Woman Watches Nephew For A Week And Realizes His Parents Aren’t Coming Back

Not everyone is cut out to be a parent. Countless stories of parents dumping their kids on someone else for days on end, and refusing to care for them, prove this.

A man did the same, when he left his toddler with his sister and went for a vacation. But once back home, he failed to say when, or if, he would pick up his child.

Here’s what happened when his sister got into an argument with him and decided to take matters in her own hands.

A woman was left caring for her nephew indefinitely when her brother refused to pick him up

Mom of 6 caring for young child while babysitting with toys scattered, feeling stressed and overwhelmed at home.

Image credits: Yunus Tuğ / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

What began as a short-term babysitting favor turned into a full-blown family drama

Mom of 6 feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting brother’s son whose number is blocked during conflict.

Text describing a mom of 6 feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting her brother’s son after he blocks her number.

Text on screen showing a stressed mom of 6 reminding her brother to be back by his child's birthday while babysitting.

Text about a mom of 6 feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting as her brother blocks her number.

Stressed mom of six sitting at desk with head in hand, feeling overwhelmed while babysitting brother’s son.

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Text describing a mom of six feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting her brother’s son after being blocked.

Text screenshot showing a mom of 6 feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting her brother’s son.

Mom of 6 stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting her nephew as her brother blocks her number after argument.

Alt text: Mom of 6 stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting as brother blocks her number, causing confusion and concern.

Image credits: VegetableBill2167

Parental neglect can leave lasting emotional scars

Every parent needs a community around them who will babysit their kids when they’re away or busy.

But putting your kids in someone else’s care for several days without any plan or timeline is as bad as abandoning them.

Being neglected by parents can leave long-lasting scars on a child, and research says it can make them feel shame, guilt, and emotional distress as they grow older.

Kids can also develop behavioral and emotional problems if they don’t have a designated primary caregiver, or if they are taken care of by multiple people when they are young.

Several countries have laws that warn against leaving a child without adequate care, supervision or communication from the parent — even when they are under someone else’s care.

Under US laws, “it is considered abandonment of the child when the parent’s identity or whereabouts are unknown, the child has been left by the parent in circumstances in which the child suffers serious harm, or the parent has failed to maintain contact with the child or to provide reasonable support for a specified period of time.”

While leaving your child with a relative is not automatically abandonment, Child Protection Services can intervene in cases when there are no firm, agreed plans with a caregiver and the kid is left for an indefinite period.

They can also intervene if the relative is unable or unwilling to care for the child.

Family caregivers also pay an emotional price

It’s the child who suffers the most in such situations, but we should not ignore the emotional strain felt by the relatives in whose care the child has been left.

In this case, the woman, who already has six kids of her own, felt overburdened when she was unexpectedly required to care for another child.

While she loves her nephew, and plans to take care of him if necessary, she was still left feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with the lack of clarity.

This kind of sudden responsibility can affect a caregiver’s mental health over time.

Experts say people should try to contact the parent repeatedly and document their attempts. In case the child is left indefinitely, without any concrete plans, the relative can also ask for written permission for caregiving authority if possible.

The Child Protection Services also recommends contacting them to find out if the situation is risky enough for their intervention.

Legal options, such as filing for temporary custody of the kid, are also recommended if the situation gets worse.

The woman talks about the child’s mother and her own struggles after people react

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Mom of 6 stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting as brother blocks her number, causing family tension.

Advice and support poured in from the online community

Screenshot of a Reddit comment expressing concern and urging to call CPS about a stressed mom blocked by brother while babysitting.

Text post showing a user stressed and overwhelmed as brother blocks her number while she’s babysitting his son.

Comment on Reddit by user fishwhisper22, suggesting to take the child home while babysitting, expressing stress and frustration.

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Comment expressing concern for a boy feeling unwanted, highlighting emotional stress for mom of 6 babysitting her nephew.

Comment advising to call the police about an abandoned child and notify the father who blocked her number.

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Mom of 6 stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting nephew, facing brother blocking her number in family conflict.

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Mom of 6 stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting brother’s son after he blocks her number.

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The woman talks about her background and family dynamics

Stressed mom of 6 sitting with eyes closed, overwhelmed while babysitting her brother’s son, feeling emotionally drained.

Image credits: Daniel Martinez / Unsplash (not the actual photo) 

Mom of 6 feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting her nephew after brother blocks her number unexpectedly

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Mom of 6 stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting son as brother blocks her number unexpectedly

Mom of 6 stressed and overwhelmed sitting on floor talking to man in a bedroom with a bed in the background

Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Text block describing a mom of 6 feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting her brother’s son after he blocks her number.

Mom of 6 feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting nephew after brother blocks her number.

Image credits: VegetableBill2167

She shares more about her brother’s situation

Comment discussing a mom of 6 feeling stressed and overwhelmed while her brother blocks her number during babysitting.

Screenshot of a Reddit conversation where a user explains GWL means Great Wolf Lodge, noted as a resort with an indoor waterpark.

Text conversation screenshot showing a discussion about CPS funding and kinship care in family placement cases.

Commenters discuss a stressed mom of 6 overwhelmed while babysitting her brother's son after he blocks her number.

Many praised the woman for stepping up, calling her an “angel” for protecting nephew

Comment text about a mom of six feeling stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting her brother’s son who blocked her number.

Reddit comment describing a mom of 6 stressed and overwhelmed while babysitting her brother’s son whose number she was blocked on.

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Comment expressing support for a stressed and overwhelmed mom of 6 babysitting her brother's son.

Screenshot of a stressed mom of six feeling overwhelmed while babysitting as her brother blocks her number on phone.

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