A parent says their sister-in-law asked them not to bring their daughter to Christmas, then called to stop pumpkin patch photos in the group chat

A parent said their sister-in-law called and asked them to stop sharing photos of their daughter in the family group chat after they posted pictures from a pumpkin patch. The poster said in a Reddit post that they refused and told her to leave the group if the content was too difficult for her to see, as reported by the Daily Dot.

The sister-in-law has reportedly struggled with infertility and had a miscarriage around the time the poster’s daughter was born. The poster said the sister-in-law has dealt with a medical condition affecting her fertility since her school years. While the poster expressed sympathy for her, they said her reaction to their daughter has become difficult to manage.

According to the poster, the sister-in-law avoids the child at family gatherings and skipped the girl’s birthday party. She reportedly called it “cruel” when the poster shared newborn photos and asked that the daughter not attend Christmas the previous year.

Three pumpkin patch photos set off the latest fight

The latest dispute began after the poster’s brother and his partner, the sister-in-law, shared pictures from their own farm visit. The poster then posted three photos of their family at a pumpkin patch, including their daughter. The sister-in-law called shortly after and asked them to stop sending pictures of the child to the group.

The poster said they told her they would not stop and that she should leave the chat if it was too hard for her to view. She hung up, and the brother is now angry with the poster for making his partner cry. The sister-in-law’s side of the story could not be verified.

The poster said they have discussed the pattern with their brother many times without any change. They added that they do not believe managing the sister-in-law’s emotional reaction is their responsibility.

Most commenters sided with the poster, with one writing, “NTA. Your sister-in-law needs professional psychological help.” Others acknowledged that the sister-in-law’s infertility struggles could be difficult to navigate, and the thread joined other recent posts on the subreddit about an aunt clashing with parents over her niece’s health.

Infertility affects roughly one in six adults worldwide at some point in their lives, according to a 2023 World Health Organization report. The WHO defines infertility as failing to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sex. The report analyzed studies from 1990 to 2021 and found little difference in infertility rates between high-income and lower-income countries. The agency said the condition can cause significant distress and stigma, affecting people’s mental and psychosocial well-being.