AITA for Helping My Nephews Run Away? Spoiler Alert: I’m Probably a Saint
Oh, buckle up, folks. Have I got a story for you! Picture it: two adorable twin boys (now 18), a conniving mother, and a desperate call for freedom—sounds like a twisted bedtime story, doesn’t it? Well, grab your popcorn because this one is based on a real Reddit post from a real person.
Once Upon a Time…
Let’s set the stage. Two twin nephews—both fine young lads of 18—are trapped in a situation that makes the confines of a reality TV show look like a five-star resort. These boys live (somehow survive) with their mother and her boyfriend, who just so happens to be NOT their father. The torment had to start somewhere, right? Same old, same old—woman meets freeloader, and they start milking the closest cash cow. Enter, twin nephews.
Our hero, that’s right, ME, is the uncle who lived with these charming kiddos when they were newborns—before their mother decided to trade sanity for a scam show with her boyfriend.
Fast forward to when they were 13. The boys spent a memorable summer with me and my family. It was a magical time—bonds were reforged, and lo and behold, it was like I had two new sons. Summer ended, and it was one quick game of ‘Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe.’ One went back to delightful mom while the other, savvy early, said, ‘Heck no!’ and stayed with yours truly. Drama? We had it, but the boy adjusted and blossomed. The period of parental bliss was cut short—Mom dearest wanted him back after a year. But, surprise! He preferred my humble abode over the reincarnation of Dante’s Inferno.
The Teenage Dilemma
Five years zipped by like a dodging bullet, and guess what? These boys became young men. As young men often do, they reconnected with their dear ol’ uncle. We laughed, joked, and shared stories—until we landed on the bombshell. Sit down for this one.
Our twins had jobs. Yay! Independence, responsibility… that was a short-lived joy. Mom and Mr. Freeloader had them hand over their debit cards to ‘save their money.’ Sounds shady? You have no idea. Those cronies burned through around $5,000 of the boys’ hard-earned cash, turning their pay into an ignis fatuus, leading them straight to financial doom.
Here’s the kicker: While sipping my morning coffee, the tactical mastermind in me advised the boys to wait and finish high school—ye olde traditional advice. But things took a sharp turn, and the gloves had to come off.
Houston, We Have a Problem…
Drama reached its crescendo when one of the nephews (let’s call him ‘Ned’) was fed up and threatened to cancel his card. Mama Bear retaliated with a kick-out threat, causing him to call Uncle Roger (that’s me, keep up!) for an SOS.
Today’s teens and their need to escape toxic households, am I right? Regardless, I promised Ned a bus ticket to my state if the situation escalated. And escalate it did.
Not long after, both boys rang me up, united in their resolve to leave for good. Cue Uncle Roger swooping in with bus tickets, ready to save the day. Boom! Just call me the Patron Saint of Estranged Nephews.
Claws Unleashed
The very next day, Mama Bear woke from her dream world to realize her cubs had fled the den. She gave me a call and unleashed a tempest of fury. Surprise, surprise! She was mad that I hadn’t informed her that I was liberating her children. The audacity of parents these days, you know?
Roger’s Unsolicited, Yet Witty, Opinion
Now, here’s the crux of the issue. Let’s all take a collective deep breath for dramatic effect… Okay, listen, if you’re asking if I’m the asshole here, the answer is a big, fat NO.
Casually using your kids as ATMs is the parenting equivalent of waking up and choosing violence daily. Advising the twins to escape such a fiscal hellhole isn’t just an act of kindness—it’s public service. Cupid would blush at the love and justice I’ve displayed.
Helping my nephews run away from financial exploitation? Darling, I should get a cape with a bold ‘S’ for Savior. And to my sister? Sweetheart, maybe this is your cue to revisit life choices and spare the world your melodrama. You’re welcome.
Until next time, let’s keep the wit sharp and remember: Never hand your debit card over to anyone who wouldn’t know the meaning of a necktie, let alone a job.
Original story
My twin nephews (18m) live in another state with their mother and her boyfriend (not their father). We all lived together (boyfriend excluded) when the boys were first born, and I was very close to them before they moved away.
I didn’t see them again until they were 13, when they spent a summer with me and my family. It took some adjustment, but soon it was like I had two new sons.
When the summer ended, one returned to their mother, while the other, citing behavioral issues at home, stayed with me. He had some challenges but adjusted well and became a really great and kind kid (still is).
After about a year, his mother wanted him back, but he strongly preferred to stay. I discussed it with my sister, but she was against the idea.
Five years later, the boys are now young men. Although I haven’t seen them during this time, we easily reconnect when we meet.
We joke, talk, and they share updates on their lives with me. During a recent conversation, they confided in me (asking me not to tell my sister) that they have jobs and their mother and her boyfriend convinced them to hand over their debit cards under the pretense of “saving their money.
” Both my sister and her boyfriend are unemployed and have been using the boys’ income to support themselves, and spent every dime the boys have earned (~5k). The boys want to leave, and I advise them to wait until they finish high school.
That was the plan until a few days ago when one of the boys argued with my sister and threatened to cancel his card. To which she threatened to kick him out, and he called me, asking for help.
I promised him a bus ticket to my state if she followed through on her threat. Last night, both boys called me and said they wanted to leave.
True to my word, I bought them bus tickets.
My sister called me today, furious that I hadn’t informed her about any of this. AITA?