Imagine being the youngest child in your family, and all of your older siblings are your half siblings which were all from your parents’ prior relationships.

If these half siblings didn’t treat you like a sibling, would you accept it quietly, or would you tell your parents?

In this story, one teenage boy is in this situation, and he has quietly accepted the fact that he’s basically an only child for years, but he recently told his parents and grandparents how he feels.

Now, he’s wondering if that was the wrong thing to do.

Let’s read the whole story.

AITA for asking my parents and grandparents to stop acting like I have a relationship with any of my half siblings?

My parents were both married before they had me (M16). My dad got divorced when his kids were both under 4. My mom became a widow when her kids were under 8.

They met about 18 months after my mom’s husband died and something like 4 years after my dad’s divorce.

They tried to blend and failed.

The step siblings really did not like each other.

My mom’s kids don’t consider dad a parent or his kids family. My dad’s kids don’t consider mom or mom’s kids family.

They didn’t fight all the time or anything like that but lines were drawn between them. And I know my mom’s kids were happiest when dad’s kids were with their mom. They used to tell our cousins that and even some aunts and uncles.

I was born 2 years into my parents marriage.

His half siblings didn’t treat him like a sibling.

My childhood wasn’t awful. I didn’t have the worst time with my half siblings.

But they were cold.

None of them ever called me their brother or their half brother. They really didn’t pay any attention to me.

Even 1:1 they ignored me or reluctantly talked to me when I was talking to them.

They were encouraged by my parents and family therapy happened like three times.

The siblings made it clear they didn’t care about him.

But we never became a family and I never felt like the youngest of several kids.

I felt like an only child.

Each of my siblings had at least one sibling they claimed. I was never one of them. That’s just how it was.

They weren’t like get lost or back off or anything. But they never wanted me around, never wanted to talk to me, never cared how I was doing or what was going on and they never wanted to tell me what was going on with them either.

Now that they’re adults, they don’t stay in touch.

They’re all adults living their own lives and some have kids.

Nothing has changed. And it’s not just nothing has changed with me. My mom and dad’s kids have nothing to do with each other and I don’t think they’ve been in the same room since they started moving out.

Mom’s kids still have no relationship with dad and the same goes for dad’s kids not having a relationship with mom.

I could definitely see how this would be awkard!

The three weddings that have happened so far were awkward.

They didn’t invite stepsiblings, I was brought along but I was ignored and so was their stepparent.

When my dad’s oldest got married it was especially awkward because their mom has a husband and other kids too and the same thing was happening with them.

Only they really didn’t like me even though I never met them before… So that was fun!

His parents and grandparents can’t seem to accept that he’s never going to be close with his half siblings.

My parents and my grandparents (both sets of grandparents) still like to act like I have a relationship with my siblings. They talk about how great it’ll be for me to see them all when I graduate in a couple of years.

Or how excited they are for me to spend some more time with them even though we never do.

They even try to get me overnights at one of their houses and the answer is always no.

Whenever we’re with one side of the family and the half siblings from that side show it’s awkward. They try to make sure we sit together and they tell my half siblings about my life and my half siblings try to change the subject.

Or if my parents and grandparents say I could help my half sibling with something or even the other way around and that’s always rejected too and it makes dinners and parties awkward.

He finally told them how he felt.

The other night both sets of grandparents were over and they talked about my parents going away for a week long vacation and seeing which half sibling would let me stay with them for the week.

I kind of had enough and I asked them to stop pretending I have a relationship with any of my half siblings. I said all six of them know what the answer from all my half siblings will be and it’s okay.

I said I had accepted it a long time ago but could they please stop pretending because it made things awkward.

They asked me where I got such negativity from and have my half siblings ever said they don’t love or want a relationship with me.

I said they tell me all the time through their actions even if the words were never said.

His parents and grandparents refuse to believe him.

My parents and grandparents acted like I’d done something wrong for asking them to stop pretending and they said I read into it too much.

So I asked some cousins to come forward with what they were told and my parents and grandparents said it was second hand information.

AITA?

Why don’t they ask the half siblings? If they’re honest, they’ll admit he’s telling the truth.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Here’s a suggestion of what to tell his parents.

He might be old enough to stay home alone.

This person says the parents are the ones who messed up.

They are clearly NOT the Brady Bunch.

Refusing to accept reality doesn’t change it.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.