AITA for not paying for my sisters’ kids to take a family vacation?

A Reddit user finds themselves at the center of a family dispute over vacation costs. With their parents’ 45th wedding anniversary approaching, the user and their three sisters plan a five-night stay at a lake house in the Midwest.

However, the user, who does not have children, feels it’s unfair to split the rental costs evenly when the sisters’ six kids will occupy more bedrooms. Despite the sisters’ pleas to consider the additional expenses of traveling with kids, the user insists on only covering their own room.

This decision sparks significant drama within the family. Is the user justified in wanting a fair division of costs, or should they help out their sisters more? Read the full story below.

‘ AITA for not paying for my sisters’ kids to take a family vacation?’

So next year is my parents’ 45th wedding anniversary, and my sisters and I want to get the whole family together for five nights in a lake house somewhere in middle USA. I have three sisters, we are all married, and combined they have six kids total. I don’t have kids.

I live in Colorado, but my sisters and parents all live on the east side of the country. Because of their travel costs, we have to make sure wherever we choose is within driving distance for all of them, which would make it flying distance for my husband and me.

My sisters want to split the costs evenly for the lake house, even though their kids and will be taking up more bedrooms than my husband and I. I explained that this is unfair because we don’t have kids, and we should split it by room each family will be using.

They tried to guilt me into splitting the costs evenly by saying it’s more expensive to travel with children, and we all want the kids there, so we should \*all\* (me and my husband) be willing to help the parents out. But my husband and I have to fly AND rent a car, so our costs add up too.

So I said I will not be splitting it evenly, and will pay for the one bedroom my husband and I are taking up. Now this is causing a lot of drama in the family.

I’m not sure if I’m in the wrong because I really do want all the family to get together, and taking a stand about this might be more trouble than it’s worth. So, AITA for not paying for my sisters’ kids to take a family vacation?

Check out how the community responded:

Tinkerpro −  So you will pay for one bedroom, and chip in for mom & dad’s room. OR, you can take the number of bodies staying in the house and divide that into the cost.

Then each group can pay for their number of bodies. Make sure you get a room to yourself. I’ve seen too many times when the single person or the couple with no children get screwed out of a room with a bed and a door.

Dittoheadforever −  You’re NTA. They tried to guilt me into splitting the costs evenly by saying it’s more expensive to travel with children
No kidding, everything is more expensive when you have kids. That’s worked into the system.

They knew this when they had kids (though maybe not *how* much more.) Their kids, their responsibility. You could also make the argument that flying a long distance costs more than driving a short one, but you’re not asking them to subsidize your costs.

DustOne7437 −  From a mom of three. If they can’t afford to pay for their kids they shouldn’t be traveling.

Trespassingw −  NTA. Ask them if they are OK with splitting evenly housing+flights cost.

Bevin_Flannery −  NTA. IF you were all staying in a hotel, you would pay only for the room you use. It’s the same for a house.

Limerase −  NTA. People with kids need to pay for their own kids and not expect other people to help cover their expenses, especially because other people have expenses, too. You aren’t asking them to help cover your flight and car rental. But if they keep pushing, perhaps you should to make a point.

Pretty-Power-9848 −  NTA. Add your travel costs for the sake of fairness and make it business class.

FinnFinnFinnegan −  NTA they need to pay for their kids

Curious_Platform7720 −  NTA. Parents shouldn’t get a free pass just because their kids cost money.

Purple_Crikee −  Say you will pay for their kids if they pay for your flight and car rental.. NTA.

Do you think the user was right to insist on paying only for their own room, or should they have considered the financial burdens their sisters face with children? How would you approach a similar situation in your own family? Share your thoughts below!