My siblings are taking advantage of me
DEAR DEIDRE: I am worried that my siblings are taking advantage of me.
Whether it’s childcare, lending money, or even running errands, I’m constantly doing things for them, yet they never help me in return.
I’m a 29-year-old single woman and I have one brother and two sisters who I’ve always had a close relationship with.
Over the last couple of years, they’ve all found partners and had children.
While I expected our relationships to change, it’s become clear that these days they only want me around when they need something. I’m starting to feel used.
I babysit for them and do all the present shopping for everyone in the family.
Yet if I were to ask them for a favour in return they come up with an excuse.
I know parenthood can be demanding, but I feel so isolated from them all.
How do I tell them how I feel without causing issues?
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DEIDRE SAYS: It’s likely that your siblings are unaware of how they’re making you feel.
Becoming a parent can be all-consuming, and they probably haven’t taken the time to consider how all this could be affecting you.
Find a moment to talk to them and be completely honest. Set some boundaries and explain that while you don’t mind helping them out, you feel isolated and unsupported.
Hopefully, after everything is out in the open, things will start to change.
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