Every child wants to feel equally valued by their parents, especially when it comes to big milestones like getting a first phone.

But when this teen noticed a pattern of her younger siblings getting newer and better iPhones, she started to wonder why she was always given the hand-me-downs.

Now she’s questioning whether her frustration is justified or if she’s just being petty.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA for being upset that my parents got me an iPhone 11

I (15F) got my first phone when I was in Year 6. It was an iPhone 4 that was initially my parents’, but I got it because they upgraded.

It was great but didn’t last long because it was really old and wouldn’t let me download apps or anything because the iOS couldn’t update.

This trend continued on for quite a while.

So my next phone was an iPhone 7 that my mum bought for herself but never ended up setting up, so she instead gave it to me three years later and got herself a newer phone. I was so grateful to have a working phone.

Fast forward two years. My younger sister is in Year 6 and in need of a phone.

But this time, her parents behaved very differently.

What do my parents do? They go out and buy her an iPhone X.

Obviously, I was quite upset—not really by the fact that my sister had a newer phone than me, but by the fact that my parents went out and bought her a phone, while none of my phones were bought for me.

Her parents promised to do better next time.

When I expressed this to my mum, she said that when I needed a new phone, it would be a newer model than my sibling’s phones.

Fast forward another two years. My brother is in Year 6, and my iPhone 7 is failing me.

It has a weird glitch where the screen goes black and I have to turn it off and on again. It’s really hard to use because everything loads extremely slowly, and on iMessage it only receives half the messages I’ve been sent.

But then her brother needed one too.

I tell my parents, and they agree I need a new one. But since my brother is in Year 6 now, they go buy him an iPhone 12.

He’s 11, and he has an iPhone 12. They also got him the phone case that I told them I wanted.

So when her parents broke their word to her yet again, she was irate.

Anyway, time comes for them to get me a new phone finally, after showing them for months that it doesn’t work, and it’s an iPhone 11 with a case that is not what I asked for.

Of course I’m grateful to have a working phone again, but I’m rather annoyed and upset and angry.

This doesn’t feel fair at all.

Why does my 11-year-old brother get a brand new iPhone 12, but when I was 11, I got an old iPhone 4? And why does he get the case that I asked for, but I don’t?

It’s not the model of the phone I’m upset about—it’s the fact that they happily buy stuff for my siblings and not me.

I’ve told my parents how it’s unfair, but they don’t really think it is. My friends all agree with me.

AITA?

The message her parents were sending her was loud and clear.

Redditors chime in with their two cents.

What’s happening here is most definitely favoritism.

It’s about more than just the iPhone here.

She can then channel this anger and do better for herself.

This commenter agrees there’s a harmful pattern happening here.

It’s not just about having the newest iPhone — it’s about feeling valued by her parents.

No one likes being treated like an afterthought.

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.