Couple in Disagreement As Husband Refuses To Shelter SIL’s Family Of Four Following Their Abrupt Eviction

“I made it clear to my wife that we can’t squeeze in four extra people into our home!”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• December 7, 2023

Our narrator (Original Poster), fifteen years strong in marriage, stood navigating the chaos of parenting three kids alongside his lovely wife. Life seemed comfortably routine until a sudden twist arrived.

OP’s wife's younger sister, Ann, was nestled on the sunny shores of Florida with her girlfriend and two kids. Unfortunately, their lives were abruptly unraveled as they faced the prospect of eviction. 

Their landlord refused to renew their lease, and they were given such short notice to vacate—it was all a huge disaster. Since the political climate in Florida had grown chilly towards LGBTQ folks, Ann decided to Join OP’s family in the Midwest; there was just one problem—they needed to seek refuge in his home till they found a place.

When OP’s wife filled him in on their predicament, he was filled with compassion; however, he had a few reservations. They had just one extra bedroom—how would they pull off accommodating a family of four?

This extra bedroom also doubled as his workstation since he had no physical office. Not to mention, since the housing market was a mess, they were definitely expecting an extended stay. Frankly, OP didn’t see how this could work.

His wife wasn’t thrilled by this response and accused him of being inconsiderate—after all, didn’t he once house his brother’s family? 

Sure, no lies there, but OP explained that circumstances were very different back then. They had two spare bedrooms, and his brother’s family was on a very strict time frame.

OP’s wife still insists he is playing favorites. How else can he make her understand?

The story in detail

A bit of background

Ann asked OP’s wife (her sister) if she could stay with them till the housing situation was sorted

OP made it clear to his wife that he has a lot of reservations about Ann moving in with them

OP’s wife is upset and has accused him of not caring about her sister, especially because they sheltered his brother recently

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

“NTA. You’re clear in your reasoning.”

“I can see why your wife would be hurt by this because she's not thinking about logistics here; she's just thinking with her heart.”

“NTA. You articulated clear and cogent reasons for declining to allow them to stay with you.“

“NTA. However, so she can’t accuse you of playing favorites, create a concrete contract.”

“NAH…Find Ann and her family a nice, affordable short term Air B&B and help them house hunt once they arrive.”

“NTA. With no assurance of what happens after a month or two you can end up in a bad situation.“

In the eyes of the Redditors, OP's rationale for refusing his sister-in-law's stay holds water. The community resonated with his concerns about the potential upheaval for him and the kids. 

While acknowledging her desire to aid the family, the consensus was that his wife should weigh the profound impact on their household. Especially since the ‘temporary’ arrangement could potentially turn indefinite due to the challenging housing market.

They urged for collaborative brainstorming so more sustainable solutions might emerge.

Do you agree with this verdict? Let us know in the comments.

Jesse