A young woman recently asked Redditors for their opinions after she refused to take custody of her half-sister now that their parents are gone. This is her full story.
She’s Been Through a Lot
OP is a 22-year-old woman who is in college and has a job.
Her mother died when she was three years old, and her father got remarried when she was 7.
It Was a Stable Life
OP’s father and stepmother then went on to have their own daughter, who is now 12 years old.
OP has always been close with her father and stepmother, and she appreciates the stability their marriage brought to her life.
Now She Doesn’t Feel Safe
But OP’s half-sister is difficult to be around because she has Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED).
Her unpredictable and sometimes violent outbursts created an environment in which OP felt unsafe.
She Had to Move Out
Things got bad enough with her half-sister that OP ultimately made the difficult decision to move out at the age of 18 for her own well-being.
It Was Devastating
But then OP’s stepmother died two years ago, devastating her daughter and OP’s dad, who had been battling his own declining health.
It Was the Worst Thing Possible
Things went from bad to worse when OP’s father suffered a workplace injury a year ago.
And then, not long before OP told her story on Reddit, her dad died, as well.
What Will Happen to Her?
The recent passing of both their father and his wife left a void in the girls’ life, and now the responsibility of caring for the half-sister is up in the air.
It Was Yet Another Loss
After the stepmother died, OP’s aunt came to stay with her dad and her younger daughter.
But once the father died, the aunt decided she needed to go home.
They Want Her to Do It
Many of OP’s family members told her that they were willing to take on her half-sister if they had to.
But they’re all also pushing for her to become the girl’s legal guardian.
She’s Lost Too Much Already
The family says that it’s OP’s responsibility to step up by moving home and caring for her half-sis so that the girl’s life isn’t further disrupted.
She shouldn’t have to lose her school and friends after she’s already lost her parents, they say.
She Won’t Do It
But OP says there’s no way she’s taking on responsibility for her half-sister! She’s still uneasy around the girl and doesn’t think she could handle the girl’s outbursts on her own.
And moving home would mean OP would have to drop out of school and likely get a new fulltime job.
She Won’t Put Her Life on Hold
Since her half-sister is still just 12 years old, raising her would mean OP had to put her life on hold for at least 6 years.
That’s not the way she wants to spend her 20s, and she refuses to take that plunge.
She Has a Choice
But OP’s family continues to push, saying that her half-sister has been abandoned over and over.
The difference, they say, is that her parents didn’t have any choice about leaving her, but OP is deliberately leaving her to fend for herself.
She Has Other Family
Despite the guilt trip, OP plans to stick to her guns, and she points out that her half-sister will end up living with other family members. She won’t be entering the foster system.
Reddit commenters overwhelmingly support OP in taking a stance and refusing to become her half-sister’s guardian.
Many applaud her mature approach and her openness about her inability to care for the younger girl.
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The post She Refuses Guardianship of Half-Sister After the Tragic Loss of Her Parents – She’s Not Ready or Able for That Responsibility! first appeared on Mama Say What?!
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / fizkes. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit
