Being the oldest sibling often means making sacrifices, but sometimes, it feels like you’re constantly taking a backseat.
So, what would you do if you were given some money and decided to spend it on yourself, only to be accused of being selfish by your parents?
In the following story, a teenager finds himself in this exact situation.
Let’s see how it all played out.
AITA for spending my money on a new bed vs letting it go toward my sister’s braces?
I (16m) have a part-time job, and recently, my grandparents gave me some money.
So the reason for the money is simple.
My parents prioritize my younger sister (13f) and their foster kids (11 and 10) over me, and their money and time are prioritized on them.
My parents have been fostering their foster kids for about 7 years now, and before them, my parents really just focused on my sister.
My grandparents always noticed. So, they tried to make up for it after multiple talks with my parents went badly.
They gave me a significant amount of money, which I used to buy myself a new bed. My old bed was worn out and noisy, so with my grandparents’ help, I was able to replace it.
Here’s where everything really went downhill.
My parents knew about the money because my sister saw our grandparents give it to me.
My parents were so mad at me because they told me I knew they were saving up for my sister to get clear braces for her teeth, and I could have helped a lot.
I told them I didn’t want to help with that. That they wouldn’t help me if I needed them.
They told me that’s the thing with being the oldest, and most oldest kids don’t sulk about it like me.
They tried to make me take the bed back and get the money and I refused. My grandparents and parents ended up in a fight over it.
My sister called me a **** and said it’s not fair that I get a cool new bed, and she’s stuck with hers.
She said she deserved more stuff than me, and I called her a spoiled brat and told her to leave me alone.
My parents said I was “selfish to my core.”
AITA?
It must feel like his parents don’t love him.
Let’s check out what readers over at Reddit had to say about his situation.
It’s clear most people don’t like taking money from their kids.
Great point! It was an intervention.
As this person points out, sleep is just as important as braces.
Here’s another valid point – he’s their kid, too.
These parents are something else.
They need to accept that they have more than one child and stop showing so much favoritism.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.