AITA : I last minute helped my mom watch her doggies and had to end up telling her to pull herself together
My mom went out of town and her dog sitter ghosted her after dropping them off at the airport. She texted me in a panic saying the dogs couldn’t be alone because they need meds, food, walks, etc. I immediately rearranged my life to help her.
I told her I could go that night, stay late, come back early the next morning, and be there during the day. I also had an important interview and had barely slept for multiple nights in a row. Still, I agreed to help because she sounded desperate. My partner would be coming with me because she has 4 dogs that needed to be walked.
At first she was super grateful and telling me I was “the best.” But later, when I told her I needed to go home that night to sleep in my own bed and take my partner home (who had work early), she completely flipped on me.
I told her that I’m allowed to revise my promises if it causes me suffering and to pull herself together.
She started saying things like:
“How are you gonna do this to me?”
“I feel so stupid and betrayed.”
“I’m your mom.”
“I’ve done NOTHING but support you for years and years.”
I told my mom to pull herself together and that I’m allowed to revise my promises.
What hurts is that I was still helping her. I was literally on my way there while she was saying this. I just couldn’t stay overnight every single night because I was exhausted and running on almost no sleep from graveyard shifts.
I understand her being stressed about the dogs, but the guilt-tripping and emotional escalation made me feel really manipulated. It felt like the second I couldn’t meet 100% of her expectations, all the appreciation disappeared.
She also hasn’t answered my questions as far as how often to feed them and when she is coming back home.
Am I overreacting for feeling hurt by this?