Imagine being part of a blended family, and your stepbrother has special needs.

Would you be willing to go out of your way to make accommodations for him, or would you be really frustrated at not getting to do what you want to do?

In this story, one teenage boy is in this exact situation, and he’s sick of it! His grandparent are even on his side, but his parents are not.

Let’s read the whole story.

My mom and stepdad said I’m making a big deal out of sharing a room on vacation and I should still consider it a vacation for me AITAH?

I’m (16M) in a blended family. My mom and dad had me, dad died and mom remarried when I was 8.

My stepdad’s ex wife walked out on him and my stepbrothers (12m and 10m) because she couldn’t handle their oldest having special needs.

He shares a room with one of his stepbrothers.

At home I share a room with my Jayden (12). He has developmental delays that cause him to remain more like a younger child than a 12 year old.

He’s not independent, he can be clingy like a younger kid and he needs someone with him when he sleeps because he gets so scared and he wakes up.

He’s also a really big talker and keeps me up some nights.

My stepbrother’s don’t get along so he was put in with me to keep the peace.

This is not an ideal situation.

I don’t really like sharing a room with him. I told my mom and my stepdad this before.

They told me they understand but we only have two bedrooms for the three of us and it’s more harmonious and better for him if he’s not with someone who gets so annoyed they treat him badly like Camden (10) does.

For the most part I try to make the most of it. I got a divider put in our room a couple of years ago and it helps me feel like I have some space.

He has to put up with a lot.

But it gets tiring when he wakes me up in the middle of the night or he wants to cuddle with me.

I don’t let him into my bed. My stepdad helps enforce that because he knows I would sleep on the couch if my bed was taken over and then my stepbrother would scream the whole house awake.

We don’t go on vacations ever because Jayden has a lot of therapies that cost so much money and we have stuff at home to help sooth him and those are expensive and they cost a lot to keep running according to my mom.

The vacation they did go on sounds worse than being home.

We did go on vacation this summer and I was supposed to get my own room this time. But when we got there that didn’t happen.

To make it worse I didn’t even have a bed because there was only one queen size bed in the room.

I did have my sleeping bag with me so I slept in that. But I had to sleep on stuff on my sleeping bag so Jayden would know I was in there.

I hated the whole vacation and my mom told me it wasn’t meant to be that way but it was better than Jayden and Camden fighting for 10 whole days.

He didn’t pretend to enjoy anything about the vacation.

By day two I was over it and it wasn’t a vacation to or for me or however I should be saying that. It was their vacation but I didn’t relax or a break from the typical stuff.

I still had to think of Jayden and only Jayden.

I told both sets of my grandparents and my aunts and uncles when they asked about it. I told cousins. I didn’t pretend I had fun or loved it.

All of his grandparents are on his side.

My mom’s parents asked her why I had to make more sacrifices and they told her she really needs to figure out better stuff for me.

Both sets of grandparents offered to let me spend more time with them as in overnights or move in.

My mom and stepdad said that wasn’t needed and asked why I’d leave my family.

My dad’s parents said I shouldn’t be forced to play caretaker at night and clearly they can’t afford to give me the privacy and space a 16 year old needs.

His parents are still mad at him.

Once enough of my extended family told my mom and stepdad this stuff they both accused me of making a big deal out of it. They said it was a vacation even if it wasn’t the one I wanted and I should consider it one because I got away from our house for 10 days and got new experiences.

Except I didn’t because we’re limited in stuff we can all do as a family because of Jayden.

My mom and stepdad are still mad about how I see the vacation but it was ruined for me with everything that happened. I’m not exaggerating or lying about it. I didn’t have fun like I expected because I didn’t even get to be comfortable at night.

AITAH?

I get that Jayden has special needs, but it’s not fair to make that OP’s problem. He’s a teenage boy who deserves privacy, a bed, and a good night sleep.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

His stepbrother should not be his responsibility.

This is a good idea.

He needs to stop pacifying Jayden.

Moving in with the grandparents would be the easiest solution.

He has put up with way too much for his stepbrother.

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.