'AITA for kicking out my brother and nephew because he hid my daughter's EpiPen?'
"AITA for kicking out my brother and nephew because he hid my daughter's EpiPen?"
Common-Efficiency338
My brother and his son Eli (9) recently got evicted because my brother lost his job. My wife and I took them in because we have more room in our house than my aging parents have in their condo. My wife and I have a daughter Naomi (12).
Now, my brother considers himself a jokester, and it was funny when we were kids, but in my opinion it’s immature at his age. He’s passed this onto Eli, which is funny since he’s nine. Eli’s favorite prank is hiding other people thing’s.
Naomi is deathly allergic to many common things, so having an epipen on hand is absolutely necessary. Two weeks ago, Eli hid Naomi’s epipen and she freaked out. She wasn’t having an allergic reaction at the time, but still.
The thing is, the epipen was on a shelf which Eli is too short to reach. My brother admitted to helping Eli with his “prank”, and I chewed him out about it. I told him that if he or Eli hid Naomi’s epipen again, I’d kick them out. I explained how Naomi could die without it, and my brother seemed to understand.
Last week, Naomi actually did have an allergic reaction and needed her epipen and it wasn’t where she’d put it. Eli rushed up to the guest room to get it, and thank goodness we were able to inject her before it got really bad.
After I was done helping my daughter, I told my brother to get packing. He said that I wasn’t being fair because Eli had stolen it on his own this time, that it was just a prank, and Eli’s just a little kid, etc.
Pretty much everyone is pissed at me because my parents really don’t have that much space for two extra people in their home. They’re calling me heartless for kicking them out over a kid’s prank.
Here were the top rated comments from readers:
Individual_You_6586
Your brother, a grown man, is blaming his 9-year old son for a prank, that he himself TAUGHT the kid? No, your brother brought this upon himself. If your parents or extended family are so worried, they can take in the child and let your brother find a tent. It’s not your responsibility, and your brother has proven to be a liability to your daughter. NTA.
Which_Translator_548
Expanding on this, your nephew now conflates his Father’s love, time and attention (validation) with doing these horribly immature and life-threatening pranks. At 9, I could understand a tad bit more than the pathetic excuse of your adult brother.
Eli probably just took it again to try to impress his Dad but also inherently knew it was wrong and seemed genuinely afraid for your daughter, hence his immediate retrieval whereas most kids shy away when fearful of getting in trouble.
nooneatallnope
NTA, tell "everyone" who calls you heartless you're not kicking them out over a kid's prank, but about your brother's shitty parenting endangering your own child's life. If they're so judgmental they can do the moral thing and take the two in. Also, you're only mentioning your brother here, if Eli's mother is still in the picture, she could take in her son at least.
Ptronski
NTA. 9 years is plenty old enough to understand that's not okay.
The OP responded here:
Common-Efficiency338
You’d think so, wouldn’t you?
Senator_Bink
NTA. You don't play with people's lifesaving medical devices.
firebirdinflames
NTA. You warned your brother of the consequences of a repeat performance of the prank. If eli had been out when your daughter needed her epipen she might have died. Nothing funny about this the first time but he arguably didn't know better.
Second time he had been told not to touch the EpiPen and did it anyway. EpiPens are life saving medicine not f'ing toys. Pranks should never include life saving medication.
cthulhus_spawn
Hiding lifesaving medical equipment that is needed on a moment's notice isn't funny. What if the nephew wasn't home when she needed the pen that he had jokingly taken away. Throwing them out is almost too nice.
NTA but your brother is, and he's raising his kid to be one too. Make sure anyone in the family who whines that you made them homeless knows you almost lost your child to their stupid prank.
Pleasant-Squirrel220
NTA. Brother and Nephew FAFO there is consequences. My suspicion this is all on brother. As for the flying monkeys simple you say “You take them in, and oh make sure you hide any life saving medication”. It’s easy to throw peanuts from the gallery when you have no skin in the game.
Reddoraptor
NTA - they obviously didn't listen or learn and the dad was probably winking and nudging the boy about it, hiding someone's medication is beyond uncool and the fact that they did it even once is ridiculous, a second time is nope, get out, not going to be jerked around in my own home let alone have my child jerked around and even risking my child's safety for your idiotic pranking.