(Previous post: https://old.reddit.com/user/Scared-Weakness-6250/comments/1heghce)
April 18, 2026. Sorry this post is so long, I haven't been back on Reddit for a while. Was using my old laptop today, it was still logged into the site. I saw some messages asking for an update so here you are.
The short version is that yes, as predicted, my sisters did come at my folks again trying to suck money out of them and get them to turn on me. They failed, it got ugly and my folks barely talk to either of them these days.
The long, gory details (please note that most of what I say regarding my sisters is info from my folks):
At the start of the year I decided to replace my folks car. I'd paid for the last one about eight years ago when Dad retired and it was still in good shape, relatively low miles and was still reliable. But it was still eight years old and I didn't want them to be stranded especially if they were up at the vacation home. So for an early 50th wedding anniversary I got them a new midsize Toyota SUV with AWD. I mention the car stuff because it became the point of entry for my siblings' latest campaign to get money from them.
The first several months of 2025 were quiet. My folks and my sisters established somewhat of a detente, they were talking occasionally and mom and dad saw their grandkids a few times. Basically no drama. Both my folks were happy with that and Mom was fairly verbal about how much lower stress their lives were this way. Being low contact had helped her realize how much my sisters' behavior was wearing her down. Dad was fine with it too but he's pretty laid back to begin with and hadn't been in the firing line as much as Mom.
For their anniversary my folks had a small party at the clubhouse where they live. Wife and I couldn't make it so my parents invited the sisters and their families. At the party my sisters saw our folks' new car and made multiple comments about how well off they must be to be able to afford it. A few days later they approached Mom and tried to get her to pay for all five kids' summer camps, right then and there. They told her that I had always paid for it in the past (a total lie) and was refusing, so she and dad needed to step up. And in addition they told her "You obviously have plenty of money, you bought a fancy new car even though you don't need it."
A bit of background for those unfamiliar with these programs like I was: In higher income social circles it's popular to your kids to fancy summer camps that last about a month. They aren't cheap, currently $4000 to $5000 per kid plus other expenses while they're there. Some are more. Supposedly lifelong friendships are established, connections are made, etc. At least that's what my wife explained to me (she used to go, neither I nor my sisters ever did). So we're talking $25K for all five kids that my sisters expected our parents to hand over on the spot because otherwise they'd "lose their slots".
Mom gave them a flat out no. They started badgering her and were still at it when Dad got home. The whole thing became a yelling match, my folks kept saying they didn't have that kind of money and wouldn't spend it that way anyhow and the sisters kept telling them "stop hoarding your money and help us now, not when you're dead". It got Mom pretty shook up. During the argument my folks told them that I'd bought both their last car and the new one, which I'd asked the not to do but I get why it happened. This caused my sisters to go ballistic and they started claiming that I'd given my folks "their money" and that they should sell the car or get a loan against it and give the money to them. At that point Dad made them leave and they've been mostly no contact with my sisters since then. Folks did get all the kids Christmas presents and they Facetime occasionally but they haven't seen the kids face to face since.
After all this went down my sisters tried to contact me. They both called both my mobile and office lines and my wife's mobile from new numbers but we don't answer unknown calls. They also emailed me from new accounts. I only read one of the emails, it was basically a sad attempt to manipulate me into giving them money. I had the attorney who'd dealt with all this before send them cease and desist letters to stop contacting me or I'd pursue criminal charges for harassment and sue them for damages. Throwing money at an attorney to intimidate a relative so they'll stop bothering you is kind of a shitty thing to do but it worked, they went back to leaving me alone.
Other notes: oldest sister and husband's bankruptcy is in the repayment phase, which will take them several years. Apparently it's pretty tough for them because the repayment gets deducted from his paycheck so they can't get around it. According to a conversation I had with my ex-BIL (middle sister's ex) they're scraping by, driving crap cars and have fallen out of their friend group due to their behavior, lack of money and because they screwed over several friends by not refunding money they'd been paid to use my vacation home. Given how much appearances and status mean to them it's a worse punishment than jail. Ex-BIL also says they continue to drink too much. He says my remaining BIL has been diagnosed with stage 2 hypertension and other issues but hasn't changed his habits or lost any weight. Oldest sister never did get a job and she hasn't paid back a dime of the $45K she "borrowed" from Mom two years ago that let her keep her house.
Also, my middle sister ran out of money and had to give up the place she'd rented after her divorce that kept her kids in the same school system. She's working but it doesn't pay well, and even with child support there was no way she was going to be able to afford to stay in the district long term. She ended up moving in with the older sister and her family. They converted the garage for her and the kids. That was a whole other clusterfuck that's not worth going into, but no permits, bad behavior on everyone's part and fed up neighbors made for a lot of drama. They're all still living there as far as I know.
On a happier note my parents spent a fair amount of time at the vacation home last year. And they purged a fair amount of stuff, especially furniture they'd been storing there since they'd sold the home we grew up in. That allowed me to get the outbuilding fixed up / weathertight / garage door working, so now it can be parked in. David (my property manager who lives in the area) managed the work and got it done before snow season started. Wife and I also made a couple of trips to it which was nice.