Woman Faces Backlash From Parents For Refusing To Make Recovering Sister Co-Owner Of Her Business
"My dad called me a terrible sister."
Family and business can be a dangerous mix. For many people, the idea of working with relatives sounds supportive and comforting, but the reality often proves complicated.
Questions of money, power, and responsibility tend to surface quickly, and when emotions are added to the mix, boundaries can blur. It’s not unusual for generosity to be mistaken for obligation, or for one person’s success to be treated as something that should be shared by default.
This tension becomes even sharper when a family member is struggling, and others expect someone else to “step up” in ways that may not be fair or sustainable.
One woman recently shared her experience on Reddit’s Am I the Asshole? forum after she offered her sister, who is in recovery from alcoholism, a job in her small seamstress business.
What started as a compassionate gesture quickly spiraled into conflict when their parents insisted her sister should be made co-owner.
The 28-year-old runs a successful seamstress shop, making clothes and earning most of her income from alterations. Wanting to help her older sister, Lana, a 29-year-old recovering alcoholic who has had trouble holding down jobs due to her DUIs and mental health struggles, she offered her a position working inventory and the register.
Lana was hesitant at first, not wanting to “leech off” her sister, but soon warmed to the idea. Their parents, however, took the offer much further than intended.
The OP asks:
RedditA 28-year-old woman runs her own seamstress shop, specializing in alterations and handmade clothing.
Wanting to support her 29-year-old sister, Lana, who is recovering from alcoholism and struggling to find work, she offered her a job
She was handling inventory and the register.
Their parents, however, began pressuring the business owner to make Lana a co-owner, with her mother even asking if Lana’s name would be added to the lease.
The woman refused, explaining that co-ownership would be too risky given Lana’s unstable recovery and lack of business experience.
Her father accused her of being “a terrible sister,” leading her to snap and threaten not to hire Lana at all if her parents kept interfering.
Many commenters on Reddit agreed that the business owner was right to stand her ground. As one person noted, “Ask your dad if he would give away half his business to a drunk sibling who has no experience – because that is what your mother is demanding.”
Would he?
Reddit
The OP added some info
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This is very true:
Reddit"I don't understand their thought process."
Reddit
The OP responded
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Start hanging up
Reddit
Golden child...
Reddit
Expert Opinion
The parents' push for co-ownership seems rooted in a desire to protect their struggling daughter, but it also reflects a common cognitive bias called overconfidence - they're underestimating the risks involved. The business owner's refusal suggests she's balancing empathy for her sister with a realistic assessment of the potential hazards, demonstrating emotional intelligence and risk management.
In the end, the woman’s decision reflects a larger truth: supporting family doesn’t mean sacrificing your hard work or exposing your livelihood to unnecessary risk. Offering Lana a steady job was already a generous step. But as countless readers reminded her, protecting the stability of her business may be the very thing that allows her to continue being a source of support for her sister in the long run.
