Help! Should I visit my parents or postpone? I’m caught between an entitled brother and a time-sensitive visa.
I (31F) live in Europe, having moved here from my home country a year ago with my husband (31M).
I was planning to visit my home country this weekend for a week to see my parents. I initially intended to take my parents, my brother (32M), and his wife (32F) on a trip where I would cover all the costs.
Shortly before the trip, my mom was hit with an unexpected financial issue. I came up with a plan to help her. Since I’m currently waiting on a visa extension and am not working, I rely on my husband's income.
When my mom told my brother about her financial situation, he lashed out at her. He complained that I shouldn't be "wasting money on airfare" and should just pay her debt instead. He was also rude about me organizing the trip, even though I had checked with everyone beforehand. Hearing how he spoke to her really hurt, and I realized he acts as if my generosity is a given, while his responsibility to our parents is optional.
On top of this, I discovered that he expects me to pay for his car fuel for the trip. He acts like I have unlimited money just because I live abroad and makes passive-aggressive comments about my husband's income.
I have decided that I will not include my brother in my plans under any circumstances because I’ve realized how entitled he is. I was planning to book a train trip to a different location with just my parents to avoid the stress of funding him and dealing with his attitude. When I informed my brother of the new plan, he was unhappy. He argued that since the train tickets cost roughly the same as his fuel, I should just pay for his fuel instead. He is essentially demanding to be included, but only on his own terms and at my expense.
I’m embarrassed to bring this issue up to my husband because I worry about what he would think of my family dynamic if he knew the full extent of my brother's behavior.
Additionally, my travel document expires in early August, creating a time-sensitive window for this trip—I don’t know when I’ll receive my visa extension, so this might be my only chance to travel for a while.
I’m skeptical that if I visit, there will be more drama. I’m feeling so stressed that I’m considering not going, even though the flights are already booked.
Am I the asshole for excluding him to protect my budget and my peace? Given the potential for conflict, is it better to push through and go, or should I postpone and avoid the situation entirely? How can I handle this if I decide to go?
Posted Jul 8, 2026, 9:32 AM UTC