Siblings and families can make some people super sensitive.

In this case, this woman’s boyfriend is upset with her for not claiming her dad’s “other kid” as her brother.

Let’s get the full story to see who’s right…

AITA for not referring to my dad’s “son” as my brother?

My dad has an employee, who I’ll call Nik.

Nik has worked for my dad for 14 years, and in that time they have developed a father/son bond.

My dad calls Nik and I “his kids”, and Nik joins us for family holidays, birthdays, etc., since he has no other family that we know of.

My boyfriend Alex has always referred to Nik as my brother since I explained the situation, even though I never have.

This seems fine, at first…

If I talk about Nik I always just say he’s pretty much my dad’s other kid, or I explain the whole situation.

Alex has tried to correct me a few times and I’ve corrected him back.

I know this is a sore subject for him because he is adopted.

But the thing is, I don’t have a sibling relationship with Nik at all. We get along well but I don’t feel like he’s my brother at all.

We have an eight year age gap, and I didn’t meet him until I was 11, and I never lived or grew up with him.

I do consider him family and I’d do anything for him the same way he would me but he’s still not a brother to me.

I’m just not comfortable with that term.

She had to talk to him…

I’ve explained to Alex that it is in no way the same thing because he grew up with his parents and siblings, but he still says it makes him feel like I place a lot of importance on “blood” family which makes him feel like I must think he’s not really part of his family.

This came up again last night when Alex and I were out with his colleagues and one asked if I was an only child and I said yes.

Alex then corrected me and said I have a brother, technically.

I said technically I don’t, because there aren’t any papers of my dad ever adopting Nik so technically, legally, I’m an only child and told him to leave it alone.

This lead to an argument…

On the way home, Alex blew up at me, accusing me of valuing blood connections only and saying he feels like I’m invalidating his and other adoptee’s experiences of family.

I said my relationship or lack thereof with Nik is not related to his family and he needs to keep his issues to himself.

He’s now being cold towards me.

I don’t think I should feel pressured to pretend I see Nik as a brother when I don’t but I also don’t know if I’m being an AH in terms of my thinking here.

I’m not saying adoptees aren’t “real” family but I know I don’t see Nik as my brother even if my dad did “adopt” him.

Let’s see what the comments said…

This Reddit user makes some valid points.

Another commenter agrees that they’re not siblings.

Many of the Reddit users point to the boyfriend’s insecurities.

And this commenter, has some sympathy, but still agrees.

The commenters said it best… this person is 100% NTA!

What a weird hill to die on.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.