now I’m slowly starting to reconsider my decision. © throw63581929 / Reddit

Reddit Had One Clear Verdict.

• Time for your sister and her three little menaces to go be someone else’s problem. Some people have to learn things the hard way. © Ok_Childhood_9774 / Reddit
• Now we know why she only lasted a couple of months at her other places. She didn’t leave. She got kicked out. © CatsMom4Ever / Reddit
• When you are a guest in someone’s home, you treat it with respect and courtesy. You should be grateful. Her children show you exactly how much they appreciate it.
  They lie, steal, and break things. They knew you didn’t cook that for them. But since they see their mom trampling all over you, they do it too.
  What your sister is doing is shirking all her responsibilities onto your husband and you! Why wouldn’t you be happy about it, right? The job interview was her having lunch, catching up with a friend, because she has everything else covered by you. It’s time to take out the trash. © RemoteViewingLife / Reddit

• What is horrible is your sister putting her own children up as distressed flying monkeys. If you cave now, it’s all over. She’ll never leave and never respect your home. © Scenarioing / Reddit
• I think I can see why her ex divorced and took off. The fact that she went through other family members as fast as she did should have been lots of red flags for you. © LaryReika / Reddit
• Your sister is a nightmare and a mooch. It is clear why all the other family members made her leave and possibly why her husband left. Kick her out and don’t feel bad for her. As for the kids, you may need to have a family meeting (without the sister) to see what to do about them if she loses custody. © WobbleTodd / Reddit
• Sending the kids to do her dirty work? Nah, that’s manipulative. I can’t imagine how hard it’s been for her, being divorced with 3 kids; it does not give her the right to take advantage of you.
  Why would they think it’s funny to hide their uncle’s medicine? Why would they think it’s acceptable to eat food they know is for him? © GhostLeopard_*** / Reddit

• Yeah, your husband has it wrong. It’s not because of him. It’s because of your sister’s lack of responsibility or acknowledgement that her kids misbehaved.
  They don’t sound too young to understand that meds are important, and you don’t mess around with someone’s med schedule. It sounds like it’s not going to work out. Sure, it would be “nice of you” to give them a second chance, and maybe the girls will have learned. But they don’t seem like the type of people who “deserve” second chances.
  They seem more like takers and inconsiderate people, and it’s really just sad these are the types of adults your sister is raising. Not to mention it’s also kind of telling they had to leave every other relative’s home before yours. © PettyHonestThrowaway / Pexels

Helping family can quietly turn into losing yourself, and knowing when to stop is the hardest part. If this story struck a nerve, here’s another one that tackles the same uncomfortable truth: sometimes setting boundaries is the only way out. 👉 I Refused to Give Up Motherhood to Be My Mom’s Unpaid Caregiver