“I’ve Had Enough of My Husband’s Sister: She Spends Every Weekend at Our House”

John and I have been married for 15 years. We have a beautiful home in the suburbs, two wonderful children, and a life that many would envy. However, there’s one thorn in our otherwise perfect life: John’s sister, Lisa.

Lisa is a single woman in her late thirties who has never really settled down. She has a decent job and her own apartment, but for some reason, she spends every weekend at our house. At first, I didn’t mind. Family is important, and I wanted to support John in maintaining a close relationship with his sister. But as the years went by, Lisa’s weekend visits became more frequent and more intrusive.

Every Friday evening, like clockwork, Lisa arrives with her overnight bag. She makes herself at home, taking over the living room with her loud phone conversations and endless TV marathons. Our children, who initially enjoyed their aunt’s visits, have grown tired of her constant presence. They can’t have friends over or enjoy a quiet weekend because Aunt Lisa is always there.

John doesn’t see the problem. He loves his sister and enjoys her company. He thinks I’m overreacting and being unreasonable. But he doesn’t see the mess she leaves behind, the way she monopolizes our time and space, or the strain it’s putting on our marriage.

I’ve tried talking to Lisa about it. I’ve hinted that we need more family time, that the kids have activities and friends they want to see. But she just laughs it off, saying she loves spending time with us and that we’re her favorite people. It’s flattering in a way, but also incredibly frustrating.

One weekend, I decided to take a stand. I told John that we needed a break from Lisa’s visits. He was upset but agreed to talk to her. When he did, Lisa was hurt and angry. She accused me of trying to drive a wedge between them and said she felt unwelcome in our home. John was caught in the middle, torn between his wife and his sister.

The tension in our house was palpable. John and I argued more than ever before. The kids sensed the strain and started acting out. Our once happy home was filled with resentment and frustration.

Despite our efforts to set boundaries, Lisa continued to show up every weekend. She would call John crying, saying she had nowhere else to go or that she was feeling lonely. John couldn’t say no to her, and I couldn’t stand the constant disruption.

Our marriage began to suffer. We stopped communicating effectively, and intimacy became a thing of the past. I felt like I was losing my husband to his sister, and there was nothing I could do about it.

One particularly bad weekend, after another argument about Lisa’s presence, I packed a bag and took the kids to my mother’s house. I needed space to think and figure out what to do next. John was devastated but didn’t try to stop me.

As I sat in my childhood bedroom, I realized that something had to change. I loved John, but I couldn’t continue living like this. I needed him to understand how much this was affecting our family.

When I returned home, John and I had a long, painful conversation. He finally saw how much Lisa’s constant presence was hurting us. He promised to set firmer boundaries with her and prioritize our family.

But it was too late. The damage had been done. Our marriage was irreparably strained, and trust had been broken. We decided to separate, hoping that some time apart would help us heal.

Lisa still visits John every weekend, but now it’s at his new apartment. The kids and I are adjusting to our new normal, trying to find peace in the midst of the chaos.

Sometimes love isn’t enough to overcome the challenges life throws at us. And sometimes, family can be the very thing that tears us apart.