This is completely out of left field, given the article, but the lying aspect brought it to mind and it’s not talked about enough and desperately NEEDS to be shared: DON’T TEACH KIDS TO LIE AND KEEP SECRETS. This is the foundation for “grooming” and cannot be tolerated until they are old enough to understand what a sexual predator is. Grandma, telling your grandchild, “it’s our little secret, don’t tell your parents” isn’t cute, it’s dangerous. You’re teaching children to do things they know their parents wouldn’t like. Creepy Joe next door will start the same way and slowly start blackmailing in a way only kids will fall for. “If you don’t pull down your pants I’ll tell your parents about all the chocolate you are.” Then, “If you don’t XYZ I’ll show them the pic of your pants pulled down”. If you wanna keep kids safe, #1 rule above all others is to have loving and clear communication and trust.

Doesn’t really matter to go into discussion about chocolate - it’s about knowingly breaking a set rule and horrible parenting to teach kids to lie to trusted family members. My sister used to give my kids candy and soda they didn’t get at home (too young), and she thought it Made her the cool aunt. I bet she’d give them a beer now even though they’re a few years under legal drinking age, just for the same reason.

Wow. What blatant disrespect both sisters and your mom have for you. It's "Your House, Your Rules." If they don't like it, they can lump it. Do NOT waiver unless there is a sit down with the siblings and the niblings. Btw, I've never heard "niblings" before but I think it's adorable. I'm guessing it's taking the N from niece/nephew and adding it to sibling. I'm in the US.

So your sister(s) lied to you by giving the kids chocolate despite you saying you don't want it in your house? No need to go further.... they are the assholes...

You are never wrong for putting your dogs before somebody else's children. Also, you didn't even do that, your sister just isn't trustworthy. If the children got the chocolate without her knowledge, it would be another story, but she gave it to them, blatantly disrespecting your rules.

I agree with OP, but I have one point to be made. I just hope he does not unwittingly put the kids in the middle of his argument with his sister. A similar situation with my mother's relatives happened regarding me as kid and it seriously traumatized me because I thought the rift was my fault. I didn't even know the exact cause until adulthood when I visited said relatives and they jokingly told me about how they fed me sweets behind my mother's back (knowing that she would be against it) because they thought I was too thin and wanted to fatten me up. Even after all those years they still had no clue what chaos they unleashed. I was only six years old and understood NONE of what was going on. Adults need to keep in mind that children process things very differently from adults and that it needs to be explained to them that if a family conflict happens, IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT. I know the children broke the rules too but it is really their mother's fault.

Iam also a dog owner of three beautiful dogs two bluenose Pit mastiff one red nose pit and I fully understand how you feel. I don't want anything to happen to them no matter if it isn't deadly. But people tend to not understand that it's our responsibility to insure their safety medically for obvious reasons. Their like my babies. I love them as they do love me. If someone put them in any way of being harmed than your not welcomed to be around them. Yes I love my family. But also I love my dogs cause their family as well. I feel your family should respect your rules while in your home. It's not different if you would allow their children in to do something that their parent forbid. I m on your side if something would happen to your dogs, you would be seeking help along with inquiring Vet bills which is unnecessary if only family would not have followed your rules in the first place. My dogs are very special to me. I Will Not allow anyone to harm them. My house My Rules

Apart from the really shitty behaviour from the sister... .........the kids cant go without chocolate even for a few hours? Why do the mum send candy at all? Was the smaller ones parents informed there was a secret candy club going on and was it OK for them to have their kids munching on regular basis?

Putting your dogs first is only a bad thing if they're your kids and too young to know. My dog or other people's kids - not even a question. And even your own kids can deal with it in certain situations and at a certain age.

Chocolate is dangerous to dogs because it can destroy their nervous system. Although a few chocolate crumbs won't make a big difference to a dogs overall health, the point is that it was a rule set down by the provider of a free service. When my son was in school, children were not allowed to share food because of potential allergy issues. My son's school eventually made a no peanut butter rule after a child ignored the no sharing policy and sent a classmate to the hospital with anaphylaxis. So the rest of the children in the school got punished for one kid ignoring the rules. If sis wants to keep ignoring it, maybe he will stop babysitting for everyone. Will her sisters back her up then?

No more babysitting. A very necessary rule was broken and if one of the dogs had eaten the chocolate, would the sister even care? I doubt it because bringing the chocolate shows just how little she cares about your dogs. Show her how disrespectful she was to you and tell her to get one of her sisters to babysit, or better yet drop them in grandma's lap.

They're using you as a free sitter! Trust me I've been taken advantage of lots. I too have zero kids and siblings have several. I'm 41

Does his idiot sisters even realize how fortunate they are to have a free babysitter on a regular basis for 10 kids. And he even moves around his work to accommodate them for the younger kids and they teach their children to lie and deceive him ? They are all awful and so is mom. Tell mom to babysit their lying daughters offspring if she's ok with all of this. Horrible adults except for the lovely brother who has been treated like dirt in his own home.

Wow, babysitting 10 kids for free is a huge ask!

The sister is “furious” because he won’t do free babysitting anymore? Shows how grateful she was all along…

Just wait until these kids have friends with a peanut allergy. This momma is going to kill someone's child.

I have this rule, Im deadly allergic to all kinds of chocolate, I allow others to eat it if i trust them but even a crumb cause cause me to end up in the hospital, the spot will swell up and get worse, AND THATS JUST TOUCHING IT, Thank fully i have a family based on truth, I dont care if they eat it in front of me, as long as they know they cant touch me or anything i go near, meaning my house

NTA you were in your right to have rules and they choose to not follow them. End of story.

Not your children, not your problem. 5hey can pay for a babysitter if they feel too entitled to regard rules and boundaries of normal people.

Im not even an animal person and i dont think there was an over reaction at all. How do you blantantly disrespect your brother and his home and have the nerve to be mad that there are consequences. 🙄

NTA but your sister is. When you graciously do something for someone and you have every right to lay down rules and boundaries in your own home and on your own time, especially when you're doing a service for free. And when the receiver of those services boldly violates your rules and boundaries, which are extremely reasonable, and she lies and by proxy, gets her children to lie, which is bad parenting, you have every right to be angry and end or withhold those services and no one else has any say in the matter! You were totally disrespected and lied to and your dogs, your children, were endangered and that's just wrong and so is your mother. She's just as bad as your sister because she's enabling those behaviors and they're forgetting you are all role models for these children and you're the only one setting a good example! You need to point that out to mom and sister!

Definitely NTA. your dogs are your babies, what if one of them did eat some and you god forbid you would have had to take one to the vets, would your sister have footed the bill for it?!? Next time, respect the rule!!

Shame on your Mother and your Sisters, they knew this was a rule set in your home for everyone to follow, but your Sister decided to teach them they don't have to respect your home or your guidance for them while their in your care. I would suggest you totally stop keeping the children until you can develop a trusting relationship with them that their Mom can't influence. And you should have a talk with your nieces and tell them since they broke the rules and have been breaking the rules for quite sometime they are not allowed to visit until they respect you, your home and the safety of your Dogs because the dogs live there too and the kids should not be creating a unsafe environment for the dogs, they should protect the dogs because the dogs would protect them.

Stop being free childcare. If they can't respect your rules, you don't have to watch their kids. They are taking advantage of you. Make them get babysitters. Your dogs are your priority.

The Dogs are Your kids , sister disrespect YOUR kids.