Bad Aunt

sunny • New

I’ve been watching my nieces almost every day for about eight hours or longer while their mom works. She also asks for me to watch them while she goes on dates. She literally just left her husband and moved back here. It has been a very stressful few months. She hasn’t been much help but I’m trying to give her some time to process so I’ve been putting up a lot from her. Her kids are also struggling w the big change and seem to always have an attitude no matter what happens. I could tell them anything and they’d say no even if I was just telling my own story. One is four the other is nine, both girls, and related to me so I can understand a bit of sass. I figured their ages had a lot to do w misbehavior but regardless I know their capable of being better for me. I’m just not sure how to go about helping them learn to communicate and play nicely. They are constantly arguing and physically fighting so I’ve been trying to let them have alone time every now and then. But as soon as they play again it’s back to crying and screaming. I’m not a mother myself, I just miscarried my first pregnancy about a month ago..my body is still recovering a bit and maybe it’s been making things worse lately with how I’m reacting to them. I’m just having a hard time doing this everyday. I didn’t babysit growing up cuz other people’s kids can really be too much. Idk how parents put up with so much. Now I know why my mom has selective hearing. I’ve been trying to help the youngest with learning workbooks to prepare her for school but I can see her being the one sent home because she’s hurting other children or not willing to listen to teachers at all. The older one just wants to back talk a lot but at least we can talk about how we’re feeling and come to some type of conclusion. What do I do at this point?? I feel like a failed auntie, I used to be the girls favorite