This past weekend both my sister and her four kids and my daughter and I had to evacuate our homes due to Hurricane Irene so we all headed over to our Mom's house.

I made sure to pack food for us that I know my picky daughter likes to eat and drink. My nieces and nephew are even pickier eaters, but they are also very wasteful when they find something they like. They take a lot of it and then only eat a few bites and throw the rest out. I brought a bag of "string cheese" and my one niece asked me (on Sat) once if she could have one....I said yes....but according to them if you ask once it covers everyone in the family for the rest of the visit. I opened the door Sunday afternoon and their was three left and my daughter didn't have any yet so when my nephew went in to grab two of them I told him no and to leave some for my daughter...then he went to take her bottle of iced tea and again I said no (He is six and the biggest waster of food I have ever seen).

My sister got annoyed at me and said if I didn't want to share the food I shouldn't have brought it. Meanwhile all the food they ate and wasted was what I brought or what Mom had in the closets... I think she should have brought some foods that her kids liked along with the eggplant parm that they don't like.

Would you have kept quiet and let them eat all the food you brought for your child or would you have said like I did.. You can have some but leave some for my daughter too.

Good on you..

an occasion like this is not normal. you were forced to share living arraignments for a while. you could explain to your daughter that while you are there she is going to make some sacrifices to keep the peace. as soon as you get back home, things can go back to normal. then talk to the adults and let them know that you have brought several items to share freely and one or two items that are specifically for your child. it's really hard when you are displaced, fish and house guests smell after three days.
anywho, hope you are ok girl. did you suffer any property loss

i just want to know if there is any eggplant parmesan left?
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

no u definitely had the right to say, leave some for your daughter, since u specificaly bought them for your kids. Its polite to offer them one or two, but they shouldn't assume, they can have the whole bag, unless u bought it for them.

I usually buy in bulk anyways at sams club or costco...but things i can not afford to share, i usually hide...things i dont mind sharing i put in the main fridge and kitchen, the rest i hide in the garage fridge and garage...that way i dont offend anyone. I dont think it is rude to tell the kids we need to ration what we have so that everyone will have something to eat later on as well. There is nothing disrespectful about that.

I think you were absolutely right!!! It's one thing to share when you have it to give...it's another for others to take advantage of your kindness. I can't really blame the kids, but your sister should have understood and taught them not to waste (especially what belongs to others) and not help themselves.

As far as your sister goes (like I would have said to my sister in this situation), she should have bought her own food to contribute, as well.

You were nice enough to share but they took advantage and should have be thankful and she shouldn't have said anything to in the negative.

On that note...my sister is the type that will give and give and let people walk all over her. She hates confrontation at all cost (even when it costs her)...I don't put up with it. If someone doesn't have enough courtesy, then I will let them know how I feel and put my foot down.

Good for you and stick to your guns. If they don't like it, you tell them to talk to me . I hope you are safe!!!!!

PS...I think sometimes family will take advantage of other members of the family because they are blood. Still does make it right though IMO

you are all family and that is why you stayed at your mom's house. Better there than at a shelter. Food should be there for all to share and you should lay the rule if anyone wants any of the food you brought over they should ask you first. The kids have no control and think they can eat what ever they want without asking for permission.

I do not care if its your sister kids you are their aunt and can speak to them as an aunt. What did your mommy had to say?

Katie has no problems sharing and she knew they would be eating some of it, but it would have been nice for them to have acknowledged her some times during the weekend. If they asked Katie, she is like me, she would have just given it to them but for them to not even ask and just eat it is what got to me. The older two are all around the same age group (16 - 19) as her and the younger two are 11 and 6, the 11 year old is the only one who talks to her. The other two are snotty and the youngest is just rude.

We had some downed tree branches and leaves everywhere but no property damage, thankfully!!

(And yes Kev, since her kids don't eat the eggplant we took some home. )

Steve, our Mom said the same thing to the grandkids..."Leave some for everyone else!!" and she got the same 'look' from my sister.

Thankfully my sister's azzh....husband....didn't come because he thinks he is the only one who should tell the kids what is right or wrong.....and according to him NOTHING is wrong--- if you want it, just take it, tought s--t on anyone who says otherwise.

It is a hard call to make at times. I do understand you telling them to leave the last few for your daughter. I would have done the same if it came down to that.

But then I have learned when around a group of people if I bring something and put it in the area for all to get too it is pretty much free game once you offer it to anyone.


Therefore when I'm in that type of situation if I don't want others eating/drinking what I have brought for myself then I keep it put up out of their site.

When my family is on vacation together and we are staying in the same place we all pitch in and bring stuff. The things I want just for my family I keep in my room and if needed in a ice chest...solves a lot of issues at times.

well glad to see everyone is ok, my sister took the twins up-state for couple of days just to get away from the island. (not sure if they had egg/parm though)

Pertaining to the waste you should tell the kids they will not waste the food they are getting. if they waste the food there is no more second time around. spoil brat. put me in charge. all of my family member get treated the same just like my child.

If I knew they were coming I would have brought more, I would not have had a problem with that because I tend to shop at bulk stores too. My sister was undecided because she lives less than a block from the Bay and her az...husband.... didn't want to leave the house, but she called after Katie and I were already at Mom's for a few hours. I did hide the iced tea but her kids will pull apart everything in search of "hidden treasures" and don't like being told to stop.

Kev, glad to hear your sis and kids got out of the path too... and they were missing out if they didn't have eggplant parm

Taking home the eggplant was funny.
No family is given special treatment that is why i am their uncle or cousin

I will say it...

Your sisters kids are thankless pricks and your sister has failed to raise respectful or thoughtful kids. Your sister is the failure.

I would have slapped a knot on the back of thier heads and told em to back the f**k off.

Couldn't have said it better.

Try to snag that string cheese again and you gonna take back a bloody stump!!

Eileena, look at the bright side. Your nephew went home with his mom. She has to put up with him, not you.