It’s fantastic to have a family. You get to spend time with the people you care about most while knowing they’ll always be there for you. It gives you unwavering support and ensures your mental health. Of course, there may be some arguments along the way, but you can be certain that they will always be there for you. However, many people are affected by toxic families that refuse to adhere to the usual norms of a healthy relationship and instead opt to live in emotional instability. In this story a brother expressed his fairly unjust experience about his parents’ obvious preference towards their eldest kid. Read the story to understand the situation.
Source: Reddit
Ok I know the title sounds like I’m spoiled. But hear me out. My brother (20) got a car for his 18th birthday. Not a new car or anything. It was a 20 year old Lexus that was in pretty good shape. And he rubbed it in my face for the rest of the time he was in senior year of high school. Compared with my brother I get just as good of grades as he does. Better in some cases even. I worked my hardest in the hope of fairness. I even did some volunteering cleaning up garbage in my local area.
Then my 18th birthday came and went a few weeks ago. And the only thing I wanted, the only thing I was hoping for was a car. I wasn’t expecting something like a new car, or a sporty car. Just something reliable like my brother got. The party wasn’t anything like my brother’s 18th. For his 18th my mom baked the cake herself. It was a delicious layered chocolate pudding cake. I got a sheet cake from the supermarket. For his they got a DJ. For mine it was my dad’s old boombox with a couple of mix CDs. We went through the whole party, and I figured my parents might have just been waiting to spring a surprise gift on me. But that didn’t happen.
I asked them as things were wrapping up why there was no car when my brother got one. And they said that they felt like he’d worked harder for it. I asked what he did that I didn’t do. Because I did all of that and more. My grandma was nearby and heard everything. And then she asked them why as well. She ended up lecturing my parents that she was very very very disappointed in them for showing favoritism. Then she proceeded to announce to everyone still there that my parents thought it fine to get their first born son a car and DJ, but not their second. And then she even pointed out how much harder my parents tried for my brother’s 18th birthday than they had for mine. My uncle was the first to stand up and say something. Then everyone else who’d not left yet. I ended up just walking away and going to my room to sit and think.
I got a few I’m sorry calls from relatives. And my grandparents convinced me to go out with them for the evening. But when I got back my parents were pissed, and told me I’d shamed them to the whole family. I just walked past them because I didn’t want to fight. The next few weeks went by with the silent treatment between us. But then a few days ago, my parents suddenly surprised me with a white 98 Subaru Legacy that runs great. They practically threw the keys and the title in an envelope at me and said to have fun. I got the car. And they’re paying for insurance for the next six months like they did for my brother. I know a car isn’t really a right, but a privilege. So I feel like I’ve essentially blackmailed my parents into getting me one.
What are your opinions? Did I over react? Please don’t be afraid to criticize. Thank you for your time in advance.
Here are a few comments on the story where it was originally posted:
