AITA for separating myself from demanding and controlling aunt, who gossips and wants free labor?

I just want to know if I’m being unreasonable for separating myself from a family member who needs a caregiver, but isn’t willing to pay me for the work or respect boundaries? She says "family should help family at no cost." Three years ago, she had a stroke and no one except me stepped up to help her. She insisted back then that she’d pay me and couldn’t afford a mainstream caregiver which charged about $200/day. I told her I’d do it for $300/week. She agreed. I spent the better part of 12 weeks there, some days I’d go back home for rest and maintaining my own life, but I spent most of my time shopping and cleaning and doing very disgusting things to keep her going, walking her dog, laundry, errands and carting her around. She had a habit of gossip and felt the need to bash and insult my parents (her brother and sister in law), while I was serving her. I told her that I didn’t appreciate her talking negative about my parents, when it was their offspring serving you; who had no kids. I set that boundary, she agreed and on the first opportunity she broke that agreement. I told her that since you broke the agreement within a day of making it, that I would have to separate myself from this situation, if she did it again. She lasted about a week after that, before bashing my parents again and complaining to other people about the way I did her chores. Im all for improvement, but complaining to people who could literally do nothing about it, frustrated me; when she wouldn’t tell me directly what she didn’t like about my work. I’m the only one who can improve on it, so there was no reason to gossip to others about it. So I told her that I was no longer comfortable taking care of her, because she couldn’t control her gossip about me or my parents. Time goes by, she depends on her neighbors and old friends to help. But they start to burn out and she asks if I can take care of her again, but this time she said "Family should take care of family, so I won’t be paying you this time, because I can’t afford it." I told her, "no problem, you have lots of guitars, you can trade me a guitar or two for my work, since you can’t pay me." She refused and told me I was an ‘ungrateful nephew’ for expecting payment for this, when I should do it for free. When previously she was willing to pay me. Now she re-frames the whole situation to other family members about me "abandoning her" and that "he can’t be trusted," because I set a boundary that she can’t respect and that I want compensation for my round-the-clock service. She’s now in dire straits, no one is willing to help her now, especially for free. I told her that I’d help her, but not for free and if she can’t pay me, then compensate me with a guitar. She still refused. So I told her "when you’re willing to treat me fairly for my time, call me. Until then, best of luck to you." She now has disowned me as her nephew and still gossips about this whole situation. AITA for cutting ties with her after disowning me?

8 thoughts on “AITA for separating myself from demanding and controlling aunt, who gossips and wants free labor?”
  1. NTA. Let’s be honest, do you really care?

    She can’t stop herself from burning bridges, cannot bear to part with guitars that don’t seem to be of any use to her and while she has a right to assistance, you have a right to free time and a liveable wage. She is not prepared to do the absolute basics of being civil, grateful and accepting boundaries.

    This is her problem and her problem alone. Leave her to sort it out.

    1. I do care. That’s why I am asking. When you love a person, it generally overshadows their disrespect for you. That’s why an objective answer is valuable. You make a good point though, and I’ll be considering what you said. You essentially said “a worker is worth their wages,” and I agree with that. Thank you for the feedback.

  2. Life pro tip: stay far away from toxic people. And if you don’t stay far away, then they try and destroy you. Lesson learned. Did you notice how no one else wants to help her? 🤔 NTA.

    1. People helped for a short time, but couldn’t handle the overwheling work. Yeah I did start seeing a pattern. Even her life-long best friend wasn’t willing to commit to anything more than a few times. Certainly nothing consistent. So you confirmed that she is toxic and I’m not being unreasonable. Thank you for your feedback. Much appreciated.

  3. Trust your instincts. The gut feeling is usually right. It’s just a matter of listening to it. And it sounds like you have your eyes open. Smart.

  4. Her act of disowning you means that she cut the ties already. By staying away, you’re respecting her wishes

  5. NTA, and do not barter with her or even make it an option for you to help her. You were generous to offer help for very little pay. You set reasonable boundaries for her to not insult your parents, and she couldn’t respect that. If she refuses to be respectful to someone who is helping her, she can find someone else to help. It is possible she needs to use professional services instead of trying to rely on family. You don’t owe her anything, and pleade do not let her guilt you into dedicating your time and sanity to being an underpaid (or unpaid) caregiver.

    Caretaker burnout is real. You deserve to live your life without the burden and pressure of taking care of a family member. 

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