January 14, 2025 at 9:21 pm

Her Grandparents Always Put Her Aunt On A Pedestal, So She Stood Up For Her Mother To Break The Cycle Of Favoritism

by Benjamin Cottrell

Source: Canva/Lipik Stock Media, Reddit/AITA

Favoritism often casts a long shadow in many families, and when you draw the short end of the stick when it comes to affection, it’s hurtful.

After years of watching her grandparents put her aunt on a pedestal while tearing her mom down, one woman reaches her breaking point.

When an innocent joke turns her grandparents against her mother yet again, she grabs the phone to give her grandparents a piece of her mind— and she’s done playing nice.

Read on to find out how the story plays out.

AITA for snapping at my grandparents for ‘protecting’ my aunt?

I’m a 23-year-old young woman living with my mom (41F), my stepdad (56M), and my brother (21M).

My mom’s parents have always been so stuck up, but I still loved them.

Even as kids, she identified a peculiar dynamic in the family.

Growing up, my brother and I noticed a lot of favoritism toward my mom’s younger sister, Kacie (32F).

My mom has three siblings, and Kacie is mentally challenged with autism. Because of this, my grandparents gave her extra love and care.

However, this love and care had an interesting effect on Kacie as an adult.

Now, mind you, I completely understand that she needed extra love and care due to her autism. But my brother and I both noticed she’s very spoiled.

She constantly wants to go to Disney, uses all of my mom’s products that my mom paid for, and frequently asks my grandparents for money. They give it to her on the spot.

When the family got together next, they all had a good time.

One day, it was New Year’s Eve. Everyone in the family was having a great time — or so I thought.

We were all cracking jokes about each other and reminiscing about past memories. Everyone laughed.

Jokes were even exchanged about Kacie — and everyone seemed fine with it.

My mom made a small joke about my aunt Kacie being silly as a child — eating peanut butter, thinking it was chocolate, and crying about it.

Everyone laughed about it, even my grandparents.

That is, until the next day.

After New Year’s Eve, I went downstairs for some snacks and heard my mom on the phone. My grandparents were screaming at her.

Yet again, her grandparents came running to Kacie’s aid.

They said my aunt Kacie cried to them, claiming my mom was “bullying” her and hurt her feelings. They said she had attacked her.

My mom tried to calm them down, but they kept screaming at her. It got to the point where I saw tears in her eyes and heard her sniffling.

My stepdad tried to step in and calm them down too, but they accused him of getting in on the bullying.

So she decided it was finally time to let her grandparents have a piece of her mind.

I froze for a moment, but then I instantly took the phone from my mom.

I screamed at my grandparents, calling them ridiculous and stupid.

I reminded them that they were there, heard everything, and had the audacity to attack my parents over something so minor.

They never bothered to get my mom’s side of the story and just immediately attacked her.

My grandma started crying, and my grandpa was shocked.

But she wasn’t done there.

I told them to go **** themselves and never contact my mom again. Then, I hung up.

Afterward, I wrapped my arms around both my mom and stepdad, telling her it wasn’t her fault.

Her family can’t believe she would act that way, and now she’s second-guessing everything.

The next day, my family told me I had been too harsh and that I needed to be more considerate because my aunt is autistic.

I just wanted to protect my mom.

AITA?

They say respect your elders, but these grandparents could learn a thing or two about respect too.

Redditors weigh in.

Her grandparents needed to hear the truth — no matter how harsh.

Source: Reddit/AITA

Needing extra care may excuse some things, but it doesn’t excuse this.

Source: Reddit/AITA

This commenter concurs.

Source: Reddit/AITA

In this commenter’s opinion, too much attention can be just as bad as neglect in the long run.

Source: Reddit/AITA

Defending family can sometimes mean confronting family, even when it’s uncomfortable.

This daughter made it clear that the harmful cycle of favoritism couldn’t continue — not on her watch.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a rude customer who got exactly what they wanted in their pizza.