Imagine growing up your whole life as an only child to parents who had you when they were pretty young.

If you were a teenager when they had a second child, would you be upset if they explained their excitement in a way that made it sound like this was their first child and that you didn’t exist or matter? Or would you understand what they meant?

In this story, one teenage boy if pretty upset with the way his parents keep talking about “having a baby” as if they’ve never had one before. Is he right to feel that way, or is he overthinking it?

Let’s read the whole story.

AITA for not celebrating my parents having a baby or even feeling happy for them?

My parents had me (17M) when they were 21. I always knew they wished they had been older when they had a kid and I know most of my family wished they had been older.

I never had the greatest relationship with my parents. They were fine. They made sure I had food, clothes and a home and they made sure I went to school every day.

But it never felt like they wanted me. I felt like their chore. And I never felt loved by them either.

He felt like his granddad was the only one who really cared.

When I was 7ish they started trying to have another baby. They talked about it all the time and they told family they were trying.

Probably the only person who ever cared about how I felt and how that stuff made me feel was my mom’s dad (granddad).

Granddad loved me and always made time just for me.

Even grandma (mom’s mom) never really warmed up to my parents having me and was excited for them to have a baby the second time around.

Again, his granddad was the only one on his side.

But the second baby didn’t happen.

They went to doctors and I’d hear all about that. They started cutting corners to save up for fertility treatments.

It didn’t impact me too much but there were some things like snacks and takeout that I missed because there was never any good snacks and they never ordered out anymore.

Granddad would try to make it up to me where and when he could but sometimes he got shamed by grandma, my parents or one of mom’s siblings for spending the money on junk for me when it could have been used to help my parents have a baby.

His granddad pointed out the obvious.

That’s the other thing.

So they were trying for another baby but they never said that. It was always they were trying for a baby. They wanted a baby.

There was nobody but granddad who acknowledged that they already had one.

When he used to correct others they’d say it was obvious what they meant and they were just dropping a word.

His parents never gave up.

The fertility treatments didn’t work when they first started them and mom would cry about how much she wanted a baby and my dad would say it would come in time.

He’d reassure her that they were supposed to be parents and would get their child.

After 10 years of trying, and I think they have spent way more money than I even realize on fertility treatments, mom’s pregnant again.

I don’t know what treatment they used that worked but they’re having a baby.

This seems pretty insentitive.

When everyone found out it was a big celebration and dad’s side literally threw a party for everyone. It was a whole thing that my parents were finally having a baby.

My parents said they couldn’t wait to have a child and be parents.

Their families cheered that stuff.

It would be hard to celebrate when you feel overlooked.

I wasn’t celebrating and my granddad wasn’t really either. He was sticking by me and being my support.

It didn’t go unnoticed and it ticked off everyone else.

My parents didn’t really say much but both my mom and dad’s families accused me of ruining the joy and ruining my parents amazing news because I acted like a loner who wasn’t a part of the celebrations.

They said a big brother should celebrate the news he’s getting a baby sibling and I should be sharing the joy with my parents.

But I didn’t even look like I was happy about it.

Again, his granddad stepped in.

Granddad defended me and told them how awful it was to act like my parents were having their first when I was here all along and nobody else seemed to acknowledge how bad it was to pretend I didn’t exist because my parents had me young.

I felt, and still feel, bad that granddad basically got slammed for defending me.

And I hate that it feels like there’s more animosity toward me now. AITA?

I love this guy’s granddad, but the rest of his family sounds pretty horrible. It’s not the same thing to want “a baby” versus wanting “another baby.”

All they had to do was acknowledge that this is their second child.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

This person thinks the parents are crazy.

Another person agrees that the parents are the problem.

This person tells him he’s a victim.

This is a good point!

There’s nothing worse that being treated like you don’t exist.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.