A young woman recently asked Redditors for their opinions after she refused to become her half-sister’s guardian when their father died. This is her full story.
Her Mom Died When She Was Only 3
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.
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.
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.
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.
She Has an Explosive Half-Sister
But then OP’s stepmother died two years ago, devastating her daughter and OP’s dad, who had been battling his own declining health.
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.
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.
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.
Her Step Mom and Dad Died Too
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.
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.
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.
She Refused to Be Her Guardian
And moving home would mean OP would have to drop out of school and likely get a new fulltime job.
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.
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’s Sticking To Her Guns
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.
Several Redditors point out that OP’s family members aren’t backing up their words with actions. If they’re ready and willing to take on her half-sister, why do they insist that she does so instead?
So, what do you think of this story? Is OP right for refusing to take guardianship of her half-sister?
Or does she have a responsibility to take care of the younger girl now that her parents are gone?
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The post She Refuses to Take Custody of Her Explosive Half-Sister After Her Parents Died first appeared on The Net Worth Of.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Roman Samborskyi. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit