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By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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The internet has backed a woman who refused to help pay her mom's rent, despite her sister insisting it is unfair.
Redditor u/charitycasesister hit out at her sister, who worked from the age of 11 as a babysitter for an extremely rich family. The family helped her build connections, ultimately allowing her to climb the ladder at a childcare center.
Their single mother of three asked her for financial help, but she refused, prompting the original poster (OP) to accuse her of being "a rich family's charity case." For context, the family grew up "broke" in a wealthy area, and the sister now manages five childcare centers after graduating college half a decade ago.
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"My sister refused because she doesn't think my mom has done anything to help herself. I was sick of her acting like she's better than us just because she had better opportunities so I told her the reason she's well off now is because because she was a rich person's charity case and they made sure she got good jobs and stuff. Now she's mad at me for being rude and she's refusing to help us out or talk to us. AITA?" she wrote in the subreddit "Am I The A****," where it garnered 4,100 upvotes.
Expert Insight
Etiquette expert Jo Hayes weighed in on the situation with Newsweek, stating that the OP was "out of line" for their remarks.
"We only have scant facts to comment on here, but if even if the 'rich family' has helped your sister out, labeling her a 'rich family's charity case' is mean spirited. And, I will add, not the way to get her on side if you're hoping she'll help your mom pay the rent," she said.
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She also questioned why the OP was not contributing to their mother's rent and pointed out that financial success is not solely due to connections. The sister likely worked hard, made smart career and financial decisions, and sacrificed to achieve her current stability. Hayes noted that boundaries in family finances are important and speculated that the sister may be enforcing a healthy one.
Further, she suggested that simply giving money isn't always the right way to help someone in financial distress. If the mother is struggling due to poor financial choices, providing money might enable bad habits rather than solving the root issue. Without more details, Hayes leaned toward supporting the sister's decision to withhold financial aid.
"Without all the facts, I can't make full judgement here, but I'm erring towards your sister being in the right. It's very likely she's simply setting very clear financial boundaries (essential in families), and to that, I say, again—well done, her," she said.
Reddit Reacts
Redditors were quick to scold the OP, with many siding with the wealthier sister.
"YTA what HAS your mother done to help herself? Don't get petty and jealous at your sister's success, it looks like she's worked very hard to get where she is," one user wrote.
"I mean her 'connections' were literally work connections. She went from being a babysitter to being recommended to work at a childcare center. She's literally managing five locations.
"OP is complaining that her sister won't give them money, but her sister literally has the ability to hire them and help them build a career, but OP does not seem to be asking for that," another added.
"Ding ding ding. Her family wants to mooch off her success while also criticizing her success. Total clowns," wrote a scathing commenter.
Newsweek reached out to u/charitycasesister for comment via Reddit. We could not verify the details of the case.
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