“AITA For Turning Away Partner’s Grandparents When They Showed Up Unannounced?”

Once you become a parent, even something as basic as getting a good night’s sleep becomes a major challenge. And if you’re raising twins, that challenge doubles. You deal with double the diaper changes, double the midnight feedings, and yes—double the sleep deprivation. Often, when one baby starts crying, the other follows. This is what many call the “domino effect.”

In one popular story on Reddit, user GingerKenobi shared how he and his partner were finally able to put their twins to sleep after a long day. But just as they were about to enjoy a few peaceful minutes, the grandparents showed up at the door—completely unannounced. Not wanting to risk waking the babies, they politely asked them to come back another time.

Unfortunately, things got tense. The partner’s father didn’t take it well and began yelling at his daughter. This stressful moment highlights a real issue many new parents face—family drama, lack of boundaries, and the toll it takes on your mental health.

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When you have newborns in the house, even something like proper sleep seems like a luxury

The poster and his partner have newborn twins, and they are currently living next to his partner’s parents

Today, we look at the life of a young couple navigating the challenges of raising newborn twins—while also dealing with unexpected family drama.

The couple lives in a house they are currently renovating, right next to the woman’s parents. Even though the location is close, they made it very clear that they don’t want surprise visits. Like many new parents, they value their privacy and are trying to maintain a healthy baby sleep schedule.

One day, the woman’s father texted to say his parents (the twins’ great-grandparents) had shown up without warning. He even followed up with a phone call. But here’s the issue—the couple had just put their twin babies to sleep, and the mother was finally getting some rest herself.

Knowing how hard it is to get twins to sleep at the same time, the man (OP) answered the call and told the dad that it wasn’t a good time. But while he was still on the phone, the grandparents rang the doorbell twice—and woke one of the babies.

OP rushed to the door and kindly but firmly explained that both the mother and babies were asleep, and they really needed peace. Even after that, the grandmother tried to enter the house, but he stood his ground and politely asked her to leave.

Although the grandma acted like everything was fine and walked away, the damage was done. The babies were awake again, and the mother—tired and emotional—called her father to express frustration.

What happened next shocked many: the father yelled at her, blamed her for his own mother being upset, and even cursed over the phone, making her cry.

Feeling overwhelmed, OP shared the story online, wondering if he had made a mistake by turning the grandparents away.

The internet had his back.

Many users agreed he did the right thing. When you’re a parent—especially of twins—sleep, peace, and emotional health matter more than pleasing visitors. It’s okay to protect your home, your partner, and your mental well-being.

Parenting Tips from This Story:

• Respect the baby’s sleep schedule – Waking them up can ruin the whole day.
• Set clear boundaries with family – Even grandparents need to respect your space.
• Support your partner’s emotional health – Yelling, guilt-tripping, or blaming only causes stress.
• Communicate without guilt – You’re allowed to say “Not now” when it comes to protecting your peace.

If you’re a parent dealing with similar situations, know this—you’re not being rude; you’re being responsible.

Parenting is tough—but parenting twins or multiples is a whole different level of exhaustion. Studies have shown that parents of twins are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and high levels of parenting stress. The early stages of raising twins often come with sleep deprivation, financial pressure, and a real risk of social isolation.

This is why it’s so important for parents of twins to set healthy boundaries, ask for help, and practice regular self-care. But what happens when family members ignore those boundaries?

In this real-life story, a couple raising newborn twins had made one thing very clear: no unannounced visits. They live in a home next to the woman’s parents while renovating it, and they needed peace—especially when the babies were finally asleep.

However, on one particular day, the woman’s father texted and called to say his parents had just shown up without notice. The man (OP) politely said it wasn’t a good time, as the twins were sleeping and his partner was resting. Still, the grandparents rang the doorbell twice, waking the babies. The grandmother even tried to enter the house, but OP firmly told her no.

Although she walked away calmly, the peace was already disturbed. The twins were crying, and the exhausted mother ended up calling her father—only to be yelled at and cursed out over the phone. This left her in tears.

It was a heartbreaking moment for the couple. According to Psychology Today, when parents don’t respect the emotional or physical boundaries set by their adult children, it can lead to family estrangement. This might be the direction this story is heading, as the original poster mentioned in the comments that they’re now planning to move out.

The online community reacted with support and empathy. Many were shocked by the father’s aggressive behavior, especially knowing that postnatal depression is a very real risk for new moms. Add in the exhaustion of caring for twins, and his response felt deeply unfair. Others advised OP to either talk to him calmly—or simply move out to protect their peace.

Folks online were baffled by the father’s extreme reaction and advised the poster to have a serious talk with him