Dealing with teens is always difficult, and it can be even harder when they have mental health challenges.

What would you do if your stepdaughter moved in, was always arguing about helping with chores, and then ‘passed out’ after being told to help, but you think she is just being dramatic?

That is the situation that the step-mother in this story is in, and she just wants her to help pick up her siblings from school, but it is always a fight, and she isn’t sure how to handle it.

AITA for asking my stepdaughter to please pick her brother up from school?

A year ago, my stepdaughter (19F) came to live with me, her father, and her half brother (9M).

Mental health issues can be very difficult.

SD came with a lot of mental issues rooting from her treatment from her mother during school.

She has been a mess since she moved with us and admittedly it was not the best circumstance and she claims that she’s improving, even though I’m not sure that I see it.

Hopefully, the therapy can help.

She had a hospital stay about a year ago and has been in intensive expensive therapy since.

SD goes to school and works at her school but she has very few hours and is not taking a full load.

Helping out with the family is an important way to contribute.

Since she moved in, she’s had some responsibilities around the house. One of those responsibilities is picking her brother up from school and watching him and driving him to activities.

She complains about this, so I think you’ll understand why I think she’s being a bit dramatic.

Adjusting medications can be very impactful.

SD’s medication was recently changed. She was placed on a medication that was supposed to eliminate her nightmares and allow her to sleep.

I don’t know how severe they are, but today was her first day on them.

Napping can be healthy, but it can also be a sign of laziness.

At noon, I found her asleep on the couch. Naps typically aren’t allowed, especially on a weekday when she needs to be doing coursework and chores.

I woke her up and she claimed that she was “out of it” and “couldn’t stay awake”.

The new medication may be causing drowsiness.

I reminded her of our rule and encouraged her to be productive. I thought all was well until I asked her to pick her brother up.

About 10 minutes after she left the house, my husband came running in panicking because he’d discovered her laying dazed on the ground after allegedly passing out in the lawn.

Kids can definitely be dramatic.

Honestly, I was suspicious. She’s very dramatic a lot of the time and a hypochondriac. When I asked her what she was doing, she babbled about the medication also apparently being a BP lowering medication and she’d passed out from that.

Her BP is often low, but I don’t see how this could’ve caused something like that.

Maybe she needs to just let Dad handle any disciplinary issues.

I think she’s just trying to get out of picking her brother up but now my husband is mad at me.

AITA?

I can see how this would be very frustrating, but it might be better if Dad handled things like that.

Read on to see what the people in the comments think about this situation.

This commenter needs more details.

Good point, this could be dangerous.

I wonder what medication it is.

Medication can have a big impact on alertness.

Here is a commenter who thinks she is being cruel.

This Mom needs to be a little more understanding.

If you liked this post, you might want to read this story about a teacher who taught the school’s administration a lesson after they made a sick kid take a final exam.